Our Family Prayers

With the help of the Holy Spirit, this website was created to help us grow closer to God through prayer. The following prayers take about 15 minutes. Additional prayers can be found in the menu above. The Prayer Information page explains what prayer is and has tips for praying.

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Our Father

Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell,
and on the third day
he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God,
the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.

Prayer of Reassurance

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think
I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire
in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything
apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this
you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me
to face my perils alone.

– Thomas Merton, 1956

Bible Verses

Micah 6:8

This is what the Lord asks of you,
only this:
to act justly,
to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct your path.

Psalm 62:2

Only in God is my soul at rest.
In him comes my salvation.

Joshua 24:15

As for me and my household,
we will worship the Lord.

Family Prayer

God made us a family.

We need one another.
We love one another.
We forgive one another.

We work together.
We play together.
We worship together.

Together we love all people.
Together we grow in faith.
Together we serve our God.

Thank you God for all of my family.
Amen.

Prayer for Fathers

Heavenly Father,
bless all fathers and fatherlike figures,
especially N.

Fathers are the head of the family,
charged by you to protect and provide
for the physical and spiritual needs
of each member.

Therefore, help our fathers lead
their families with love and kindness.

Grace them with the virtues of
wisdom, justice, courage, and self-control.

Grant them knowledge so they may
properly educate and discipline their children.

And help them prioritize and balance
their faith, family, and career.
Amen.

Prayer for Mothers

Heavenly Father,
bless all mothers and motherlike figures,
especially N.

Mothers are the heart of the family,
providing care and support
through their self-sacrifice
and unconditional love.

Therefore, when our mothers are tired,
give them strength.

When they feel alone,
give them comfort.

When they are overwhelmed,
help them to know peace.

And in their darkest moments,
be their light.
Amen.

Prayer for Children

Heavenly Father,
bless all children of the world,
especially N.

Provide them with parents and caregivers
who will love them and prepare them
for life on earth and eternal life in heaven.

Protect them from all evil
and guide them towards a life of
goodness, discipline, and knowledge.

Prepare them for the vocation in life
for which you have called them:
marriage, single life, or religious life.

And fill them with a desire to know
your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Prayer for Religious Vocations

Heavenly Father,
you see the needs of your people
and hear the prayers of your Church.
See our need for more religious vocations.

We need ministers of the Word
and of the sacraments.
We need guides to teach us your way.
Lord, the work in your vineyard is abundant
and the workers are not sufficient.

We ask you to bless our young people,
especially N,
with the call to religious life.
Enrich your Church
with many holy and zealous
priests, sisters, brothers, and deacons.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
now and forever.
Amen.

– Anna Mae Tschirhart Connolly Merkle, 1978

Prayer for Religious Leaders

Heavenly Father,
we pray for Pope Leo,
and for all priests, brothers,
sisters, and deacons,
especially N,
that the Holy Spirit will give them
wisdom and courage
to serve the Church,
proclaim the Gospel,
and bring Christ to the world.
Amen.

Prayer for Political Leaders

Heavenly Father,
we pray for all
local, national, and world leaders,
especially N,
that they will govern justly,
protect the dignity of human life,
promote peace and unity,
and work for the common good.
Amen.

Prayer for the Poor

Heavenly Father,
we pray for the poor and vulnerable.
Help us to be instruments of your love,
to feed the hungry,
clothe the naked,
shelter the homeless,
and care for the sick.
Amen.

Prayer for the Sick

Heavenly Father,
bless all who are sick or injured,
especially N.
Comfort them through their illness
and embrace them with your love.
Let their pain and suffering be united
with the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus,
and offered up for the healing
of the whole world.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer for the Dying

Heavenly Father,
pour your grace on those dying,
and on those who have died,
especially N.
Have compassion on them
and their families.
Forgive their sins
and welcome them into your kingdom.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Resurrection Prayer

My Lord, Jesus Christ,
you endured much pain and suffering
before dying on the cross.
You sacrificed yourself
to take away the sins of the world,
so that those who have faith in you,
and follow your commandments,
will be resurrected to eternal life.

Jesus, you are our God and Savior.
Give us the strength
to endure our own pain and suffering.
Help us turn away from sin
and follow your commandments
so that when we die,
by your grace,
we may be resurrected to eternal life
and live with you forever and ever.
Amen.

