Friday, August 31, 2018

THE 15 PROMISES OF MOTHER MARY



The 15 Promises of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Catholics who pray the Rosary everyday


(Note: many Catholics do not know about these promises so you will be propagating
the Rosary and be blessed if you share this page 


  1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
  2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
  3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
  4. The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
  5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
  6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
  7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
  8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenititude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
  9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
  10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
  11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
  12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
  13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
  14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ.
  15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

Sharing these promises with family and friends will bring you great blessings (See promise number 12 and 13)

HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY

1. Preparation

Start by making the sign of the Cross:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Then recite the 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 Spirit,born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;He ascended into Heaven, and 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 Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.
Then say 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys (for the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity) and then 1 Glory Be:
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.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among 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 death. Amen.
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.

2. The Rosary Proper

The Rosary is essentially the decades and their associated mysteries, and only these must be prayed to “pray the rosary”, either in satisfaction of Our Lady’s requests, to gain the indulgences attached to praying the rosary, or for some other intentions.
The traditional Rosary is divided into three parts, each having five mysteries: Glorious, Joyful and Sorrowful.
In his apostolic letter The Rosary of the Virgin Mary, Saint Pope John Paul II proposed a new set of mysteries, which he called the Luminous, and which concern the period of the public life of Our Lord.
For those who wish to say all 20 decades at once during the course of a day, they may be said in the following order: Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious.
For those who wish to say only 5 decades per day, the Holy Father proposed the following schedule:
Mondays and Saturdays is the Joyful mystery
Tuesdays and Fridays is the Sorrowful Mystery
Wednesdays and Sundays is the Glorious mystery
Thursdays is the Luminous Mystery
While meditating on the Mysteries, recite:One Our Father (large beads), 10 Hail Marys (small beads) and 1 Glory Be (before the next large bead) to make a complete decade of the rosary.

After each decade the Fátima Prayer may also be said (Pope Pius XII).

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

3. Concluding Prayers

After the completion of five mysteries (5 decades) or 20, the following is customarily said:

Hail Holy Queen (or Salve Regina may be sung)

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, 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 valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
(Verse) Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
(Response) That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
(Verse) Let us pray,
(Response) O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Saint John the evangelist, pray for us.
Saint Louis Marie de Montfort, pray for us
Here say the

Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In Conclusion:

4. For the Intentions of the Holy Father
Catholics who say the rosary in a group, or, individually before the Blessed Sacrament, may gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions, which includes prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father.For the intentions of the Holy Father.Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

We fly to Thy patronage:

We fly to Thy patronage, O holy Mother of God;
despise not our petitions in our necessities,
but deliver us from all dangers,
O glorious and blessed Virgin Mary.
Amen.
May the Divine assistance remain always with us!
And may the Souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Amen
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

How To Pray The Rosary In Summary

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.
1. On the Cross, begin with the sign of the Cross, then you invoke the Holy Spirit by saying
“come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created and Thou shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray! O God who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful grant that through the same Spirit we may be truely wise and ever rejoice in His consolation through Christ Our LORD amen.
Thou O LORD shall open my lips and my tongue shall announce Thy praise.
Incline unto my aid O God.
O God make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the begining its now and ever shall be world without end amen.
Then say the Apostles Creed.
2. On the first large bead say “Our Father”
3. On the next 3 small beads, say “Hail Mary”
4. On the next large bead, say “Glory be…….then say the first mystery and one Our Father afterwards.
5. The next 10small beads say “Hail Mary”
6. The large beads in-between say “Glory be….., the next mystery and one Our Father.
7. At end say the Hail Holy Queen…….etc

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

THE APOSTLES CREED- OLD VERSION

The 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 Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, 
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell; the third day 
He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, and sits 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 Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints, 
the forgiveness of sins, 
the resurrection of the body 
and life everlasting.
Amen.

The Apostles' Creed (New English Translation): Full Prayer, Meaning, and How Catholics Pray It

Stained-glass depiction of the Apostles' Creed showing Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and scenes from the life of Christ, illustrating the Catholic profession of faith.
The Apostles' Creed – A timeless profession of faith that summarizes the essential beliefs of the Christian faith.

