Short Daily Catholic Prayers that everyone should know!
Why do we need Daily Catholic Prayers? Our days are busy and our schedules are jam-packed. It is easy to become distracted with our work, or kids, or stress in general. Often it feels impossible to “pray without ceasing” as Saint Paul instructed us to do.
When we are busy, prayer often takes a back seat. To combat this we need to learn to bring prayer into all aspects of our life - even the busy parts.
A helpful practice is to recite short, daily, Catholic prayers. These quick, memorized, daily prayers are a tool that helps put our faith into our daily tasks. They help us live a Christ-centered life.
When you find yourself stressed or short on time, these prayers re-focus us on the eternal. Take some time to memorize a few that stand out to you. You'll always have them at the ready when your plate is full.
Below are a few traditional short Catholic Prayers which you can learn to recite daily. Pray them without ceasing!
Short Daily Catholic Prayers
- The Anima Christi
- The Morning Offerings
- "Come Holy Spirit"
- Prayer to the Holy Spirit
- Memorare
- One Decade of the Rosary
- The Prayer of Saint Ignatius
The Anima Christi
The Anima Christi, or "Soul of Christ," is a traditional prayer calling us to focus on many aspects of Christ. The origins of this prayer are somewhat disputed. Some historians suggest that it may have been written by St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556). Others believe it may be much older, dating back over a century and a half before Ignatius' time.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding its origins, the Anima Christi has long been a beloved prayer. It is featured in the tradition of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, serving as the opening prayer.
The real grace of this prayer is its focus on Christ. Its words allow us to meditate on the many aspects of Christ - his body, blood, passion, wounds, and soul. The Anima Christi brings us into close union with Christ and is a sacred prayer.
This is a great prayer to pray after communion, bringing you close to Christ. It's also one of our favorites to use to bless others, especially your children.
The Anima ChristiSoul of Christ, sanctify me.Body of Christ, save me.Blood of Christ, inebriate me.Water from the side of Christ, wash me.Passion of Christ, strengthen me.O good Jesus, hear me.Within your wounds, hide me.Let me never be separated from you.From the malignant enemy, defend me.In the hour of my death, call me, And bid me come to you,That with your saints I may praise you forever and ever. Amen.
More Resources: How to Pray the Anima Christi
Morning Offering
The Morning Offering is a traditional prayer offering, encouraged by the Church. It originated from the Apostleship of Prayer, a movement founded in France in 1844, and is still active today. The purpose of this movement is to pray for the Pope and the specific intentions that he sets for each month.
This prayer is so helpful to pray upon daily rising. It is a beautiful way to offer the day to the Lord. Write this down and place it next to your bed - let it be the first words that you recite to start your day. Make it a repeated daily Catholic Prayer.
Morning OfferingO Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father.
"Come Holy Spirit"
The Holy Spirit lives within each of us - he is the teacher of our prayer. Calling on him to be present with us is a simple, yet powerful prayer.
“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” Every time we begin to pray to Jesus, it is the Holy Spirit who draws us on the way of prayer by his prevenient grace. Since he teaches us to pray by recalling Christ, how could we not pray to the Spirit too? That is why the Church invites us to call upon the Holy Spirit every day, especially at the beginning and the end of every important action.
Praying, "Come Holy Spirit" when we begin or end a task is a beautiful opportunity to imbue that task with prayer. It's such a simple way to put prayer into our lives.
Another popular and slightly longer version of the prayer is as follows:
Come Holy SpiritCome, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
When Saint John Paul II was a young man, his Father was his first teacher of the faith. He gave him a prayer book on the Holy Spirit, and instructed him to pray a daily prayer to the Holy Spirit. Saint John Paul II prayed this short prayer daily, and commented that this prayer made a profound impact on him. He attested that it later resulted in his encyclical on the Holy Spirit, Dominum et Vivificantem.
Before you start your work, calling on the Holy Spirit to guide you, is a virtuous practice.
