Which devotions/disciplines do you practice?

[Melchior_1]

At Trent brought up something in another thread which I think would be a solid thread, and that is discussing devotions (I’m adding disciplines/customs to it as well). Perhaps through posting about it people might learn about or find a devotion or discipline to their liking. I doubt that THIS thread will turn into a slugfest!

I’m not entirely altruistic with this though, as I struggle with devotions. Not the concept of them, but the execution. Several of them require attention and sitting still, both of which I struggle with due to ADHD (which makes one minute feel like ten, and ten minutes like an hour). If someone knows of a devotion that would be suitable for a 28 year old man who has the attention span of an eight year old feel free to share!!

Discipline/customs wise I practice voluntary poverty, and also fasting. I’m a simple man who likes simple foods and simple clothes. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I like technology (as you can tell by my signature) and play video games. But I’m not into getting the “latest and greatest” anything and feel no desire to go out and spend tonnes of money (rarely do I go out and get something recently released).

There’s such a freedom with not being concerned nor attached about materialism, and fasting is great for spiritual growth. I recommend to anyone/everyone that if you don’t fast once a week (and if you already fast on Fridays try it on another day as well) to consider it and offer it for a special intention, or even just offering it up to God as a general act of Faith and Work (and remember that fasting doesn’t mean you don’t eat at all, you still get to eat. Oh, and you can fast from material items as well, not just food).

 

[Momofmyangels]

Nice post! I am always looking for different prayers/devotions/disciplines for my family to practice.

Here are some of the things we do (most is centered around children, as…my life is centered around children )

We begin our day with the usual am prayers, Guardian Angel prayer and Morning Offering. Then we look up the Saint of the Day and learn a bit about him/her. If it is a Feast Day, or Holy Day we try to honor that particular saint/Our Lady/Jesus in a special way. We put that saint’s statue (if we have it) or holy card in the center of our table so it reminds us to think about that person a little more on his/her special day.

At 3pm we say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. If we are out and about, and it is 3pm, we just try to remember Jesus and tell Him we love Him.

My husband and I have each done A Month with our Friends the Souls in Purgatory by Father Berlioux. It is a combination of readings and prayers which takes about 30 minutes a day for one month for the Souls in Purgatory. Actually, the readings are so captivating, you hardly realize how much time has gone by and when you think about how many souls who have no one to pray for them, you hardly want to put the book down.

My family routinely fasts on Fridays…no meat. While my children are too young to be required to even think about fasting, we have taught them that it is good to offer up little sacrifices to Jesus and for the Souls in Purgatory. They have taken a sincere affection for the Souls in Purgatory and I often see them decline a candy or dessert for them, or say an extra prayer after grace for them.

What you said about materialism is so true. How much easier our lives become when we are not attached to “things” and try to give to those who have nothing.

 

[floresco]

I’m not entirely altruistic with this though, as I struggle with devotions. Not the concept of them, but the execution. Several of them require attention and sitting still, both of which I struggle with due to ADHD (which makes one minute feel like ten, and ten minutes like an hour). If someone knows of a devotion that would be suitable for a 28 year old man who has the attention span of an eight year old feel free to share!!

There are a lot of short prayers that fit in a various times of day. Start the day with Morning Offering prayer. I like saying Angelus at noon (my Blackberry is set to beep then) and my children had no problem with it at 8 years old. Say grace before and after meals. I especially like saying it in Latin because it makes me feel connected to the people who prayed it in the past. Before bed, think a bit about your day and say an Act of Contrition for the sins you committed. When my son was 8, he also did the St. Michael prayer at bedtime.

Don’t worry about the length of your prayers. You will get a lot of benefit from praying short prayers throughout the day, especially if they become part of your daily routine. We get caught up in our activities and it helps to have something to keep bringing our attention back to God.

 

[Nowhere_Man]

This is my ideal day as far as prayers and devotions go (obviously I can’t get to all of it all the time, but I try my best.)

Morning:
Morning Offering
Angelus
Matins, Lauds, and sometimes Prime
Chant the Kyrie and Gloria

Noon/Midday:
Sext (None and Terce if I’m lucky)
Angelus

Afternoon/Evening:
Angelus
Vespers
Rosary

Night:
Compline
Nunc Dimittis (Canticle of Simeon)

So in short I pray the Liturgy of the Hours (1960 version), the Angelus thrice daily, and the Rosary.

