I found this list of Top Ten prayers children should know. Not that I live my life by the lists that others create, I just happened to find this list different than the one I would've come up with. That, and the fact that I couldn't even attempt to come up with anything remotely close to #'s 5-7.
1. The Sign of the Cross
2. The Our Father
3. The Hail Mary
4. The Glory Be
5. An Act of Faith
6. An Act of Hope
7. An Act of Charity
8. An Act of Contrition
9. Grace Before Meals
10. Guardian Angel Prayer
My Top Ten List of prayers children should know, from the home office somewhere pretty far north of Wahoo:
1. Guardian Angel Prayer
2. The Hail Mary
3. The Our Father
4. Grace Before Meals
5. St. Michael Prayer
6. Memorare
7. Hail Holy Queen
8. General spontaneous prayers of petition for the intentions of others
9. The Glory Be
10. Apostles Creed
I can bet you I never, ever learned The Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity. However, I did learn my prayers with the Thous, Thys and AMONGST. And, the Prayer to St. Michael is "thrust into hell" not "cast into hell!" I'm just sayin'........ (my apologies to a very good priest who says "cast"...it throws me off every time he gets to this word.) And if you say, "...of your womb, Jesus" it is like nails on a chalk board.
12 comments:
Thanks for the link! I'm surprised to hear that you never learned the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity--they were three of the prayers required for memorization in the Baltimore Catechism during preparation for First Communion. And every missal I've ever owned, Old Mass or New, lists them as a central part of daily morning prayer and preparation for Mass.
That said, your alternative choices would definitely make the list if it were the "Top 15 Prayers Catholic Children Should Know."
I might not have learned the Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity, but I could sing you all the verses of Kum by ya.
And I do have a felt banner left over from my confirmation :)
Your list has prompted me to learn those prayers and teach them to my children. We haven't got to the Act of Contrition yet, but they know the others pretty well. First Communion is still two years away.
Is that cute little girl you?
I like the list. And I am a "thy womb" kinda girl.
Hi Angela!
No, that isn't me. I've never worn glasses...yet.
My barely Christian MIL has been staying here to help out since I've been sick and has now learned to "say Grace" with the family. She doesn't make the Sign of the Cross, but she does "say Grace."
Swissy: I never learned 5-7 either. I'd add the Anima Christi or various pious ejaculation or indulgenced short prayers: "O Sacrament Most Holy...." "Jesus!" "My Lord and My God!" "Jesus, Meek and Humble of Heart..." "Eternal Rest..."
Kicking it old school here...I use thy, thine, thee and amongST as well. I say "thrust" in the St. Michael prayer as well. I think it sounds more forceful, more indicative of Satan not wanting to go but the Archangel THRUSTING him back into Hell than "cast".
"Kicking it old school here...I use thy, thine, thee and amongST as well."
Me too. Modern English versions of traditional prayers freak me out.
Dear Swissy,
I am glad to see you writing on your blog again.
Cheers!
Katie
As a kid i used to know the Act of Faith, Hope and Charity. I have forgotten it now.
I used to know an older act of contrition which when some of the modernist priests hear it at confession they get upset, it goes like this.
Act of Contrition of my God I am heartily sorry to have ofeended thee who art infinetly good and perfect, and with the help of your grace I will sin no more. I must die i do not know when, nor where, nor how but if i die in mortal sin I am lost forever, oh Jesus have mercy on me.
Its at the mortal sin bits that and the lost forever part that all the modernists tell me to learn a new version of the Act of Contrition.
PS im just 30 not an old fogey yet
Hi Katie...I know it's been awhile :) Am slowly on the mend. Please keep me in your prayers!
Smiley:
I had never heard that Act of Contrition before. I say one that starts out similar...
Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee for I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all for having offended You, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the aid of Thy grace, to confess my sins, do penance and amend my life. Amen.
This is what my father taught me. I used to know a different one that talked about "...the sins of my past, the sins I have forgotten" or something like that. Since having kids, I just use the one just to make things easier when teaching them :)
We had to have all of those prayers memorized (the first 10 - including 5-7) in 2nd grade when we made our 1st Communion.
Do you still say them, Terry? I'm not even sure what the requirements are for 1st Communion today. Am sure I'll find out plenty soon enough.
I say the same version of the Act of Contrition that you said but here's how they taught us when I was in second grade:
Oh my God, I am sorry for my sins. In choosing to do wrong, and failing to do good, I have sinned against you and your church. I firmly intend, with the help of your son, to make up for my sins, and love as I should. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us. In His name, my God, have mercy.
I could NOT teach my kids that version. I didn't even like it that much when I was 8. After my dad taught me the older version, I felt like the newer version was a cheap copy...I FIGURED THAT OUT AT THE AGE OF 8, for pete's sake!
Oh, and I didn't know that it was "thrust" rather than "cast". Good to know!
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