The Six
Precepts of the Church
1. "You shall attend Mass on
Sundays and holy days of obligation"
2. "You shall confess your
sins at least once a year"
3. "You shall humbly receive
your creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter
Season."
4. "You shall keep holy the
holy days of obligation"
5. "You shall observe the
prescribed days of fasting and abstinence."
6. "You shall provide for
the material needs of the Church."
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The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven
and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one
Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of
the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true
God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through
him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he
came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was
born of the Virgin Mary and became man. For our sake he was
crucified, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is
seated a the right hand of the Father. He will come again in
glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will
have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver
of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the
Father and Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken
through the Prophets. We believe in on holy Catholic and
apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness
of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life
of the world to come. Amen.
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Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy
kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
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Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever
shall be, world without end. Amen.
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Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed
art thou among 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.
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Angelus
(When said in a group, "V" is the leader and "R" is the
response of the group)
V: The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary;
R: And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary
V: Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R: Be it done to me according to your word.
Hail Mary
V: And the word was made flesh,
R: and dwelt among us.
Hail Mary
V: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech you, Oh Lord, your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the incarnation of your Christ, your Son, was
made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and
cross be brought o the glory of his resurrection, through the
same Christ our Lord. R: Amen.
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Regina Caeli
(Angelus during Eastertime)
V: Queen of heaven, rejoice!
R: For he whom you did merit to bear. Alleluia.
V: He as risen, as he said. Alleluia.
R: Pray for us to God. Alleluia.
V: Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary. Alleluia.
R: For the Lord is truly risen. Alleluia.
Let us pray.
O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of
your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we beseech you, that
through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his Mother, we may
obtain the joys of everlasting life, through the same Christ Our
Lord. R: Amen.
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Spiritual Game
Plan:
Do you want to be a really good Christian? The first of your
battles will be to remain in the state of grace; to avoid
any mortal sin. And, then, because you want to love God above
all things, you will also try not to commit any venial sins.
The practice of some acts of piety throughout the day will
help you to have a divine contemplative life in the midst of the
daily routine. The habitual performance of these acts will also
be the foundation for growing in Christian virtues. Most
important is to be consistent in your daily schedule, in your
spiritual game plan, so that you will live as a child of God.
Daily:
- Get up at a fixed time, as early as possible.
Eight hours of sleep should be enough. More than this or
less than seven hours of sleep is usually not healthy.
- Offer your day to God through the intercession of
Our Lady.
- Work with order and intensity during the day as a
way of serving God. Set goals and establish priorities in
order to develop a practical schedule. Sanctifying ordinary
work is the goal of our life.
- Try to attend Mass, receiving Holy Communion, as
often as possible. This is the best sacrifice we can offer
to God. Prepare yourself for the Mass by spending some time
in prayer.
- Spend some time in mental prayer before the
Blessed Sacrament (15 minutes, if possible).
- Pray the Angelus at noontime. (During Eastertime,
say the Regina Caeli instead).
- Pray the Rosary --if possible with your
family--offering each decade for a specific intention.
- Do some Spiritual Reading. Start with the New
Testament or some well-known spiritual book. Ten to fifteen
minutes is sufficient.
- Make a short examination of conscience at the end
of the day before going to bed. Two or three minutes is
enough. Follow these easy steps: Humble yourself in the
presence of God. Tell him, "Lord, if you will, you can make
me clean." Ask for light to acknowledge your defects and
virtues and to see the dangers and opportunities of the day.
Ask for repentance, amendment, and encouragement.
Weekly:
- Center all activities around the holy Mass on
Sunday, the Lord's day. It is also a family day--for
rest and spiritual growth.
- If you do not receive holy Communion every day, receive
at least on Sundays and holy days of Obligation.
- Saturday is traditionally dedicated to the Blessed
Virgin Mary. Honor her and say some special prayer, such as
the Hail Holy Queen.
Monthly:
- Go to Confession once a month. It is a sacrament
of joy. Pope John Paul II says: "God is always the one who
is principally offended by sin--'tibi soli peccavi'
['Against you only have I sinned']--and God alone can
forgive." He does so through the ministry of the Priest in
the sacrament of Penance, which "is the ordinary way of
obtaining forgiveness and remission of mortal sins committed
after Baptism." "Every serious sin must always be stated,
with its determining circumstances, in an individual
confession." (RP, 33)
- Seek and follow the spiritual guidance of a
wise, prudent, and knowledgeable priest.
- Spend a few hours in recollection, best done
before the Blessed Sacrament. Consider how you are directing
your life toward God.
Yearly:
- Spend two or three days each year in silence,
speaking with God only. A few days of retreat are
necessary for the soul in the same way that the body needs a
vacation. It is a yearly opportunity for conversion.
Always:
- Stay in the presence of God: be aware that he is
always close to you. Try to please him in everything as a
child tries to please his/her parents.
- Thank God for the graces that he constantly gives
you.
- Do everything for love of God: this is purity of
intention. Always purify your intention. Make acts of
contrition and atonement for your sins and sins
of others.
- Try to live as you would like to die. We shall
die as we have lived.
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Socias, James. Daily Roman Missal. 2003. Rev. James
Socias. New York: Scepter Publishers, 2003.
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