The Apostles' Creed (New English Translation): Full Prayer, Meaning, and How Catholics Pray It

By Catholic Prayers & Inspirations


The Apostles' Creed: A Timeless Profession of Christian Faith

The Apostles' Creed is one of the oldest and most beloved professions of faith in Christianity. For nearly two thousand years, Catholics have recited this Creed to proclaim the essential truths revealed by God through Jesus Christ.

Although it was not written directly by the Twelve Apostles, it faithfully summarizes the teachings they handed down to the early Church. Every line reflects the heart of the Gospel—from God's creation of the world to Christ's saving death and resurrection, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Church, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of everlasting life.

Today, Catholics pray the Apostles' Creed during the Holy Rosary, at the beginning of many personal prayers, during Baptism, and whenever they wish to renew their faith in God.


The Full Apostles' Creed (New English Translation)

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 Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;

he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting.

Amen.


What Is the Apostles' Creed?

The Apostles' Creed is a concise summary of the Christian faith. It teaches what Catholics believe about:

  • God the Father

  • Jesus Christ

  • The Holy Spirit

  • The Catholic Church

  • Salvation

  • Eternal life

Rather than simply being words to memorize, the Creed is a declaration of trust in God's plan of salvation.

Whenever Catholics pray it, they renew the promises made at Baptism and publicly affirm their faith in Jesus Christ.


The Meaning of Each Part of the Apostles' Creed

"I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth."

Everything begins with God. He is our loving Father who created the universe and every human person out of love. We are not accidents—we were created with purpose and dignity.


"And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord."

Jesus is not merely a great teacher or prophet. He is the eternal Son of God who became man for our salvation.

Calling Jesus "Lord" means recognizing Him as the King of our lives.


"Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary."

This proclaims the mystery of the Incarnation.

Jesus is fully God and fully man. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary conceived the Savior while remaining ever Virgin.


"Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried."

These words remind us that Jesus willingly accepted suffering to redeem humanity from sin.

His death on the Cross is the greatest sign of God's love.

"Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13)


"He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead."

The phrase "descended into hell" refers to Christ's descent to the realm of the dead, where He proclaimed victory and opened heaven to the righteous who had died before His Resurrection.

On Easter Sunday, Jesus conquered sin and death forever.

The Resurrection is the foundation of Christian hope.


"He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father."

Forty days after His Resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven.

He now reigns with the Father and continually intercedes for us.


"He will come again to judge the living and the dead."

Catholics believe that Jesus will return in glory.

His Second Coming will bring justice, mercy, and the fulfillment of God's Kingdom.


"I believe in the Holy Spirit."

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.

He guides the Church, strengthens believers, inspires holiness, and gives spiritual gifts.


"The holy Catholic Church."

Jesus established one universal Church to continue His mission on earth.

The Church preserves the teachings of Christ, celebrates the Sacraments, and leads souls toward heaven.


"The communion of saints."

The Church is one family.

This includes:

  • The faithful on earth

  • The souls being purified

  • The saints in heaven

Together we remain united in Christ.


"The forgiveness of sins."

Through Jesus Christ, every sinner can receive mercy.

God forgives those who sincerely repent and return to Him, especially through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.


"The resurrection of the body."

At the end of time, our bodies will rise again and be reunited with our souls.

This is one of Christianity's greatest hopes.


"Life everlasting."

Heaven is our true home.

Those who remain faithful to Christ will enjoy eternal happiness with God forever.


Why Catholics Pray the Apostles' Creed

Catholics pray the Apostles' Creed because it helps us:

  • Renew our Baptismal faith.

  • Strengthen our trust in God.

  • Remember the central truths of Christianity.

  • Prepare our hearts before praying the Rosary.

  • Profess our faith with confidence.

  • Grow closer to Jesus Christ.


When Do Catholics Pray the Apostles' Creed?

Catholics commonly pray the Apostles' Creed:

  • At the beginning of the Holy Rosary

  • During Baptism

  • During personal prayer

  • During family prayer

  • During retreats and missions

  • Whenever renewing their faith


Biblical Foundations of the Apostles' Creed

Although the Creed itself is not found as one passage in Scripture, every article is rooted in the Bible.

Some examples include:

  • Genesis 1:1 — God created heaven and earth.

