Catholic Devotions

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As a new Catholic, I am always looking for ways to improve upon my personal spiritual life. But besides the rosary, I have no idea what sort of devotions Catholics practice. Any ideas or suggestions that you all can give me would be greatly appreciated. Beyond daily Bible readings and the rosary I’m at a loss for ideas to increase my spiritual life. Thanks in advance!
 
Meditation — intimate personal prayer.

Instead of just READING the Bible, PRAY with it. Take a short passage and think of it as God speaking to you, a “love letter” from the Holy Spirit. Think about what He is saying to you through Scripture, then respond to Him in your own way — with love, prayers of petition for yourself or others, gratitude, sorrow for sin, a resolution to follow His Word more closely …

Instead of just RECITING the Rosary, MEDITATE on the Mysteries. What is happening in this scene of Jesus’ or Mary’s life? How is God speaking to me through it? How does it relate to my life? How can I imitate the virtues of Jesus and Mary that I see in this Mystery?
 
I would echo PhilotheaZ about the mediation; and also add that you could look into the practice of Centering Prayer. Try Basil Pennington’s writings for a good explanation of this.

Also, there is the practice of Lectio Divina that is similiar. That wasn’t much talked about outside religious congregations for quite some years; but now is being widely discussed and practised by the laity.

One thing I did was read St Teresa of Avila’s ‘Way of Perfection.’ Take it a little piece at a time for your spiritual reading and ponder it. She writes very clearly about the practise of meditation and contemplation; and she has dry sense of humor that makes it very enjoyable.
 
If there’s one thing we’ve got a plethora of, it’s devotions! 😃

**Stations of the Cross **~ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stations_of_the_Cross

**Chaplets **~ marysprayersrosaries.com/stmichael.asp (Chaplet of St. Michael) premier.net/~avemarie/Chaplet_of_St_Joseph.htm (Chaplet of St. Joseph)
ourroserosary.com/st-ltd.htm (Chaplet of St. Therese the Little Flower) and there are many others.

Chaplet of Divine Mercy ~ catholicity.com/prayer/divinemercy.html

**First Fridays **~ miraclerosarymission.org/shj.htm

**First Saturdays **~ pacifier.com/~rosarweb/firstsat.htm

**Scapulars **~ fisheaters.com/scapulars.html

**Novenas **~ catholicdoors.com/prayers/novena.htm (This site doesn’t mention this, but the nine consecutive days ends the day before the feast day. So a Christmas Novena would end on Christmas Eve, for example.)

**Enthronement of the Sacred Heart **~ catholicculture.org/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=430

**Labyrinths **~ fisheaters.com/labyrinths.html

**Cords (Or Cinctures) **~ miraclerosarymission.org/philocord.html (Cord of St. Philomena) fisheaters.com/stjosephcords.html (St. Joseph’s Cord) and there are many others too.
 
Thanks Rawb for taking the time helping ladylinguist with many good devotions.

ladylinguist, there are so many devotions, and since you start praying the Rosary, you can also pray the Divine Mercy as well. We use the rosary bead to pray the Divine Mercy. With this devotion, you can pray for anything…I mean anything. 🙂 St. Faustina even used the prayer to ask God to stop the big rain!!!

The Station of the Cross is also great especially for the Holy Soul in Purgatory. It is a long prayer, I myself try to do once per week.

The Sacred Heart devotion - you can find the Novena from the link Rawb provided. I love this devotion, and pray everyday.

Then, check out the First Friday and First Saturday masses and their devotions - When you know what it is, you don’t want to miss First Friday and First Saturday mass. 🙂

For other books, check out this recent thread on suggested books:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=186765

God bless and welcom to CAF!
 
Congratulations and God bless you on your journey 🙂

There have been some great devotions listed here. You may want to investigate the churches in your area to see if any of them offer Eucharistic Adoration. I highly recommend it.

There are many great chaplets as well, as have been mentioned above. Sometimes I will wait for the kids to go to bed and light my Immaculate Heart of Mary candle and pray from the Raccolta. Some nights, if I feel an unsavory presence, I will light my candle of St. Michael the Archangel and pray from the Raccolta. I love the original form from Pope Leo XIII to St. Michael - very powerful.

Even just reading about the lives of the saints is great. Pick up a book like St. Augustine’s Confessions. Good stuff 🙂

Again congratulations and God bless 👍
 
I really like using The Pieta Prayer Booklet. A Benedictine Monk gave me the book and I now use it daily. It contains the 15 St. Bridget Prayers and the 21 promises. I like the prayers honoring the many wounds Our Lord suffered. It has prayers useful to a dying person and for those in Purgatory. The book is small enough to fit in your pocket and has 72 pages with a variety of devotions, novenas, and chaplets. I found this website has it for $1.50.

stpatricksguild.com/browse.cfm/4.204.906.html

Prayer is nothing else in my opinion but being on terms of friendship with God. St. Teresa of Avila
 
Donate said:
I really like using The Pieta Prayer Booklet. A Benedictine Monk gave me the book and I now use it daily. It contains the 15 St. Bridget Prayers and the 21 promises. I like the prayers honoring the many wounds Our Lord suffered. It has prayers useful to a dying person and for those in Purgatory. The book is small enough to fit in your pocket and has 72 pages with a variety of devotions, novenas, and chaplets. I found this website has it for $1.50.

stpatricksguild.com/browse.cfm/4.204.906.html

Prayer is nothing else in my opinion but being on terms of friendship with God. St. Teresa of Avila
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Umm … it’s actually free on the internet as well!
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far. I always knew Catholics had a lot of devotional practices, but I wasn’t sure what they were. If there’s one thing I’ve come to love about my new Catholic faith, it’s the richness and depth offered and all these suggestions merely confirm that. I’m looking forward to adding these to my devotional repatoire. 🙂
 
Hi!👋

I’m fairly new to the Catholic faith as well and this thread caught my eye as I was looking for one on devotions.