As far as practices and disciplines, I don’t have many but I do:

• Abstain from meat on Friday
• Confession at least once a month
• Fast on the Fridays of Lent and Ember Days (when I can do it discreetly; my mom doesn’t like it )

 

[Edward_H]

There are a lot of short prayers that fit in a various times of day. Start the day with Morning Offering prayer. I like saying Angelus at noon (my Blackberry is set to beep then) and my children had no problem with it at 8 years old. Say grace before and after meals. I especially like saying it in Latin because it makes me feel connected to the people who prayed it in the past. Before bed, think a bit about your day and say an Act of Contrition for the sins you committed. When my son was 8, he also did the St. Michael prayer at bedtime.

Don’t worry about the length of your prayers. You will get a lot of benefit from praying short prayers throughout the day, especially if they become part of your daily routine. We get caught up in our activities and it helps to have something to keep bringing our attention back to God.

This is a great approach.

 

[At_Trent]

Good topic Melchior, I’ve enjoyed your OP and the replies so far

As far as your ADHD, perhaps in addition to advice offered so far, you may consider Catholic ejaculations, which are brief prayers, usually one liners, prayed to invoke, resist temptation, or simply an expression joy or sorrow of something one has just experienced.

My Grandmother on my father’s side used to pray/say them several times a day. For example, when family arrived at Christmas dinner for the family, if someone carried in a baby, she would hold her/him and say “Sweet Jesus, Mary, and Joseph ! Bless this beautiful child !”

Here are some that pertain to the invocation of the Sacred Heart:

May THE Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved in every place.
Sweet Heart of my Jesus, grant that I may ever love Thee more.
Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in Thee!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come!
Divine Heart of Jesus, convert sinners, save the dying, deliver the holy souls in purgatory.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Thy love for me.
Sweet Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us and on our erring brethren.
All for Thee, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, mayest Thou be known, loved and imitated!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, protect our families.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I give myself to Thee through Mary.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, convert all poor blasphemers!

Each line is a single prayer/ejaculation. Your ADHD shouldn’t hinder memorizing a couple of your fav’s if you chose to My favorite is “My Lord, my God, my All, have mercy on me”
Some of the traditional ones carry indulgences, but you make come up with your own.

My own devotion, first and foremost is to The Blessed Virgin. Usually an Our Father followed by " My Lord, my God, my All, if it be Thy will, accept the intercession of the Blessed Virgin as she places my prayers before Thee". Then I’ll ask her intercession.

Of the approved Apparitions, I am most devoted to Our Lady of Lourdes and St Bernadette. St Louis Bertrand is a Dominican Priory in Louisville, and on Saturday after noon Mass, the faithful may venerate the reliquary containing 1st Class relics of St Bernadette by approaching and touching our lips to the reliquary. Some may just bow and cross themselves before the reliquary as well.

I have many of my Grandmother’s sacramentals as well, including her St Anthony Chaplet beads and what I believe to be my Great Grandfather’s Holy Spirit medal. I found it after my parents had passed, and no one left in the family is certain, but one member thinks it was his.

I don’t make it to the Perpetual Adoration Chapel as often as I’d like, but I do go there and spend time with Our Lord when I can.

Pax

 

[GloriousOrder]

I am completely new to the faith, and I don’t know any traditional devotions. From what I have seen and experienced so far, I must say that devotions to the Trinity, Holy Spirit, Sacred Heart, and Eternal King affect me most of all. Perhaps I’m a little Protestant in this attitude (being entirely of English blood ), but I feel slightly uncomfortable with saintly devotionals. My soul recognises the fact that we devote ourselves to saints because they glorify God, but I prefer to go straight to God in my prayers. The farthest I have gone so far is my devotion to the three holy archangels who do the most for us: Michael the Protector, Raphael the Healer, and Gabriel the Messenger. These three archangels were made by God almost to reflect Himself: Michael mirrors the Father, Raphael the Spirit, and Gabriel the Son. The duality between God’s greatest generals and His Trinity is very inspiring of devotion in me.