  • Matthew 1:18–25 — Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

  • Luke 1:26–38 — The Annunciation to Mary.

  • John 19 — The Crucifixion.

  • Luke 24 — The Resurrection.

  • Acts 1:9–11 — The Ascension.

  • Matthew 28:19 — The Holy Trinity.

  • Acts 2 — The coming of the Holy Spirit.

  • 1 Corinthians 15 — The resurrection of the body.

  • Revelation 21 — Eternal life.


Frequently Asked Questions

Did the Twelve Apostles write the Apostles' Creed?

No. Tradition once connected each Apostle with a line of the Creed, but historians agree it developed gradually in the early Church as a summary of apostolic teaching.


Is the Apostles' Creed different from the Nicene Creed?

Yes.

The Apostles' Creed is shorter and is often prayed during the Rosary and Baptism.

The Nicene Creed is longer and is ordinarily recited during Sunday Mass and solemnities.

Both express the same Catholic faith.


Why do Catholics say "I believe" instead of "We believe"?

The Creed is a personal profession of faith.

Each believer individually declares his or her trust in God while remaining united with the whole Church.


Living the Apostles' Creed Every Day

Praying the Apostles' Creed should transform how we live.

When we profess our faith, we are called to:

  • Trust God in every circumstance.

  • Follow Jesus faithfully.

  • Love our neighbors.

  • Forgive others.

  • Pray often.

  • Participate in the Sacraments.

  • Live with hope of eternal life.

Faith is not merely spoken—it is lived through love, obedience, and holiness.


Related Catholic Prayers

You may also enjoy praying:


Final Reflection

The Apostles' Creed is much more than an ancient prayer. It is the heartbeat of Christian belief and a beautiful summary of God's plan of salvation.

Every time we pray it, we proclaim our faith in the Father who created us, the Son who redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us. We also express our hope in the Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the promise of eternal life.

May this sacred profession of faith strengthen your trust in God, deepen your love for Jesus Christ, and inspire you to live as a faithful disciple each day.

Amen.

 If this article helped you grow in your faith, please share it with your family and friends. Explore more Catholic prayers and teachings here on Catholic Prayers & Inspirations.

Learn More:  Cathechism of the Catholic Church: The Profession of the Christian Faith

THE OUR FATHER PRAYER

THE LORD'S PRAYER
(THE OUR FATHER)

The Lord's Prayer, also known as the Our Father, was composed by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. This magnificent prayer beautifully reflects the wishes of its Divine Author. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount (pictured above) where it first appears in the Gospels (Matt 6:9-13): “When praying do not choose many words” (Matthew 6:7).

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.


In the final line Jesus echoes His own petition to His Heavenly Father in John’s Gospel: “I am not praying that you would take them out of the world, but that you would preserve them from evil.” (John 17:15). Evil in the case refers both to the Evil One, Satan, and to the evils he brings about in this world. With the help of the Lord's Prayer we can better resist evil and prepare for Eternal Life with God in the world to come, in Heaven.

Monday, August 20, 2018

THE HAIL MARY PRAYER





A prayer for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.
The Hail Mary is based on these passages from the Bible:
Luke 1:28-35, 42-48.

Traditional version:
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among 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.

Newer version:
Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

PRAYER TO TAKE AUTHORITY


Prayer to Take Authority (Binding Prayer)

In the name of Jesus, I take authority and I bind all powers and forces in the air, in the ground, in the water, in the underground, in the netherworld, in nature, and in fire. You are the Lord over the entire universe, and I give You the Glory of Your creation. In Your Name, Jesus, I bind all demonic forces that have come against us and our families and I seal all of us in the protection of Your Precious Blood that washed for us on the Cross. Mary, our Mother, we seek your protection and intercession with the Sacred Heart of Jesus for us and our families, and surround us with your mantle of love to discourage the enemy. St. Michael and our guardian angels, come defend us and our families in battle against the evil ones that roam the earth.In the name of Jesus, I bind and command all the powers and forces of evil to depart right now away from us, our homes, and our lands, and I send you to the foot of the Cross. And we thank you, Lord Jesus, for You are a faithful and compassionate God. Amen. (Hail Mary...)

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