An oil painting of an empty wooden pew and a low kneeler in a stone side chapel, a shaft of light from a high window falling beside them

Prayer library

Catholic Prayers

When your own words run out: the Catholic prayers handed down for centuries, and prayers for fear, sleep, sickness and grief.

Pray the Our Father ›

Catholic prayer is lifting the heart and mind to God, in the Church's own words or in your own. AngelGuard's library holds her best-loved prayers in full, from the Our Father and the Rosary to the St. Michael prayer, each free to read.

Today's prayer

Act of ContritionThe prayer of sorrow said in confession, in every form you may have learned

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good…

Catholic prayers to start with

Our Father, line by lineWhat each line asks, from daily bread to deliver us from evil Holy RosaryA guided Rosary with a meditation for every mystery Divine Mercy ChapletHave mercy on us and on the whole world: about eight minutes on ordinary beads St. Michael prayerSt. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle: Pope Leo XIII's prayer Psalm 91: Under his wingsThe protection psalm: God's shelter, his angels, and no fear by night Guardian Angel prayerAngel of God, my guardian dear: the prayer every child learns Examination of conscienceA gentle look back over your day before confession Hail, Holy QueenThe Salve Regina in English and Latin, the prayer that closes the Rosary Prayers for healingFor a hard diagnosis, a slow recovery, or someone you love who is sick AngelusThe angel's visit to Mary, prayed morning, noon, and evening A prayer for strengthFor tired parents, caregivers, and anyone whose trial is not over yet Morning OfferingGive the whole day to God before it starts Prayers for anxietyFor worry and panic in the moment, before an exam or an interview St. Gertrude prayerA short prayer for the souls in purgatory, in November and every day Prayers for peace of mindFor a restless mind that cannot settle tonight St. Jude prayerThe patron of impossible causes, for the need you have almost given up on St. Anthony prayerFor lost things and every need, with the “Tony, Tony, turn around” rhyme Prayers of thanksgivingThank God out loud for what he has already given

Find the prayer you need

Prayers for protectionIn danger, temptation or spiritual attack, for you and those you love Prayers before sleepBedtime prayers that entrust your home, your family and your rest to God Prayers to MaryFrom the Memorare to her feasts, the prayers that lead you to her Son Saints and their prayersAsk the friends of God to pray for you, from St. Joseph to Padre Pio Catholic novenasNine days of prayer for one intention, with start dates through the year Book of PsalmsThe prayer book Jesus prayed, and a psalm for each day of the week Stations of the CrossWalk with Jesus to Calvary, one station at a time

“Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

Luke 11:1 (a disciple to Jesus, who answers with the Our Father), Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision

Who wrote these prayers?

Many prayers here belong to the whole Church. The Our Father comes from the Gospel itself. The Hail, Holy Queen is medieval, traditionally attributed to Hermann of Reichenau. Pope Leo XIII wrote the St. Michael prayer in 1886.

Others are AngelGuard’s own: new prayers for the needs people bring to prayer, in the language of Scripture. AngelGuard is a lay Catholic app, and its own prayers are not official texts of the Church.