Catholics, What is your daily prayer schedule?

Question

I'd like if you could share some prayer tips . How do you begin the day with prayer? What is your prayer method throughout the day? Any devotions you particularly like to say on any day of the week? What kind of prayers do you pray throughout the day and at night that keeps you focussed on God? Thanks

Answer 1

You might try using the Divine Office/Liturgy of the Hours. A very good way to ease into that is by using a publication called The Magnificat (http://www.magnificat.net/us/indexus.htm).

My children and I use the Magnificat for morning prayers each morning; then we try to pray again at 9 am and 10 am (we homeschool). Turthfully, sometimes those 9 and 10 am prayers (usually Psalms but I use those prayer times for memorizing scriptures/prayers so it varies) get skipped unless I am wearing my alarm clock. At 11:15 we pray again (the Angelus) and read the day's scriptures for Mass (and once during the week we go to Mass at that time). At 3 pm we observe the hour of Divine Mercy with one of the divine mercy payers and we pray a decade of a scriptural rosary together. I encourage my children to do evening prayers on their own and they usually pray the rosary before going to sleep. I usually pray some Psalms and the rosary or Divine Mercy chaplet before sleep. Of course we pray throughout the day for meals, etc.

I am hoping that as my children get older we'll be able to incorporate all of the Liturgy of the Hours into our daily schedule.

Answer 2

Ideally -- and believe me, many days are far from it -- I begin the day by praying a rosary. If I haven't done that for some reason, then I find ways to pray at least a decade or two, such as in the car while running errands. If I can, I try to take a few minutes around mid-day for the Angelus. At the end of the day, night prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. And I try to say a Divine Mercy chaplet at least weekly.

Basically, though, these provide prayer "anchors" of a sort, as throughout the day there are "little moments" when I lift my heart to God ... and often these are the times when I'm most aware of His mercy and grace.

Answer 3

Morning: Unforntunately, I am not too good at morning prayer. That is, unless I am anticipating a particularly challenging day. I know I should be praying anyway. I have to work on that one.

Daytime: I will make the Sign of the Cross, recite a verse from a Psalm, say a Hail Mary, whenever I feel compelled to do so.

Evening/Night: I like to read from the Bible and/or any one of a number of another books I have which cover Catholic theology. Also, as I am going to bed, I will pray a decade of the Rosary, including whichever Mysteries are appropriate for the day.


ANYTIME: I also like discussing God, Catholicism, Faith in general, with people; family, friends, co-workers; anyone interested, I am "always on", as they say. Whenever I get a minute, I browse through Yahoo Answers for questions of a theological nature. I read Catholic/Christian blogs. All these things help me keep God on the front burner of my mind and heart.

The best part is, and this might sound funny, there's room for improvement. There's always something going on throughout the day which I can "offer up" to God.

Virtually anything and everything we do can be offered up to God as a prayer if we do it for Him.

Answer 4

I usually start my day with a quick prayer before I get out of bed...something like a review of what is on my plate for the day, and then a request for the strength and grace I need to get it all done!

After my childen leave for school, I get dressed and head out for Mass. Before Mass I pray Morning prayer from Shorter Christian Prayer ( a briefer version of the Liturgy of the Hours)

I usually say my Rosary in the car on the way to work.

I work in the other hours of prayer throughout the day.

The nice thing about the Liturgy of the Hours and Shorter Christian Prayer is that, as a layperson, you are not obligated to EVERY hour of prayer....but when you do work them in,you are praying the same prayer with everyone else who prays the Hours ( also called the Office).

It's really awesome when you think about it.

The Hours takes you through the liturgical year, cycles through the Psalms and a lot of the Bible., includes other religious writings and prayers.

Answer 5

I start the morning thanking God for the day and asking Him to be with me throughout it. Well, to be honest, I try to do this one; I forget a lot of the time, unfortunately. Then before dinner, I pray to thank Him for His blessings, and I pray for those who, one way or another, are in need. At night just before sleeping, I ask for understanding, greater faith, and help avoiding the areas of my life where I tend to sin the most. Sometimes I pray for others, sometimes I say the Lord's prayer, sometimes I pray without words. During the rest of the day, I pray whenever I need particular help, whenever I pass an accident on the highway, whenever I think of it. Mass is a prayer to God, and so I pray that every Sunday as well. Essentially, I try not to get so busy that I forget my link with God. I find that the more I pray, the more likely I am to live a Christian life.

Answer 6

I always start the day with a quick offering prayer - I do the examen of consciousness twice a day, usually in the middle of the day and before I go to bed.

I spend an hour each day in reflective prayer, but the time will depend on the day's schedule. I try to pray the rosary, and again, that will vary. I attend Mass each day, and when I was very young, I got in the habit of reading the Breviary, the Liturgy of the Hours. I find it a great anchor, especially when things get weird.

Sounds like a lot, but it really isn't, and it helps keep a balance in the day. And in my life.

Answer 7

Prior to being an atheist, I was Roman Catholic, and even studying for the priesthood. I did the Daily Office / Liturgy of the Hours each morning, noon, and evening. It can take a little while but I found it to be totally worth it.

Answer 8

I say the Lord's prayer in the night....and sometimes say Hail Mary but that's it really, unless I'm in church of course.

Answer 9

I pray that god helps me stop praying petty prayers.

Answer 10

we say the rosary and the divine murcy chaplet and holy our some times other things to