A selection of prayers to fit most assemblies.

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 trepasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

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.

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.

A Morning Prayer
Almighty Father, keep us safe today by your strong grace, so that we do not fail you. May every word we speak, all our thoughts and all our actions be directed towards doing your will. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

or

May God's thoughts be in my mind,
God's words be on my lips,
God's love be in my heart.

Morning Offering
My God, I offer up to You
My heart and soul and all I do or think or say,
And all my work and all my play,
Uniting it with what was done
On earth by Jesus Christ, Your Son.

For the Sick
Heal Thy servants, 0 Lord, who are sick and put their trust in You. Send them help and comfort from Your holy place and restore their health to them, if it be Your will.

For the Souls of the Faithful Departed
Eternal Rest give unto them O Lord
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.

Act of Faith
My God, I believe in you and all that your church teaches,
because you have said it, and your word is true.

Act of Hope
My God, I hope in you, for grace and for glory, because of your promises, your mercy and your power.

Act of Charity
0 my God, because You are so good, I love You above all things and I love my neighbour as myself for love of you.

Grace Before and After Meals
Bless us 0 Lord, and these your gifts which we are about to receive by your goodness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

and

We give you thanks, almighty God, for these and all your gifts which we have received through Christ our Lord. Amen

Come Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray: 0 God, who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may be always truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation.

The Angelus
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary...
Behold the handmaid of the Lord
Be it done to me according to your word.
Hail Mary...
And the Word was made flesh
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary...
Pray for us, 0 holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech you, 0 Lord, your grace into our hearts that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may be brought by his passion and cross + to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ our lord. Amen.

An Act of Sorrow
0 my God because you are so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against you and by the help of your grace I will not sin again.

A Blessing
0 dear Lord Jesus
Bless me now with Your grace.
Bless my memory that it may never forget You
Bless my mind that it may always think of You
Bless my will that it may try to please You
Bless my body and all its actions
Bless my heart and everyone it loves
Bless me now and at the hour of my death
Bless us all and bring us safe to heaven
to be happy with You for ever. Amen.

For Our Parents
0 God of all grace and charity, You are our Father in heaven and Your love for us is greater than a mother's. To You we pray for the fathers and mothers You have given to us on earth. Bless them and be with them and give Your grace to them and to us. May they do your will towards us in all things. May we obey them with love and repay them with thoughtful attention. May our homes be happy and united and filled with the spirit of the Holy Family of Nazareth: through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

These prayers could be read by children at the end of each day on a residential trip.
Choose one or two relevant prayers each day. Have the children sit in a circle and choose one or two children to read the prayers. This could be followed by private prayer.

1. Thank you, Lord, for your world. There is so much to discover ... so much to know ... so much to see... so much to do. Your world is so exciting. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

2. Thank you, Father, for holidays, for the excitement of packing ... for interesting places to explore ... for new people to meet ... for time to be with our friends. Help us to use this holiday to make new friends and to learn new things. Amen.

3. Sunshine brings happiness. It makes the sea sparkle. It makes the world shine. It makes us smile. Father, your love is like the sunshine. It fills our lives with happiness. It makes the whole world glad. Amen.

4. Thank you, Lord, for pocket money. We can do so many things with it.
We can spend it all at once, or we can save some. We can spend it on ourselves, or we can share it. We can buy postcards, or pencils, or toys. Help us to remember that we have pocket money because our parents gave it to us. They worked for it. Help us to give to others and to work hard. Amen.

5. Dear Father, when our arms and legs feel tired, when our eyelids close, when we keep yawning, then you know that we need to sleep.
Thank you for your gift of sleep. It's wonderful to curl up in a warm bed at night and to stretch out again in the morning feeling wide awake. Help us to sleep peacefully. Amen.

6. Lord Jesus, you were called a teacher by your friends. Our teachers work hard for us. Help us to notice when they are tired and when they themselves need help. Show us how to be thoughtful and caring towards them. Amen.

7. Lord, thank you for busy places: roads and shops and beaches.
Thank you for quiet places: museums and churches and villas.
You are in all those places. You are with us everywhere we go. Amen.

8. Father, you made the daytime for us to work and play. You made the nightime for us to rest and sleep. You never sleep. You watch over us always. Thank you. Amen.

9. Thank you, Lord, for teddy bears. They are soft and snuggly. They are never too busy for a cuddle. Amen.

10. Lord, it must be fun to drive a coach. It must be fun to steer a boat. It is also hard work. Thank you for people who help us travel. Amen.

11. Thank you, Father, for the seaside ... for the sandy beach and the splashing waves... for sand-castles and seaweed ... for crabs and shells and rocks... for screaming seagulls and hooting ships and the salty smell. Thank you for them all. Amen.

This prayer could be the basis for a quiet reflection.

Lord, I look at my hands, my clenched hands.
My fist ready to strike, either in attack or defence, but still a fist.
My white knuckles, drained of blood, drained of life, hard, tense, closed.

Lord, I look at my fist and I see the symbol of so much of my life.
My striving for my goals,
my determination,
my power,
my drained, lifeless existence without you.

Lord, I open my hand, slowly folding back the fingers and look at my palm.
The softer skin so much more vulnerable.
I look at a hand that has cradled a baby's head,
a hand that my parents held to keep me safe,
a hand that still reaches out for other hands to hold.

Lord, in my hands I see a mirror of my life, so often, closed and hard.
Help me Lord, to open my heart to you now as easily as I have opened my hand.

A selection of prayers suitable for penitential services or Confession.
These could be left on chairs for children waiting to speak to a priest.

REFLECTION - WHILE YOU ARE WAITING TO SPEAK TO THE PRIEST

Sometimes we do not live as Jesus asks us to.
Think about how you behave at home, at school, in other places - on your own and with other people. Have you done things which are wrong?
How have you hurt God, other people, yourself?

Ask yourself:
Was I mean?
Was I nasty to others?
Did I tell lies?
Did I steal?
Did I damage things on purpose?
Was I quarrelsome?
Was I disobedient?
Did I swear?
Was I unhelpful?
Did I fail to forgive people who hurt me?

Did I try to be patient?
Did I do my best in class and at home?
Did I concentrate when praying?
What else have I done/not done?

SOME PRAYERS YOU COULD SAY BEFORE YOU SEE THE PRIEST

God our Father, help me to remember the times when I didn't live as Jesus asks me to. Amen.

Jesus, my Lord, I have turned from you. I kept your love from all my friends, your love so strong and true. Forgive me, dear Lord Jesus, I turned away from you. Give me love for all my friends, your love so strong and true.

I confess to Almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever Virgin, and all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

SOME PRAYERS THE PRIEST MIGHT ASK YOU TO SAY

Act of Sorrow
0 my God, I thank you for loving me. I am sorry for all my sins, for not loving others and not loving you.
Help me to live like Jesus and not sin again. Amen.

Act of Sorrow
0 my God, because you are so good, I am very sorry that I have sinned against you - and with the help of your grace I will not sin again. Amen.

PRAYERS YOU COULD SAY AFTER CONFESSION

Jesus we are better friends, better than before. Help me now to meet my friends and love them even more.

Hail Mary ...

Our Father ...