The Ten Commandments

Traditional in black.
Children’s version in grey.

I am the Lord your God, you shall not have strange gods before me.
Love God more than anything else.
You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain.
Say God’s name with respect.
Keep holy the Lord’s day.
Honor God and go to church on Sunday.
Honor your father and mother.
Respect your father and mother.
You shall not murder.
Don’t hurt anyone.
You shall not commit adultery.
Don’t cheat.
You shall not steal.
Don’t steal.
You shall not lie.
Don’t lie.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s spouse.
Respect the marriage promise.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
Don’t be jealous of what others have.

Sin and Virtue

Sin is when we deliberately disobey God. God is love and God wants us to love him, love others, and love ourselves. God wants us to be virtuous.

The following are called deadly sins because they can lead to the destruction of our soul. When we recognize these sins in our lives, we should ask the Holy Spirit to help us emulate their opposite virtues.

Holy Spirit,
when I feel…

Prideful

Envious

Angry

Lazy

Greedy

Gluttonous

Lustful

help me to be…

Humble

Kind

Patient

Diligent

Generous

Moderate

Chaste

Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the living God,
have mercy on me,
a sinner.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

God’s plan of salvation is two fold. First, Jesus died on the Cross to atone for our sins. Second, we must repent of our sins and receive forgiveness to be reconciled with God.

Jesus gave his disciples the authority to forgive sins; see John 20:21-23. That authority has been passed down from those original disciples to their successors which we now call priests.

In the first centuries, a person would confess their sins in public. Private confession began in the 6th century and the Sacrament of Reconciliation was formalized in 1215. The following is a brief summary of the sacrament.

Spend time alone to recall your sins; an Examination of Conscience guide may help.
Enter the confessional room, and with honesty and sincerity, state your sins.
The priest will assign you penance.
Say an Act of Contrition to express your sorrow and your resolve to do better.
Acting in the person of Christ, the priest will absolve you from your sins.
Leave the confessional room, perform your assigned penance, and strive to sin no more.

Examination of Conscience

Based on the Ten Commandments

Have I treated people, events, or things, as more important than God?
Have my words, actively or passively, put down God, the church, or people?
Do I go to mass every Sunday? Do I avoid work that impedes worship to God? Do I look for ways to spend time with family or in service on Sunday?
Do I show my parents due respect? Do I seek to maintain good communication with my parents? Do I criticize them for lacking skills I think they should have?
Have I harmed another through physical, verbal, or emotional means, including gossip or manipulation of any kind?
Have I respected the physical and sexual dignity of others and of myself?
Have I taken or wasted time or resources that belonged to another?
Have I gossiped, told lies, or embellished stories at the expense of another?
Have I honored my spouse with my full affection and exclusive love?
Am I content with my own means and needs, or do I compare myself to others unnecessarily?

– United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Act of Contrition

My God,
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong,
and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you
whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend,
with your help,
to do penance,
to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever
leads me to sin.
Amen.

The New Covenant

At the Last Supper, Jesus established a new covenant. No longer would we sacrifice and consume a lamb. Jesus would sacrifice his own body for us to consume. He would shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

At every Mass we renew this covenant. Through a divine mystery, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, bread and wine are transformed into his body and blood. If we are not able to participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, we may pray the following:

Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus,
I believe that you are present
in the Blessed Sacrament.
I love you above all things
and I desire you in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
come spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you
and unite myself wholly to you.
Permit not that I should ever
be separated from you.
Amen.

– St. Alphonsus Liguori, 1700s

The Crucifixion and Resurrection

After the Last Supper, while praying in the garden, Jesus was arrested. He was scourged, crucified, and died on the Cross.

Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead:

demonstrating the power of God over death,
validating his sacrifice on the Cross for our sins, and
providing us hope for our own Resurrection.

Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!

Sing Twice:
Jesus, remember me,
when you come into your kingdom.

Thank You Jesus

Thank you Jesus,
for coming to earth to teach me
about the kingdom of heaven.

Thank you Jesus,
for allowing yourself to be crucified,
so my sins would be forgiven.

Thank you Jesus,
for rising from the dead,
giving me hope for my own resurrection.

Thank you Jesus,
for being my Savior
and for loving me.
Amen.

Daily Prayers