The Fatima Prayer, also known as the “O My Jesus” prayer, was taught by Our Lady to the three shepherd children at Fatima in 1917. This brief but profound prayer asks for mercy for souls and is traditionally prayed after each decade of the Rosary.
O my Jesus,
forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of Hell.
Lead all souls to Heaven,
especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
A sacred collection of traditional Catholic prayers that have sustained the faithful for centuries, representing the heart of Catholic devotion passed down through generations. These time-honored traditional Catholic prayers have been carefully preserved in their authentic form, maintaining the reverent language and theological richness that saints have prayed and families have shared throughout history. From daily devotions to moments of thanksgiving, from times of trial to spiritual renewal, this treasury of traditional Catholic prayers forms the bedrock of Catholic spiritual life, serving as an essential resource for those seeking to deepen their faith through the prayer traditions that unite Catholics across the world.
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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.
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
O my Jesus,
forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fire of Hell.
Lead all souls to Heaven,
especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
Hail, holy Queen,
Mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this, our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
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.
On the third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into Heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall 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 the life everlasting.
Amen.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray.
And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God, cast into hell Satan
and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
to whom God’s love commits me here,
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard,
to rule and guide.
Amen.
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, embolden me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Never permit me to be parted from you.
From the evil Enemy defend me.
At the hour of my death call me
and bid me come to you,
that with your Saints I may praise you
for age upon age.
Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
and you shall renew the face of the earth.
O God, who has instructed the hearts of your faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant that by the same Holy Spirit
we may have a right judgment in all things
and evermore rejoice in his consolations.
Through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
O My God,
I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because of Thy just punishments,
but most of all, because they offend you, my God,
Who art all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
with the help of your grace,
to sin no more,
and to avoid the near occasions of sin.
Amen.
O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became flesh, died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths that the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them, Who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Amen.
O my God, relying on your almighty power, infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon for my sins, the help of your grace, and life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.
O my God, I love you above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me and ask pardon of all who I have injured. Amen.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone
who fled to thy protection, implored thy help,
or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly to thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my mother;
to thee do I come,
before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise my petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.
My soul proclaim the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in ever generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus,
I cast myself upon my knees in your sight,
and with the most fervent desire of my soul
I pray and beseech that you would impress upon my heart
lively sentiments of Faith, Hope and Charity,
true repentance for my sins
and a firm purpose of amendment,
while with deep affection and grief of soul
I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate
your five most precious wounds,
having before my eyes that which David spoke in
prophecy of you, O good Jesus:
“They have pierced my hands and feet,
they have numbered all my bones.”
Amen.
The Sign of the Cross is the most fundamental prayer gesture in Catholic tradition, combining a simple yet profound prayer with a sacred physical movement. When we pray “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” while touching our forehead, chest, and shoulders, we invoke the Holy Trinity and mark ourselves as Christians.
This ancient practice, dating back to the earliest days of the Church, serves as both a mini-profession of faith and a powerful blessing. Catholics begin and end virtually every prayer with the Sign of the Cross, including the Rosary, as it sanctifies our actions and reminds us that everything we do should be done in God’s name. The physical gesture itself forms a cross over our body, symbolizing Christ’s redemption and our baptismal commitment, while calling down God’s protection and grace upon us.
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The Apostles’ Creed is the ancient profession of faith that summarizes the core beliefs of Christianity. Dating back to the early Church, this creed serves as a concise statement of what Catholics believe about God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Church.
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.
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 thence He shall 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 the life everlasting.
Amen.
“The Glory Be” is a short but profound doxology that has been central to Christian worship since the early centuries of the Church. The prayer’s structure reflects the biblical foundation of Trinitarian theology, echoing the baptismal formula given by Christ: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The phrase “as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be” affirms God’s eternal nature and unchanging glory, reminiscent of passages like Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
“The Hail Mary” is one of the most beloved and fundamental prayers in Catholic tradition, deeply rooted in Scripture. It combines words spoken by the angel Gabriel during the Annunciation (“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee” – Luke 1:28) with those of Elizabeth at the Visitation (“Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” – Luke 1:42), both found in the Gospel of Luke.
The prayer consists of two parts: the first half recounts these biblical salutations to Mary, while the second half is a heartfelt petition asking for her intercession – “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” This structure beautifully balances scriptural praise with supplication.
The title “Mother of God” reflects the theological truth proclaimed by Elizabeth, who called Mary “the mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43), affirming Jesus’ divinity. The phrase “full of grace” translates the Greek “kecharitomene,” indicating Mary’s unique spiritual state as chosen by God for the Incarnation.
Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
The “Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina)” is one of the most beloved Marian prayers in the Catholic tradition, dating back to the 11th century. Also known by its Latin name “Salve Regina,” this beautiful prayer honors Mary as our merciful Mother and Queen of Heaven. The prayer concludes each decade of the Rosary and is often prayed at the end of Compline (Night Prayer) in the Liturgy of the Hours. With its poetic language and heartfelt petition for Mary’s protection, the Hail Holy Queen offers comfort to the faithful seeking our Blessed Mother’s guidance on their journey toward eternal life with Jesus.
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, Most Gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
The Our Father Prayer, also known as the Lord’s Prayer, is the prayer Jesus taught his disciples when they asked him how to pray. Found in the Gospels of Matthew (6:9-13) and Luke (11:2-4), it serves as the perfect model of prayer, containing praise, petition, and submission to God’s will. This foundational Christian prayer is recited daily by Catholics worldwide during Mass, the Rosary, and personal devotion. Its simple yet profound words express our relationship with God as our Father and our dependence on His providence, while teaching us to seek forgiveness as we forgive others.
→ See more Common Catholic Prayers
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.
The Nicene Creed is a statement of the Catholic faith developed at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and revised at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. It outlines core Catholic beliefs about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the church.
Get the scoop → “Three Persons, One God — Understanding the Holy Trinity”
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
