Catholic prayers, old and new, are offered by the USCCB

U.S. Bishops Recommend '10 Prayers for the Year of Faith'

BY MICHELLE BAUMAN

By working to enrich their prayer lives, Catholics can grow closer to Christ and more deeply live out the Year of Faith, said the U.S. bishops’ leader on matters of evangelization.

“The Year of Faith is about returning to the foundational teachings of the Church and drawing strength from them,” said Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wis., who heads the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis.

He pointed to the Nicene Creed, the official prayer of the Year of Faith, as expressing “the core of Christian belief.”

Announced by Pope Benedict XVI, the Year of Faith runs through Nov. 24, 2013, and is an opportunity for Catholics to renew their faith so that they may more fully share it with those around them.

On Dec. 5, Bishop Ricken offered “10 Prayers for the Year of Faith” that can also be an opportunity for Catholics to prepare for Christmas during the current Advent season.

The bishop recommended several basic Catholic prayers. 

• Lord’s Prayer
• Hail Mary
• Glory Be 
• the Acts of Contrition, Faith, Hope and Love 
• Memorare
• Magnificat
• Canticle of Zechariah 
• Guardian Angel 
• St. Michael the Archangel

Finally, Bishop Ricken suggested the Prayer for the New Evangelization, which can be found on the bishops’ conference website and calls for the Holy Spirit to strengthen the hearts of the faithful so that they may witness to the Gospel through their lives.

Read more: www.ncregister.com