Prayer to the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit, I ask you for the gift of Wisdom to better know You and Your divine perfections,for the gift of Understanding to clearly discern the spirit of the mysteries of the holy faith,for the gift of Counsel that I may live according to the principles of this faith,for the gift of Knowledge that I may look for counsel in You and that I may always find it in You,for the gift of Fortitude that no fear or earthly preoccupations would ever separate me from You,for the gift of Piety that I may always serve Your Majesty with a filial love,for the gift of the Fear of the Lord that I may dread sin, which offends You, O my God.
More Resources: Saint John Paul's Daily Holy Spirit Prayer | PDF Download
Memorare
The Memorare is a beautiful prayer to Mary, asking for her help. "Memorare" comes from the latin word "remember." The Prayer comes from a much longer prayer to the Virgin mary, Ad sanctitatis tuae pedes, dulcissima Virgo Maria (“At your holy feet, most sweet Virgin Mary”).
The Memorare is a beautiful prayer to Mary, asking for her help. The prayer was popularized by Father Claud Bernard in the 17th century. It is also known that Saint Francis De Sales prayed the prayer often, and Saint Mother Teresa taught many in need to pray it. She testified that the prayer never failed to provide her a needed miracle.
This is a prayer to pray with sincere faith and trust. When you are in need, this prayer calls down heavenly help. It's a powerful invocation to have at the ready everyday.
The MemorareRemember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto 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 not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.Amen.
One Decade Rosary
When we don't have time for a full Rosary, reciting one decade is a great practice. One decade should only take about 2-3 minutes to pray. Reciting a decade as you begin an action or trip - such as a drive to a meeting or walk to work, is a simple way to sanctify your day. As Catholics this is a wonderful tradition in our faith.
Need a one decade Rosary to use? We've featured our favorites, including the Rosary Card for your wallet.
One Decade of the RosaryOur FatherOur 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.10 Hail Mary'sHail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst 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 BeGlory 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.Fatima PrayerO My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
The Prayer of Saint Ignatius
St. Ignatius of Loyola was the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). He frequently recited this prayer, and suggested it to those seeking his spiritual direction to encourage their total commitment to God.
If you have a big task coming up, or feel yourself starting to lean on pride, this is a great prayer to recite. The Prayer of St. Ignatius can be especially helpful after an achievement, centering us on the Lord.
The Prayer of Saint Ignatius"Take, Lord, receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my whole will, all that I have and all that I possess. You gave it all to me, Lord; I give it all back to you. Do with it as you will, according to your good pleasure. Give me your love and your grace; for with this I have all that I need."
Tips to reciting these short daily Catholic Prayers
It's far too easy to become distracted with the busyness of life, and let our prayer life dwindle. All parts of our life should be given in prayer.
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori attests to the need for daily prayer throughout our day: "It is not enough to pray only with the tongue: we must, according to the Apostle, pray also with the heart if we wish to receive God’s graces: “Praying at all times in the spirit.”
A simple way to sanctify our daily life, to learn to pray without ceasing, is to have short daily Catholic prayers memorized and available to us. Commit to learning a few of your favorites and using them throughout your day.
Consider how you can incorporate them during your day:
- Before you begin a task.
- As you start a trip.
- Between meetings.
- When you complete a task.
- At the top of each hour.
- On your work break.
Regardless of when you do them, let them be a great resource to your faith!
Want to learn more? Click on our guides below!
How to Pray the Catholic Rosary
How to Pray the Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Prayers after Communion - What to Pray After Communion.
The Rosary Card - Built For Convenience
As you learn to pray the Rosary, check out our Rosary Cards. They are designed for convenience (same size as a Credit Card) and make it much easier to pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet often.
See more options here.
Connect
Please let me know how your journey with the Rosary is going, I'd love to hear from you. Send me a message an email at: brennan@everydayprayerco.com
Need a Rosary to get started? Check out our Wallet Rosary Cards. It'll make sure you are never without the Rosary.
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And don't forget about our free Rosary Guide Download. Keep Praying!