Need help with saying grace

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jesusmademe

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Four questions on saying grace:
  1. Can anyone please give me the traditional meal prayer/grace? Both before and after the meal.
  2. Do you use the exact same version when eating alone? I mean, saying “us” when alone does feel a bit strange.
  3. Is Grace traditionally sung or just recited? If sung does anyone have sheet music?
  4. What is the difference between a lay person saying grace and a priest doing it? Will the food be more blessed because a Priest is present?
 
The traditional before meal grace:

Bless us oh Lord and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from your bounty; through Christ the Lord. Amen.

There is an after meal one too, that I don’t remember at this time. If I find it, I will post it.

When I’m praying it alone, sometimes I say “me” and “I am” and others times I say us/we. I usually say us/we when there are others in my eye sight (or same room), even if strangers.

I don’t sing it, though I know it can be. But I don’t have the melody / music.

When lay people pray, we are asking for God’s Blessing. When a priest does it, he can actually Bless the food.
 
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phil19034 said:
I don’t sing it, though I know it can be. But I don’t have the melody / music.
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I once started singing grace. I didn’t get through two words before my Methodist grandmother snapped at me. “No singing at the table!”
 
After meal prayer as I learned it:

We give thee thanks for all thy benefits, Almighty God, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
 
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The after meals prayer in my 1962 missal is “We give Thee thanks almighty God, for all Thy benefits; Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.

Then there is a Kyrie and Hail Mary.
 
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I might add that I am looking for the longer meal prayer said in monasteries and convents.
They also add a psalm in their prayer.

I looked in my hymn book and I found meal prayers in four part harmony…but I am still looking for the monastic meal prayer.
 
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jesusmademe said:
Can anyone please give me the traditional meal prayer/grace?
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Respectfully at our table, adults say it when we have only adults at our table… but we began a family traditions… if present…no matter how little … our grandchildren are the ones who say the meal prayer/grace, what a beautiful meal prayer/grace… they give from their hearts:heartpulse:💗…

And if more then one grandchild at the table each one wants to say their own meal prayer/ grace…just say what is in their hearts…beautiful…💗💗

Each grandchild do their own thanks giving, what is ever in their hearts…EX…Thank you Jesus for the food on our table, bless those Jesus who have little, bless those who are sick, we thank you for your love and blessing… Bless the neighbor Jesus in the hospital thank you… sometimes they can go on on…then they say…Amen…no matter how lone they take …we wait.wait…lol… beautiful.💗

Peace…
 
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This isn’t the tradition prayer that you requested, but my daughter used to love this one: “Bless these sinners and their dinners, Amen”. Short, sweet and to the point.
 
Contact the monastery or convent you have in mind, as this is likely to vary from one to another. The forms given have been the standards in English among the laity in the US.
 
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Any meal I have eaten at a convent or retreat has had a short (spontaneous prayer) and then there been music while eating, if anything else was required, those most have been complete silence. I have seen online some places read psalms and Bible passages thought the meal, it really varies a lot. I agree with the others you would need to ask them and it may also help to know the Order you are dealing with as some are definitely likely to be silent during the day and others inclined to scriptures etc.
 
That’s outstanding!

One thing we also do when we are praying grace before meals at home is to ask for God’s blessing on the cook(s).
 
While we never adapted it into my (Catholic) family, I had a friend in high school whose family used to sing the Doxology before meals. . .to the tune of "Hernando’s Hideaway’.

I think that is the most distinctive meal blessing I have ever heard.
 
Glennon_P said:
After meal prayer as I learned it:

We give thee thanks for all thy benefits, Almighty God, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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I never can remember that. My after-meal prayer is much simpler – “Thank you, Lord; that was GO-O-OD!” 😃

D
 
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