Greatest of all devotions, I place my most intense emphasis on the Glory of God, and the symmetry and Order of His creation. One of the greatest prayers one can ever say is found in Chapter 20 of Pope St. Clement’s Letter to Corinth (A.D. 96):

“The heavens, revolving under His government, are subject to Him in peace. Day and night run the course appointed by Him, in no wise hindering each other. The sun and moon, with the companies of the stars, roll on in harmony according to His command, within their prescribed limits, and without any deviation. The fruitful earth, according to His will, brings forth food in abundance, at the proper seasons, for man and beast and all the living beings upon it, never hesitating, nor changing any of the ordinances which He has fixed. The unsearchable places of abysses, and the indescribable arrangements of the lower world, are restrained by the same laws. The vast unmeasurable sea, gathered together by His working into various basins, never passes beyond the bounds placed around it, but does as He has commanded. For He said, “Thus far shall you come, and your waves shall be broken within you.” (Job 38:11) The ocean, impassable to man and the worlds beyond it, are regulated by the same enactments of the Lord. The seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, peacefully give place to one another. The winds in their several quarters fulfill, at the proper time, their service without hindrance. The ever-flowing fountains, formed both for enjoyment and health, furnish without fail their breasts for the life of men. The very smallest of living beings meet together in peace and concord. All these the great Creator and Lord of all has appointed to exist in peace and harmony; while He does good to all, but most abundantly to us who have fled for refuge to His compassion through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory and majesty for ever and ever. Amen.”

If you change a few of the tenses from “His” to “Your”, you have a ready-made prayer to God our Almighty Lord of the Cosmos.

 

[amsjj]

Dear Melchior_

You may want to try these. I found them in “My Prayer Book” by Father Lasance. They’re broken down into 7 parts, so I say one for each day of the week.

“Devout Exercise in Honor of the Seven Sorrows and Seven Joys of St. Joseph
catholictradition.org/Joseph/joseph9.htm

“Prayers for every day in the week in aid of the souls in Purgatory"
thesacredheart.com/ppur.htm

take care,
amsjj

+++

Jesus, God and man,
imprisoned by love in Thy most holy Sacrament,
have mercy upon us.
– Venerable John Henry Newman, December 22, 1851
(LD, XIV, 511).

 

[At_Trent]

I’ve been saying 3 Aves for a few years now, but just recently found this, which is interesting :

THE THREE HAIL MARYS DEVOTION

One of the greatest means of salvation and one of the surest signs of predestination, is unquestionably, the devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin. All the holy doctors of the Church are unanimous in saying with St. Alphonsus of Liguori: “A devout servant of Mary shall never perish.” The chief thing is to persevere faithfully till death in this devotion.

Numerous examples show how agreeable the three Hail Marys Devotion is to the Divine Mother and what special graces it draws, during life and at the hour of death, on those who never omit it for a single day.

This practice was revealed to St. Melchtilde (13th century) while she was beseeching Our Blessed Mother to assist her in her hour of death. Our Lady appeared to her and said: "I will, certainly. But I also want you to say three special Hail Marys to me every day.

"The first will be in honor of God the Father, Whose omnipotence raised my soul so high above every other creature that after God I have the greatest power in heaven and on earth. In the hour of your death I will use that power of God the Father to keep any hostile power far from you.

"The second Hail Mary will be said in honor of the Son of God Who communicated His inscrutable wisdom to me. In the hour of your death I will fill your soul with the light of that wisdom so that all the darkness of ignorance and error will be dispelled.

“The third Hail Mary will be in honor of God the Holy Ghost Who filled my soul with the sweetness of His love and tenderness and mercy. In your last hour I will then change the bitterness of death into divine sweetness and delight.”

Our Blessed Mother also revealed to St. Gertrude the Great: “To any soul who faithfully prays the Three Hail Marys, I will appear at the hour of death in a splendor so extraordinary that it will fill the soul with heavenly consolation.”

St. Leonard of Port Maurice, the celebrated missionary, had the Three Hail Marys recited morning and evening in honor of Mary Immaculate, to obtain the grace of avoiding all mortal sins during the day or night; moreover he promised in a special manner eternal salvation to all those who proved constantly faithful to this practice. He gave this devotion of Three Hail Marys as a penance in the confessional, especially for those who were struggling with sins of impurity.

