The Catholic life is a life of sincere prayer. To help us to pray and thus draw closer to God in this busy world, the Church provides various devotions.

VISITS TO OUR LORD IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. Your parish church is open during the day, so that you can come and pray to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament whenever you have time. If your church is not open, find one that is, or meet with your pastor and let him know of your need. Use this opportunity to talk to Our Lord about your difficulties at home or at work, about your joys and sorrows. Make regular visits to Him as you would to your friends and neighbors.

BENEDICTION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. At Benediction Our Lord is placed in a beautiful monstrance over the altar in the midst of lighted candles for your public adoration. The people sing ancient Latin hymns to Christ. Then you receive the blessing of Christ Himself.

HOLY HOURS . Frequently your pastor will have a public Holy Hour in the Church. You should attend. You can make a private holy hour at any time. In a holy hour, we adore our Blessed Lord actually present in our parish church; we answer Jesus' plea, "Can you not spend one hour with me?"

THE FORTY HOURS DEVOTION IN HONOR OF OUR LORD IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. During Forty Hours Our Lord is publicly exposed on the altar, so that by our adoration and love we can make up for the many sins of the world, especially for the negligence and indifference He suffers in the Blessed Sacrament.

THE NINE FIRST FRIDAYS. Many Catholics receive Holy Communion on the first Fridays of nine consecutive months. They do this because Our Lord promised to St. Margaret Mary: "I promise in the excess of the mercy of My Heart, that Its all powerful love will grant to all those who receive Communion on the first Friday of every month for nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance that they shall not die under my displeasure, and without the Sacraments, that My Heart shall be their secure refuge at that last hour."

By receiving Holy Communion on the nine first Fridays, you will lay up spiritual insurance for yourself. Our Lord promises that you will have His grace, even the Sacraments, when you die. Even after the nine months are up, many good Catholics will continue to receive Communion on the First Fridays as long as they live.

PARISH SOCIETIES. The men of the parish should join the Holy Name Society. The women of the parish should join the Blessed Sacrament Society or the Altar and Rosary Society. The youth of the parish have their special societies. These groups receive Holy Communion as a group on a certain Sunday each month. Join your parish society, take part in its activities and receive Holy Communion regularly with them. The Church grants special indulgences who receive Communion with their parish society.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS OR THE W AY OF THE CROSS. The Way of the Cross is a prayerful visit to the scenes of Our Lord's passion and death. A station is a cross and picture hanging on the wall of the church which shows a scene from Our Lord's passion. You make the Way of the Cross by walking from station to station, pausing and praying at each one. This devotion will help you to be sorry for your sins, and it will give you the strength to practice virtue. Each time you make the Stations of the Cross you receive a large indulgence.

THE ROSARY. The Rosary consists of five "Our Fathers" and fifty "Hail Marys". The rosary is a powerful prayer by which we obtain grace from God by having Mary , His Mother, ask Him for that grace. The best way to learn how to say the Rosary is to follow the priest in your parish instruction class. Get a Rosary in your parish or buy one in a religious goods store. Do not try to learn the mysteries of the Rosary until you have learned how to use the beads.

NOVENAS. A Novena is nine days of prayer in honor of Our Lord or one of the Saints. The Apostles and the Blessed Virgin made the first novena when they awaited the coming of the Holy Ghost in Confirmation on Pentecost Sunday. There are novenas to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Mary Our Sorrowful Mother, to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (The Blessed Mother), to St Anne, to St. Jude, to Our Lady of Fatima, to St. Anthony, to the Infant of Prague (The Infant Christ) Find a Church that has the particular novena that you want, get the novena book at the door of the church; join the public prayers of the novena. There are many other novenas besides the ones listed above.

PARISH MISSIONS. A mission is a series of sermons, prayers and other spiritual exercises conducted by a priest who has special training and experience in this work. The purpose of the mission is to renew the love of God in the people of a parish. A mission is a sort of inventory of your life; it is a new and valuable experience; many sinners are converted, and the just are strengthened in the practice of virtue. Parishes have missions every year or two.

DAY OF RECOLLECTION. A day of recollection is a day set aside for prayer and the consideration of heaven, hell, sin and other important Christian truths. Usually the priest will lead the day of recollection. If your parish does not have a day of recollection, you can make one yourself with the aid of a spiritual book which your parish priest will be glad to lend you.

RETREATS. A retreat is a series of sermons, prayers, and other spiritual exercises conducted by a priest It lasts for several days; it is held in a secluded place where everyone keeps silence. A retreat is even more helpful than a mission.

RELIGIOUS THIRD ORDERS. Religious Third Orders are branches of large religious orders which you may join. The purpose of Third Orders is to help lay people live a religious life in the world. In the United States you can join the Third Order of Franciscans, Augustinians, Benedictines, Carmelites and Servites.

INDULGENCES. After your sins have been forgiven some punishment due to your sins remains. Christ gave His Church the power to forgive even the punishment due to the sin, "Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth it shall be loosed also in heaven.'. (Matthew 16:19)

A plenary indulgence is the forgiveness of all the temporary punishment due to your sins; but people very often gain only part of the plenary indulgence because they have some attachment to sin. A partial indulgence is the forgiveness of part of the temporal punishment due to sin. To gain the indulgence you must be in the state of grace, have the intention of gaining the indulgence, and do what is required by the Church. To gain a plenary indulgence it is usually required that you go to Confession. You gain an indulgence every time you say the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, the Act of Faith, the Act of Hope, the Act of Charity, the Prayers of Mass, and Prayers at the Hour of Death. There are many other indulgenced prayers. In a Catholic prayer book you will find the indulgence at the end of each prayer.

PRACTICE OF EJACULATORY PRAYER DURING YOUR BUSY DAY. During your busy day, even while you are working, say short prayers like, "Jesus," "Jesus help me," "My God, I offer you all my work," "My God, I love you," "My Lord and my God". you can find these prayers in Catholic prayer books, or make up your own.

Issued by the Holy Office, Rome, Italy, June 13,1956.

I, (Your Name) touching with my hand God's holy Gospels, enlightened by divine grace, profess the faith which the Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church teaches. I believe that Church to be the one true Church, which Jesus Christ founded on earth: to which I submit with all my heart.

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary , suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, He sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

I believe that seven sacraments were instituted by Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind: namely, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders and Matrimony.

I believe that the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, is the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, that he is the supreme visible head of the whole Church, and that he teaches infallibly what we must believe and do to be saved.

I also believe everything which the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman Church defines and declares what we must believe. I adhere to her with all my heart, and I reject every error and schism which she condemns.

So help me God and these His holy Gospels which I touch with my hand.