In the First Book of Samuel, Hannah longed for a child for many years and suffered the ridicule of others. At the sanctuary at Shiloh she poured out her heart to God so intensely that the priest Eli thought she was drunk. God heard her prayer, and she gave birth to Samuel, who became a great prophet. After his birth she sang a hymn of praise that echoes later in Mary's Magnificat. Hannah's words are a gift to couples struggling with infertility or waiting to adopt, and to any

Facing surgery can bring fear of pain, of anesthesia, of the unknown, and of what the results might be. Christians have always brought such fears to God. The words below come from Psalm 31 (Psalm 30 in the Douay numbering), the same psalm Jesus prayed from the Cross: "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." They are a prayer of complete trust in God as our refuge and protector. Pray them the night before and on the morning of an operation, or ask a family member to pray them wit

Psalm 63 (Psalm 62 in the Douay numbering) has been the Church's morning psalm since ancient times, and it is still prayed on Sundays and feasts at Morning Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. It opens with a cry of longing, "O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day," and compares the soul's thirst for God to a dry and waterless land. Pray it as soon as you wake, before the day's noise begins, or during a morning holy hour. It is especially fitting in times of spiritu

St. John Henry Newman (1801-1890) wrote these verses in 1833, years before he became a Catholic, while he was stranded on a ship becalmed between Corsica and Sardinia, weak from illness and longing to get home to England. Unsure of the future, he asked only for enough light to take the next step. The poem became one of the best-loved hymns in the English language. It is a perfect prayer for times of uncertainty, discernment, illness, grief, or a new chapter of life, when you

In this famous meditation, St. John Henry Newman reflects that God has created each person for a particular purpose that no one else can fulfill. It comes from his Meditations and Devotions, published in 1893, three years after his death. Its central line, "God has created me to do Him some definite service," has encouraged countless people who wonder whether their life matters. Pray it when discerning a vocation or career, during sickness or disappointment, when you feel use

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) spent much of his youth searching for truth and happiness everywhere except in God. After his conversion, he wrote the Confessions, a long prayer addressed to God that tells the story of his restless heart. Two passages from it have become some of the most quoted prayers in Christian history: the opening line about our restless hearts, and the lament "Late have I loved Thee." These words speak to anyone who has come to faith late, returned aft

Psalm 121 (Psalm 120 in the Douay numbering) is one of the Songs of Ascents, sung by Jewish pilgrims as they climbed toward Jerusalem for the great feasts. Looking up at the hills, the pilgrim asks where help will come from, and answers at once: from the Lord, who made heaven and earth and never sleeps. It is a perfect prayer for journeys, for new beginnings like a move, a new job, or a new school, and for any moment when you feel small in the face of what lies ahead. It is s

Psalm 91 (Psalm 90 in the Douay numbering) has been called the soldier's psalm and the psalm of protection. It promises that God shelters those who trust in Him, and that He gives His angels charge over them. The Church prays it every Sunday night at Compline, and Christians have carried it into battle, through epidemics, and on dangerous journeys for centuries. Pray it when you are afraid, before travel, when someone you love is in danger, or at night before sleep. Jesus Him

Psalm 23, numbered Psalm 22 in the older Catholic Bibles, is probably the best-loved psalm of all. It pictures God as a shepherd who feeds, leads, and protects His flock, even through the valley of the shadow of death. Catholics pray it at funerals, in hospital rooms, and in every kind of fear or uncertainty. The Fathers of the Church also read it as a picture of the sacraments: the waters of Baptism, the anointing oil, and the table of the Eucharist. Pray it slowly when you

St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), the great Carmelite reformer and Doctor of the Church, lived through illness, opposition, and constant travel, yet she was known for her humor and deep peace. After her death these short lines were found written in her breviary, and they have been treasured ever since as a remedy for worry and fear. The English version below is by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The prayer is short enough to memorize and repeat slowly whenever an

"Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43) is the second of the Seven Last Words. Jesus spoke it to the repentant thief, often called St. Dismas, who asked only to be remembered when Jesus came into His kingdom. This Word is one of the most hopeful moments of the Passion: it shows that it is never too late to turn to Christ. This brief meditation echoes the good thief's request and asks for the grace of final perseverance and the hope of hea

Ask for the grace to remain faithful until the end. The Prayer O my God, relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Grant me the grace of final perseverance. Amen. Traditional perseverance prayer (with Act of Hope language); classic catechisms, public domain.

Catholics believe in the communion of saints: the faithful on earth, the souls being purified in Purgatory, and the saints in heaven are one family in Christ, and we can help one another by prayer. This short offering places the Precious Blood of Jesus before the Father for everyone at once, both the living and the dead. Because it is so brief, it is easy to pray many times a day: when you pass a cemetery, hear of a death or a serious illness, read the news, or finish the Ros

Praying for the dying is one of the oldest and most loving works of Christian charity. The final hours of life can bring great physical and spiritual struggle, and the Church has always surrounded the dying with prayer, the sacraments, and the intercession of Our Lady and the saints. This short prayer appeals to Jesus through His own agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross. It can be said at a hospital bedside, in hospice, or at home with a dying loved one, and als

Catholics have prayed these words for generations. Take a quiet moment, place yourself in God’s presence, and let this traditional prayer shape your intention today. Filed under Basic Catholic Prayers, it is presented in a traditional English form drawn from public-domain sources. The Prayer O my God, relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and R

St. Jude is the Apostle invoked in desperate cases. This traditional prayer asks his powerful intercession. The Prayer O glorious Apostle St. Jude, true relative of Jesus and Mary, I salute thee through the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Through this Heart I praise and thank God for all the graces He has bestowed upon thee. Humbly prostrate before thee, I implore thee through this Heart to look down upon me with compassion. Despise not my poor prayer; let not my trust be confoun