Practice: Recite morning and evening, three Hail Marys in honor of the three great privileges bestowed upon Our Blessed Mother by the most Blessed Trinity with this invocation at the end: for the morning: “O my Mother preserve me from mortal sin during this day.” For the evening: “O my Mother preserve me from mortal sin during this night.”

(Pope St. Pius X gave his Apostolic Blessing to this practice and the devotion was raised to an Archconfraternity by Pope Benedict XV.)

The Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

 

[Melchior_1]

Some good stuff here. That last one you posted, Trent, seems very interesting and quite simple. I’m somewhat shocked more people don’t know about that, because even people like me can handle three Hail Mary’s (most of the time anyway).

I also might soon start reading some of the more “mystic” writings of the Saints. Typically I read the more instructional stuff due to it’s incredible usefulness working with youth and RCIA, but perhaps I should mix it up a bit more.

 

[Alexander_Roman]

A wonderful thread!

The psalms are my mainstay and, following Benedict’s directive, I aim to recite the psalter each week and as much of the Divine Office (according to the Byzantine Rite) as possible.

The Jesus Prayer and the daily Rosary come next.

Alex

 

[Biedrik]

I recite the Divine Office each day. I got into the habit, since I need to do this in seminary (only 4 more days until I go). I love it, although I do occasionally forget to do my morning prayer, since I’m pretty groggy when I wake up.

There’s also a fair amount of devotion to the Divine Mercy in my prayers. This started largely because I got a sort of spiritual “kick” through the chaplet. I’d been pretty much totally asleep in my faith, until I one day saw a pamphlet in my church teaching me how to pray the chaplet. I started, and for the next couple hours I did almost only that. Thanks to this, I became far more devout, and got set out on the path to seminary. Since then the chaplet and other devotions to the Divine Mercy of Christ have been a regular part of my prayer life. I love it, and could never live without it.

 

[At_Trent]

Some good stuff here. That last one you posted, Trent, seems very interesting and quite simple. I’m somewhat shocked more people don’t know about that, because even people like me can handle three Hail Mary’s (most of the time anyway).

I also might soon start reading some of the more “mystic” writings of the Saints. Typically I read the more instructional stuff due to it’s incredible usefulness working with youth and RCIA, but perhaps I should mix it up a bit more.

Here is one more simple few know of:

Devotion to the Drops of Blood
Lost by our Lord Jesus Christ
on His Way to Calvary

St. Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, with St. Matilda and St. Bridget, wishing to know something of the Passion of Jesus Christ, offered fervent and special prayers, upon which Our Lord revealed to them:

To all the faithful who shall recite for 3 years, each day, 2 “Our Fathers”, 2 “Hail Marys” and 2 “Glory Bes”, in honor of the drops of Blood I lost, I will concede the following 5 graces:

1st The plenary indulgence and remittance of your sins.

2nd You will be free from the pains of Purgatory.

3rd If you should die before completing the said 3 years, for you it will be the same as if you had completed them.

4th It will be upon your death the same as if you had shed all your blood for the Holy Faith.

5th I will descend from Heaven to take your soul and that of your relatives, until the fourth generation.

Blessed by His Holiness Pope Leo XIII in Rome, April 5, 1890.

Please keep this prayer card with others that you say daily to remind you to recite these prayers. Please record the date you started:
//____
Mo Day Year

The thought of saving souls should always be on our mind. St. John Bosco stated it well: “There is nothing more holy in this world than to work for the good of souls, for whose salvation Jesus Christ poured out the last drops of His blood.” St. Vincent de Paul tells us that: “The Salvation of men and our own are so great a good that they merit to be obtained at any price.”

Sad to say, the great majority of Catholics put forth little or no effort in promoting the greater honor and glory of God and the salvation of souls. Let us keep in mind that if we manage to save one soul, we also ensure the salvation of our own. The Holy Ghost reveals this to us in the Holy Bible. (St. James 5:19,20)

This little card gives us a very easy way to save our own soul as well as the ones most dear to us – our family. See other side for details. You are urged to supply yourself with a large quantity of these cards and to distribute them liberally. This will be most pleasing to Our Dear Lord and a great way to store up treasures in Heaven.

Powerful stuff, as all devotions mentioned in this thread. Youth my be more willing to embrace these shorter, and easy to remember/practice devotions.

 

[OraLabora]

This is my ideal day as far as prayers and devotions go (obviously I can’t get to all of it all the time, but I try my best.)

