Traditional Catholic prayers
Received prayers of the Catholic tradition. Pray slowly, with attention to the words and trust in God’s mercy.
For a good death
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Traditional aspiration, as given by the USCCB, Prayers for Death and Dying
Act of Contrition
O my God! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
Baltimore Catechism No. 4, Prayers, “An Act of Contrition” · historical English form
Act of Faith
O my God! I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
Baltimore Catechism No. 4, Prayers, “An Act of Faith” · historical English form
Act of Hope
O my God! relying on Thy almighty power and 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.
Baltimore Catechism No. 4, Prayers, “An Act of Hope” · historical English form
Act of Charity
O my God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
Baltimore Catechism No. 4, Prayers, “An Act of Love” · historical English form
Eternal Rest
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Traditional prayer, Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Appendix: Common Prayers
Hail Mary
Hail, 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.
Baltimore Catechism No. 4, Prayers, The Angelical Salutation; Rev. Thomas L. Kinkead, An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine
Historical English text in Project Gutenberg eBook 14554; the transcription reproduces imprimaturs dated 1891 and 1921 and does not identify a single physical source impression · Traditional English prayer; no translator named in this witness
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Hail 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 vale of tears. Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
The Raccolta, no. 184, The Salve Regina and Sub Tuum Præsidium, Morning; complete English Salve Regina antiphon, printed p. 154
The 1910 Edition. London: Burns & Oates; New York, Chicago and Cincinnati: Benziger Bros. · Ambrose St. John (credited on the title page and in the translation approbation; later edition)
For perseverance and the love of God
No, my God, I will no longer lose the time which you in your mercy give me. I should at this hour be in Hell weeping without fruit. I thank you for having preserved my life: I wish during the remainder of my days to live only for you. Were I now in Hell, I should weep in despair and without profit: I will now bewail the offences I have offered to you; and if I weep over them, I know for certain that you will pardon me. Of this the Prophet assures me: “Weeping, thou shalt not weep; he will surely have pity on thee”—Is., xxx. 19. Were I in Hell, I could never more love you; and now I love you, and hope always to love you. Were I in Hell, I could ask no more graces; but now I hear you say: Ask, and you shall receive. Since then I still have time to ask your graces, O God of my soul, I ask two graces:—give me perseverance in your grace, give me your love; and then do with me what you please. Grant that in all the remaining moments of my life I may always recommend myself to you, saying: Lord, assist me; have mercy on me; grant that I may never more offend you; make me love you. Most holy Mary, my mother, obtain for me the grace always to recommend myself to God, and to ask him for perseverance and for his holy love.
St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Preparation for Death, Consideration XI, Third Point, complete Affections and Prayers, printed pp. 149–150
Dublin: James Duffy, 1843 · A Catholic Clergyman (as credited on the title page)
Return to God, the supreme good
Ah my God! you then are my supreme and infinite good; and I have so often voluntarily lost you! I knew that in committing sin I gave you great displeasure, and that I lost your grace; and with this knowledge, I have consented to sin! Ah! if I did not see you, O Son of God, nailed to the cross in order to die for me, I should not have courage to ask or hope for pardon from you. Eternal Father, look not on me, but behold your beloved Son, who asks mercy for me; hear him, and pardon me. I ought at this moment to be in Hell, without any hope of being ever more able to love you, or to recover your lost grace. My God, I am sorry above all things for the injury I have done you in renouncing your friendship and despising your love for the miserable pleasures of this world. Oh! that I had died a thousand times, rather than have offered you so great an insult! How could I have been so blind and foolish! I thank you, O my Lord, for giving me time to repair the evil I have done. Since, through your mercy, I am not in Hell, and can love you, O my God, I wish to love you. I will wait no longer to convert myself entirely to you. I love you, O infinite goodness. I love you, my life, my treasure, my love, my all. Remind me always, O Lord, of the love which you have borne to me, and of the Hell which I have deserved, that this thought may continually excite me to make acts of love, and to say always, I love you, I love you, I love you. O Mary, my queen, my hope, and my mother, if I were in Hell, I could never more love you. I love you, O my mother, and in you, after Jesus, I trust that I shall never again cease to love my God and you. Assist me; pray to Jesus for me.
St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Preparation for Death, Consideration XXVI, Third Point, complete Affections and Prayers, printed pp. 326–327
Dublin: James Duffy, 1843 · A Catholic Clergyman (as credited on the title page)
Our Father
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.
Baltimore Catechism No. 4, Prayers, The Lord’s Prayer · historical English form
Apostles’ Creed
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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth 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 Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Baltimore Catechism No. 4, Prayers, The Apostles’ Creed · historical English form
Glory Be
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.
Traditional doxology, Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Appendix: Common Prayers
Eternal Rest · for him
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
Eternal Rest · for her
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.
De profundis · Psalm 129
Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it. For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord. My soul hath relied on his word: My soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
How to make a meditation
Consider, pray, and resolve.
Read a short passage slowly before God. Consider its truth, acknowledge your sins, and make acts of sorrow and love. Ask for pardon, perseverance, and the grace to love Him. End with a definite resolution, relying on His help.
Alphonsus joins each consideration to “Affections and Prayers.” Two complete prayers from the historical English edition are included in this collection. Pray for the grace to remain faithful until death, and ask Our Lady to intercede for you.
Alphonsus on making a meditation