Trouble Remembering Formal Prayers

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When I pray, I always do the Sign of the Cross (the only formal prayer I know), then pray. But when I pray, I always make up prayers. I have a particularly bad memory, and I can’t remember words much at all.

When I say Grace before eating, I always say in my head “Thank you God for this meal, Amen”. Sometimes I add a bit to it, for example, the ingredients in the food. Is this OK, or should I try to learn the real way to say Grace?

Do you have any tips on remembering prayers? Should I write them down, so I can remember them easier?
 
There’s nothing wrong with you coming up with your own prayers. Although investing in a good prayer book might be an idea. My favorite is called, merely “The Catholic Prayer Book.” It was put out by Servant Publications. I found it at a book store that had a small section of Catholic books. It has a lot of the basic prayers in it. I’ve had mine for a number of years, so I don’t if it is still out there. You might look up the publisher and ask about it.
 
Regardless of how you pray, always keep in mind who it is you are praying to, and that you are in His presence, for he dwells within you.

Other than that, prayers from the heart trump prayers by rote.

Jim
 
In cases like this, I usually write a bunch of stuff about different expressions of prayer including contemplative, and then I end up recommending this book that talks about “how to pray” different Catholic prayers, and realistically how it is when you get distracted and stuff and how to deal with that. Written by a Jesuit, used as introduction to prayer class.

Formal prayers is one of three types it talks about. There is a Look Inside at Amazon:


Mark Thibodeaux S.J. (Author)
 
Melodeonist said:
When I pray, I always do the Sign of the Cross (the only formal prayer I know), then pray. But when I pray, I always make up prayers. I have a particularly bad memory, and I can’t remember words much at all.

When I say Grace before eating, I always say in my head “Thank you God for this meal, Amen”. Sometimes I add a bit to it, for example, the ingredients in the food. Is this OK, or should I try to learn the real way to say Grace?

Do you have any tips on remembering prayers? Should I write them down, so I can remember them easier?
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There are books on basic prayers. If one wants a traditional prayer, one can look it up, go from there.

Also, they have prayers even online…the rosary and more.

There´s nothing wrong with the way you pray, though. 👍
 
You’re doing fine. I’ve been a Catholic for almost 40 years and have managed to memorize only the grace before meals, the Lord’s Prayer (I learned it as a child), the Hail Mary, & the Glory Be. Tho I will still draw a blank on any of these - sometimes in the middle of the prayer. :eek:

But even as a Protestant I wasn’t very good at extemporaneous prayers. I can manage to thank God for my food without prompts, but anything more can sometimes be difficult. So my favorite way to pray is with my “deck of cards” - prayer cards I keep in my purse. Sometimes I keep to the “script,” but often the written prayers will launch me into more personal conversation with God and His saints.
 
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