Prayers
54 prayers of the Catholic tradition, in English, with a note on each saying what it is and when people pray it. Search by name, by another name for the same prayer, or by what you are actually facing.
Try a name like Memorare, another name for the same prayer like Salve Regina, or simply grief or before surgery.
8 prayers
Prayers to Our Lady
Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Rosary is listed under Essential Prayers.
- Novena to the Immaculate Conception
A novena prayer to Mary under the title of her Immaculate Conception, asking for purity of heart and the favors requested in the novena. It is traditionally made from November 29 to December 7, ending on the eve of the solemnity on December 8.
- Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
A short novena for a particular spiritual or temporal favor, asking the help of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and of St. Alphonsus Liguori. Each day has nine Hail Marys and three short prayers, and it can be made at any time of year.
Prayers to the Saints
Asking particular saints and angels to pray with you and for you.
- Novena to St. Joseph
A novena prayer asking St. Joseph to intercede for one particular request and to be a father to the one who prays. It is traditionally made on the nine days before his solemnity on March 19 (March 10–18), though it can be made at any time of year.
- Novena of Grace to St. Francis Xavier
A Jesuit novena to St. Francis Xavier, traditionally made from March 4 to March 12, the anniversary of his canonization in 1622. It can also be made before his feast on December 3 (November 24 to December 2).
- Novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux
A novena prayer to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, the Little Flower, asking for faith, love without limit and one particular favor. It is often made from September 22 to 30, ending on the eve of her feast on October 1.
Prayers to the Holy Spirit
Prayers asking for light, counsel and courage — traditionally prayed before a decision.
Sorrow and Mercy
Prayers of repentance, and what to pray before and after Confession.
Prayers for Others
For family, for the sick and the dying, for the dead, and for priests.
Novenas
Prayers made over nine days, for a feast or for something you are asking for.
- Novena to the Holy Spirit
The oldest novena, modeled on the nine days the apostles prayed with Mary between the Ascension and Pentecost. It is prayed each year in the days leading up to Pentecost, asking for the gifts of the Spirit.
- Novena to St. Joseph
A novena prayer asking St. Joseph to intercede for one particular request and to be a father to the one who prays. It is traditionally made on the nine days before his solemnity on March 19 (March 10–18), though it can be made at any time of year.
- Novena of Grace to St. Francis Xavier
A Jesuit novena to St. Francis Xavier, traditionally made from March 4 to March 12, the anniversary of his canonization in 1622. It can also be made before his feast on December 3 (November 24 to December 2).
- Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
A short litany-style novena that unites the one praying with the prayer and virtues of the heart of Jesus, ending with a prayer of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The source has it made each month so as to end on the eve of the First Friday, and it suits the nine days before the feast of the Sacred Heart as well.
- Novena to the Immaculate Conception
A novena prayer to Mary under the title of her Immaculate Conception, asking for purity of heart and the favors requested in the novena. It is traditionally made from November 29 to December 7, ending on the eve of the solemnity on December 8.
- Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
A short novena for a particular spiritual or temporal favor, asking the help of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and of St. Alphonsus Liguori. Each day has nine Hail Marys and three short prayers, and it can be made at any time of year.
- Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
A novena by St. Alphonsus Liguori for the souls in purgatory, with a short reflection and prayer for each of the nine days. Many people make it in the nine days before All Souls’ Day on November 2 (October 24 to November 1), or for someone who has recently died.
- Novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux
A novena prayer to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, the Little Flower, asking for faith, love without limit and one particular favor. It is often made from September 22 to 30, ending on the eve of her feast on October 1.
About these texts
Every prayer here is a received text of the Catholic tradition, reproduced from published sources that are named on each prayer's own page. None of them were written by us, and none have been reworded.
Where a prayer has a modern wording still under copyright — the Mass texts belonging to the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, for instance — we publish the older traditional wording instead and say so on the page. GraceBook is not a publisher of liturgical books, and nothing here should be taken as the text to be used in the liturgy.
Scripture passages are from the Douay-Rheims Bible in the Challoner revision. If you find an error in any text, tell us and we will correct it.