Prayers for Various Occasions

Intercessory prayer is an integral part of Catholic life. For more information, see “Why Do Catholics Pray to the Saints?”




Oratio ante colligationem/Prayer Before Connecting to the Internet
(Composed by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf)
Omnipotens æterne Deus, qui nos secundum imaginem Tuam plasmasti, et omnia bona, vera, pulchra, præsertim in divina persona Unigeniti Filii Tui Domini nostri Iesu Christi, quærere iussisti, præsta quæsumus ut, per intercessionem Sancti Isidori, Episcopi et Doctoris, in peregrinationibus per interrete factis et manus oculosque ad quæ Tibi sunt placita intendamus et omnes quos convenimus cum caritate ac patientia accipiamus. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Almighty and eternal God, who hast created us in Thy image and bade us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful, especially in the divine person of Thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore, bishop and doctor, during our journeys through the internet, we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to Thee and treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.



For Conversions, and for the Church

Oratio S Francisci Xaverii/Prayer of St. Francis Xavier
Aeterne rerum omnium effector Deus, memento abs te animas infidelium procreatas, easque ad imaginem et similitudinem tuam conditas. Memento Iesum, Filium tuum, pro illorum salute atrocissimam subiisse necem. Noli, quæso, Domine, ultra permittere, ut Filius tuus ab infidelibus contemnatur, sed precibus sanctorum virorum et Ecclesiæ, sanctissimi Filii tui Sponsæ, placatus, recordare misericordiæ tuæ et, oblitus idololatriæ et infidelitatis eorum, effice ut ipsi quoque agnoscant aliquando quem misisti Dominum Iesum Christum, qui est salus, vita et resurrectio nostra, per quem salvati et liberati sumus, cui sit gloria per infinita sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
O God, everlasting creator of all things, remember that the souls of unbelievers were made by Thee and formed in Thine own image and likeness. Remember that Jesus, Thy Son, endured a most bitter death for their salvation. Permit not, I beseech Thee, O Lord, that Thy Son should be despised any longer by unbelievers, but do Thou graciously accept the prayers of holy men and of the Church, the Spouse of Thy most holy Son, and be mindful of Thy mercy. Forget their idolatry and unbelief and grant that they too may some day know Him Thou hast sent, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Life and Resurrection, by whom we have been saved and delivered, to whom be glory for endless ages. Amen.



For the Dead

Requiem æternam/Eternal Rest Grant unto Them
Requiem æternam dona ei (eis), Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei (eis). Requiescat (-ant) in pace. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto him/her (them), O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him/her (them). May he/she (they) rest in peace. Amen.



Deus, qui nos patrem et matrem honorare/O God, Who Hast Commanded us to
Honor our Father and Mother
Deus, qui nos patrem et matrem honorare præcepisti: miserere clementer animabus patris et matris meæ eorumque peccata dimitte (vel animæ patris mei eiusque peccata dimitte, vel animæ matris meæ eiusque peccata dimitte): meque eos (vel meque eum, vel meque eam) in æternæ claritatis gaudio fac videre. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Amen.
O God, who hast commanded us to honor our father and mother: in Thy mercy have pity on the souls of my father and mother (or the soul of my father, or the soul of my mother) and forgive them their trespasses (or forgive him his trespasses, or forgive her her trespasses); and make me to see them (or him, or her) again in the joy of everlasting brightness. Amen.



For Grace

Concede mihi/Grant me Thy Grace
Concede mihi, benignissime Iesu, gratiam tuam, ut mecum sit et mecum laboret mecumque in finem usque perseveret. Da mihi hoc semper desiderare et velle, quod tibi magis acceptum est carius placet. Tua voluntas mea sit, et mea voluntas tuam semper sequatur, et optime ei concordet. Sit mihi unum velle et nolle tecum, nec aliud posse velle aut nolle, nisi quod Tu vis et nolis. Amen.
Grant me Thy grace, most merciful Jesus, that it may be with me and work with me and persevere with me even to the end. Grant that I may always desire and will that which is to Thee most acceptable and most dear. Let Thy will be mine, and let my will ever follow Thine and agree perfectly with it. Let my willing and not-willing be all one with Thine, and let me not be able to will or not will anything else but what Thou willest or willest not. Amen.



For a Happy Death

O Maria sine labe concepta/O Mary, Conceived Without Sin
O Maria, sine labe concepta, ora pro nobis, qui confugimus ad te; O Refugium peccatorum, Mater agonizantium, noli nos derelinquere in hora exitus nostri, sed impetra nobis dolorem perfectum, sinceram contritionem, remissionem peccatorum nostrorum, sanctissimi Viatici dignam receptionem, Extremæ Unctionis Sacramenti corroborationem, ut magis securi præsentari valeamus ante thronum iusti sed et misericordis Iudicis, Dei et Redemptoris nostri. Amen.
OMary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee; O refuge of sinners, Mother of the dying; forsake us not at the hour of our death; obtain for us the grace of perfect sorrow, sincere contrition, the pardon and remission of our sins, a worthy receiving of the holy Viaticum, and the comfort of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, in order that we may appear with greater security before the throne of the just but merciful Judge, our God and Redeemer. Amen.



For Peace

Oratio pro pace/Prayer for Peace
Da pacem, Domine, in diebus nostris, quia non est alius, qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu, Deus noster.
Give peace in our times, O Lord, because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O our God.
℣. Fiat pax in virtute tua.
℣. Peace be within thy walls.
℟. Et abundantia in turribus tuis.
℟. And abundance within thy towers.
Oremus:
Deus, a quo sancta desideria, recta consilia et iusta sunt opera: da servis tuis illam, quam mundus dare non potest, pacem; ut et corda nostra mandatis tuis dedita, et hostium sublata formidine, tempora sint tua protectione tranquilla. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Let us pray:
O God, from whom all holy desires, all right counsels and all just works do proceed; give unto Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that both our hearts my be set to obey Thy commandments, and also that we, being delivered from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time under Thy protection in rest and quietness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.



For the Pope

Oratio pro summo Pontifice/Prayer for the Pope
℣. Oremus pro Pontifice nostro N.
℣. Let us pray for N, our Pope.
℟. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius. [Ps 40:3]
℟. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. [Ps 40:3]
Pater Noster, Ave Maria.
Our Father, Hail Mary.
Oremus:
Deus, omnium fidelium pastor et rector, famulum tuum N., quem pastorem Ecclesiæ tuæ præesse voluisti, propitius respice: da ei, quæsumus, verbo et exemplo, quibus præest, proficere: ut ad vitam, una cum grege sibi credito, perveniat sempiternam. Per Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Let us pray:
O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant N, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.



For Priests

Deus, qui ad maiestatis tuæ gloriam/O God, Who Hast Appointed
Deus, qui ad maiestatis tuæ gloriam et generis humani salutem, Unigenitum tuum summum atque æternum constituisti Sacerdotem: præsta, ut quos ministros et mysteriorum suorum dispensatores elegit, in accepto ministerio adimplendo fideles inveniantur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
O God, who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son to be the eternal High Priest for the glory of Thy Majesty and the salvation of mankind; grant that they whom He hath chosen to be His ministers and the stewards of His mysteries, may be found faithful in the fulfillment of the ministry which they have received. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.