Prayers & Prayer Collection

The Importance of PrayerPrayer is the respiration of the soul, the intimate bond with one's Creator and Savior...
It's a little like a plant needing water and fertilizer to grow and develop: the divine life sowed in our soul at baptism can only grow and mature in its own unique way (i.e. to attain maturity with the fullness of Christ himself for each and every one of us), with the bread of the sacraments and... the water of prayers! Therefore, whatever our state of life (lay or consecrated) and occupations - personal, professional or public - the interior recollection in silence before God is the most important attitude of prayer, putting us in contact with the One who is our source, the Source.
As for the various forms of prayer, they differ along with the very variety of every individual soul in its intimate dialogue with the Lord.
However, personal prayer neither replaces nor suppresses the different prayer of the Church, for instance the different liturgical offices, the "Our Father" that Jesus Himself taught us, the "Hail Mary" or the "Angel's Salutation to Mary", the fundamental Christian prayers, or the prayers in groups (i.e. of intercession).
Some people think - erroneously - that if laudatory prayer is something positive, intercessory prayer is somewhat inferior, since "one cannot change God' heart, He who knows our needs better than we do"... Of course, we cannot change God's heart through prayer, but it is God Himself who changes our hearts as well as those for whom we pray... That is why in the Gospel Christ so insists:

"Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you..."(Matt 7:7)

For if prayer cannot change God's heart, without prayer the door of our soul remains closed and the power of God will not go in by force.

Veni CreatorVeni Creator Spiritus,
Mentes tuorum visita,
Imple superna gratia,
Quae tu creasti, pectora. Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, come.
From thy bright heavenly throne!
Come, take possession of our souls,
And make them all Thine Own!
Qui diceris Paraclitus,
Altissimi donum Dei,
Fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
Et spiritalis unctio. Thou who art called the Paraclete,
Best gift of God above,
The Living Spring, The Living Fire,
Sweet Unction, and True Love!
Tu septiformis munere,
Digitus Paternae dexterae,
Tu rite promissum Patris,
Sermone ditans guttura. Thou who are sevenfold in Thy grace,
Finger of God's right hand,
His Promise, teaching little ones
To speak and understand!
Accende lumen sensibus,
Infunde amorem cordibus,
Infirma nostri corpis
Virtute firmans perpeti. O guide our minds with thy blest light,
With love our hearts inflame,
And with thy strength, which ne'er decays,
Confirm our mortal frame.
Hostem repellas longius,
Pacemque dones protinus;
Ductoresic te praevio,
Vitemus omne noxium. Far from us drive our hellish foe,
True peace unto us bring,
And through all perils guide us safe
Beneath thy sacred wing.
Per te sciamus da Patrem
Noscamus atque Filium;
Teque utrius que Spiritum
Credamus omni tempore. Through Thee may we the Father know,
Through Thee the Eternal Son,
And Thee the Spirit of them both ---
Thrice blessed Three in One.
Deo Patri sit gloria,
Et Filio, qui a mortuis
Surrexit, ac Paraclito
In sacculorum saecula. Now to the Father, and the Son
Who rose from death, be glory given,
With Thee, O holy Comforter,
Henceforth by all in earth and heaven.
Amen. Amen.

Te Deum Laudamus

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We praise Thee, O God: we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship Thee and the Father everlasting.
To Thee all Angels: to Thee the heavens and all the Powers therein.
To Thee the Cherubim and Seraphim: cry with unceasing voice:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Lord God of Hosts.
The heavens and the earth are full: of the majesty of Thy glory.
Thee the glorious choir: of the Apostles.
Thee the admirable company: of the Prophets.
Thee the white-robed army of Martyrs: praise.
Thee the Holy Church throughout all the world: doth acknowledge.
The Father of infinite Majesty.
Thine adorable, true: and only Son.
Also the Holy Ghost: the Paraclete.
Thou art the King of Glory: O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son: of the Father.
Thou having taken upon Thee to deliver man: didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb.
Thou having overcome the sting of death: didst open to believers the kingdom of heaven.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God: in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou shalt come: to be our Judge.
We beseech Thee, therefore, help Thy servants: whom Thou has redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints: in glory everlasting.
Lord, save Thy people: and bless Thine inheritance.
Govern them: and lift them up forever.
Day by day: we bless Thee.
And we praise Thy name forever: and world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day: to keep us without sin.
Have mercy on us, O Lord: have mercy on us.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us: as we have hoped in Thee.
O Lord, in Thee have I hoped: let me never be confounded.

Apostle's 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 life everlasting. Amen.