Peace: prayers in Catholicism

Texts from their published editions. Guidance on what this tradition does at this moment is on the occasion page, and background on the tradition is at /traditions/catholic.

Texts from their published editions

Each text below was transcribed from the edition named under it and checked twice, independently, against that edition. Where the two transcriptions disagreed by even one character, the text is not shown here. That is a claim about wording only: these are not selected or endorsed for any particular situation, and nobody credentialed in the tradition has signed them. Older spelling is kept as the edition prints it.

The Hail Mary (Baltimore Manual 1889)

The central Marian prayer of Latin Catholicism, built from the Lucan greeting plus a later intercessory petition fixed in the sixteenth century. It is the repeated unit of the rosary and of the Angelus, and it is the prayer most often said at a sickbed or deathbed. Recited by anyone, at any time, with no conditions of office or state.

English · A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity, 1889

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 our death. Amen.

John Murphy and Company, Baltimore, 1889. Published 1889, before 1929, US public domain. Source

The Lord's Prayer (Douay-Rheims)

The Lord's Prayer (Douay-Rheims), as it appears in the edition cited below.

English · The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 American Edition, 1899

Thus therefore shall you pray: 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 supersubstantial bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Douay-Rheims translators, revised by Richard Challoner. John Murphy Company, Baltimore, 1899. Published 1899, before 1929, US public domain. Source

Wording and scope vary between editions and between communities, so this entry is tied to one named edition and makes no claim about which form is right in a given setting.

The Memorare (Baltimore Manual 1889)

A short petitionary prayer to Mary beginning "Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary", popularized in the seventeenth century and long associated with Claude Bernard. It is used at moments of acute distress and is a standard entry in indulgenced prayer collections. No restriction on who may say it.

English · A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity, 1889

REMEMBER, O most loving Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thine intercession, was left forsaken. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, My Mother. To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word, despise not my words, but graciously hear and grant my prayer. Amen.

John Murphy and Company, Baltimore, 1889. Published 1889, before 1929, US public domain. Source

The Memorare (Raccolta 1910)

A short petitionary prayer to Mary beginning "Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary", popularized in the seventeenth century and long associated with Claude Bernard. It is used at moments of acute distress and is a standard entry in indulgenced prayer collections. No restriction on who may say it.

English · The Raccolta: or, Collection of Indulgenced Prayers, 1910

REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions; but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.

1910. Published 1910, before 1929, US public domain. Source

Salve Regina (Baltimore Manual 1889)

An eleventh-century Marian antiphon, sung at Compline for much of the liturgical year and said at the close of the rosary. It is also sung at Catholic funerals, notably for clergy and religious. Widely known in Latin chant and in numerous English prose renderings.

English · A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity, 1889

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 towards us; and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.

John Murphy and Company, Baltimore, 1889. Published 1889, before 1929, US public domain. Source

Nothing here has been signed by a reviewer credentialed in this tradition. When that happens, reviewed prayers appear above these, and these stay where they are, as an anthology. How that works.