Has anyone ever heard or seen a devotion specific to the Lamb of God, or to the Agony of Christ, besides the Stations?

Thanks for your help!
Jeanette
 
Jeanette, maybe these are what you’re looking for?

Seven Wounds of Christ Chaplet:
rosaryandchaplets.com/chaplets/seven_wounds_prayer.html

Rosary of Our Lady of Tears (not the normal rosary)
weepingmadonna.org/ourladyoftears.htm

The Anima Christi Prayer (which is beautiful) :
ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/anima2.htm

The Seven Bloodsheddings:
copiosa.org/christology/crux_circum.htm

Prayers of St. Brigid ('The Fifteen O’s):
catholic-forum.com/saints/pray0345.htm

Of course, the Stations can be prayed privately on a “Stations of the Cross Chaplet (or ‘Rosary’)” such as this one:
matthewfsheehan.net/index.cfm?event=ProductDetails&CategoryID=489&ProductID=3129

I think the Seven Wounds or the Fifteen O’s are what you’re looking for most specifically.
 
Rawb said:
Jeanette, maybe these are what you’re looking for?

Seven Wounds of Christ Chaplet:
rosaryandchaplets.com/chaplets/seven_wounds_prayer.html

Rosary of Our Lady of Tears (not the normal rosary)
weepingmadonna.org/ourladyoftears.htm

The Anima Christi Prayer (which is beautiful) :
ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/anima2.htm

The Seven Bloodsheddings:
copiosa.org/christology/crux_circum.htm

Prayers of St. Brigid ('The Fifteen O’s):
catholic-forum.com/saints/pray0345.htm

Of course, the Stations can be prayed privately on a “Stations of the Cross Chaplet (or ‘Rosary’)” such as this one:
matthewfsheehan.net/index.cfm?event=ProductDetails&CategoryID=489&ProductID=3129

I think the Seven Wounds or the Fifteen O’s are what you’re looking for most specifically.
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👍 Wow, thank you for the great sites! I may have found what I was searching for, I will take some time with them to see for sure.

I just have a certain direction I believe I need to persue and a few of these may be helpful to that end.

🙂
 
No problem! Devotion to Christ’s Passion would be a great area of Catholic Spirituality I think. I understand what you mean about needing to follow a certain path. I think St. Joseph has been asking me to develop devotion to him - I just purchased his Chaplet today. 👍

Something else to consider would be those Saints who asked to participate physically in the suffering of Our Lord. Many suffered from physical wounds that would not heal (besides the stigmata) that sometimes would get infected and they bore patiently and humbly as an honor of serving Our Lord. Maybe you could find something there?
 
There’s nothing better than daily Mass if you can get there.

Betsy
 
Rawb said:
Something else to consider would be those Saints who asked to participate physically in the suffering of Our Lord. Many suffered from physical wounds that would not heal (besides the stigmata) that sometimes would get infected and they bore patiently and humbly as an honor of serving Our Lord. Maybe you could find something there?
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😊

I don’t want to sound unspiritual here, but I don’t think I’m ready for that yet, maybe never, it sounds very intense. Of course anything that is focusing on His agony will be intense, but…I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew. 🤷

Baby steps. 🙂

Thank for the suggestions though, I am going to look in that direction, carefully. :o
 
Oh I’m not suggesting that you also pray for a wound or injury (I don’t think I have the saintly patience to deal with it either, LoL) I just thought maybe one of them had suggested a prayer, or had written a devotional book, or maybe has a chaplet, that you might find useful…
 
The Catholic Grout List, from the description:
Converts and reverts to the faith are often unaware of the little things that good cradle Catholics “absorb” as children that make day-to-day Catholic living run smoother. While not as essential to the Faith as doctrinal belief and sacramental participation, these “little things” are the grout that binds the mosaic of Catholic living in place, giving it context and texture.
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Rawb said:
Oh I’m not suggesting that you also pray for a wound or injury (I don’t think I have the saintly patience to deal with it either, LoL) I just thought maybe one of them had suggested a prayer, or had written a devotional book, or maybe has a chaplet, that you might find useful…
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:rotfl:

I guess I did get a little freaked out there for a bit, huh? :rolleyes:

I think it’s because there is this nagging thing going on in the back of my mind, or spirit, that knows there’s going to be something more than what’s “usual” and I’m trying to ignore it, but I know that you just can’t ignore what’s inevitable. I’m not saying stigmata or anything, but I have a feeling there’s more than what I’ve been willing or able to have the courage for. 😊

Thank you for your suggestions. I do believe that I should be looking in that direction. :getholy:
 
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