Morning:
Morning Offering
Angelus
Matins, Lauds, and sometimes Prime
Chant the Kyrie and Gloria

Noon/Midday:
Sext (None and Terce if I’m lucky)
Angelus

Afternoon/Evening:
Angelus
Vespers
Rosary

Night:
Compline
Nunc Dimittis (Canticle of Simeon)

So in short I pray the Liturgy of the Hours (1960 version), the Angelus thrice daily, and the Rosary.

As far as practices and disciplines, I don’t have many but I do:

• Abstain from meat on Friday
• Confession at least once a month
• Fast on the Fridays of Lent and Ember Days (when I can do it discreetly; my mom doesn’t like it )

Well you’ve got me beat!

I pray the Liturgy of the Hours (post-1970 version) every day: Office of Readings (as Vigils; I try to do it at 4 am), Lauds, Sexte (mid-day office), Vespers and Compline. That’s about it. But I do all the day office in Gregorian chant (unless traveling; I work from my home office 4 days a week and travel to a company office once a week). For Vigils, I chant the Latin hymn but chant the office itself in French, recto-tono.

Since 2008 there is a most wonderful resource for those wanting to chant day hours the post-Vatican II Liturgy of the Hours: Les Heures Grégoriennes

I have some church bells from Solesmes set up to ring the hours on iCal on my computer. A chapel bell 15 minutes before Vespers and Compline, and 6 gongs to ring the hour itself. The 15 minute bell tells me I have 15 minutes to shut down my work (in the evening I often do work for our Gregorian schola or the Gregorian institute, or articles for our abbey journal). The bells are 5 min. apart for the little hours. On Sundays the Vespers 15 min. bell is the full volley of the main bells of Solesmes

The tough one is the bell for Vigils which rings at 4 am , the office starting at 4:05.

 

[larkin31]

How about prostration or mortification? I have always wondered how many practice anything more physically demanding.

 

[Melchior_1]

Powerful stuff, as all devotions mentioned in this thread. Youth my be more willing to embrace these shorter, and easy to remember/practice devotions.

One of the high schoolers who attend the youth group at my Church told me he’s started staying up until 3am every night to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, because “saying it at 3am is like punching satan in the face an extra fifty times”.

Really, I can’t argue his logic

When school starts he’s going to try to wake up at 3am, say the chaplet, then go back to sleep. On school nights. Crazy stuff.

Larkin, I actually practice mortification after a fashion. I have a lot of chronic pain, so it might as well be used for something (ie; offering it as a prayer).

 

[larkin31]

 

[Miserys_Fence]

This is exactly why I feel a calling to the religious life–lack of predictability and stability in my current life. I truly would like to be able to get a routine going as far as certain devotions in the morning, afternoon, and evening, but job/kids/pets more often than not intrudes.

I have a huge project coming up at work next month, and in light of 2 more people from my department leaving, I’ll be working plenty of overtime (pity I’m salaried!) probably through February. I’ll be living on 4, maybe 5 hours of sleep at night, going in early, staying late, working weekends.

My daughter recently became engaged and now there’s wedding planning to attend to as well.

It’s easy to see why the religious life is so appealing–more time for prayer and worship, fewer distractions. This is what I want in my life: to order my everyday activities around my spiritual life, instead of the other way around.

Sorry to ramble/vent. Currently I am in the Living Rosary group, so I pray my assigned Mystery every day, wherever I can squeeze it in. Weekends or other days off, I try to do an entire set of Mysteries as well. I do Novenas when there is a special need, for myself or someone else.

I did have a routine of morning prayers and evening prayers, but a few days of going to work early/staying late, several days of doctor visits, injured pets, getting a daughter moved in at school–I lost the rhythm and routine of it.

I admire those of you who are able to create and stick with a routine!

Miz

 

[dailey]

This is a great thread. Does anyone do the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary? I would like to do this but am a bit confused by the different information I found on the net.

I currently say a rosary (sometimes 2) a day. Also, do the the St.Bridget devotion and of course, pray for the souls in purgatory.

 

[MerryCatholic]

At Trent brought up something in another thread which I think would be a solid thread, and that is discussing devotions (I’m adding disciplines/customs to it as well). ).

iam devoted to The Divine Mercy.