Prayer
Like Saint Dominic, the Dominican friars are exhorted to pray unceasingly and to spend their days either speaking to God or about God. The laity seeks to emulate these friars to the extent their daily life allows.
Classics
Mystical work of "The Treatise on Prayer" by St Catherine of Siena (.pdf)- This is an excerpt (i.e. the third treatise of four treatises) from the Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena, which focuses on prayer. It is one of the chief classics of spirituality.
- A reader might wish to review Fr. Benedict Ashley O.P.'s guide (.pdf) on "The Dialogue" before reading the Treatises themselves. It definitely helps with understanding the conversation and answers that God the Father gives Saint Catherine.
Divine Office - Take your prayer life to a new level.
Also known as the Breviary, the Divine Office or the Liturgy of the Hours is an important step fpr any serious catholic for advancing in the spiritual life. There are many versions of the printed version, from the full four volume set to a single book. All contain the same basic prayers in the same format. Larger versions have more complete meditations for the lesser feast days and saints. Every catholic around the world who prays this, prays the same prayer at the same hour of each day. You can read a history and instructions for use (here. ) It is also available for smart phones. tablets and PCs. The prayers are automatically updated each day so you dont need to search through a book for the correct prayers. Link to iBreviary online is here.A "hebdomadarian" is the friar leading litury of the hours prayers that week in a particular house or priory.
While monastic communities have always treasured the Liturgy of the Hours, the solemn chanting of the Divine Office has from early times also been the duty of cathedral clergy called canons. St Dominic, himself a canon at Osma, retained for his band of preachers this aspect of canonical life which had contributed greatly to his own preparation for the work of preaching. As a matter of fact, he and his brethren were at first known as canons and they surrendered this title only when the opponents of the Order used it with too much emphasis in an effort to exclude them from teaching in the universities. Both the canonical and monastic elements of Dominican life have been so harmoniously combined as to be suitably adapted to the attainment of the purpose for which the Order was founded, namely, preaching and the salvation of souls.
Listen to the students at the Dominican Priory of Saint Saviour in Dublin, Ireleand chant the Liturgy of the Hours. The mp3s are available for free downloading here (Read more and listen here...)
Dominican Prayers
Prayer to the Holy Spirit by St Catherine of Siena (.pdf)The Dominican Rosary (.pdf)
Blessing of Rosary Beads by a Dominican Friar
It should be noted, that historically, only Dominican Friars were allowed to bless rosary beards
but now any priest is allowed the privilege. (Read the story and blessing here)
Litany of Dominican Saints and Blesseds (.doc)
Dominican Rite Litany (.doc)
Litany of Saint Dominic (.docx) (.pdf)
Devotions to St. Dominic - 1957 - 65 pages - by Fr. Wilberforce O.P. (.pdf)
Hymn of Saint Dominic (.docx) (.pdf)
Novena Prayer to Saint Dominic (.docx) (.pdf)
Prayer to Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine (.docx) (.pdf)
Prayer in Honor of Saint Dominic (.docx) (.pdf)
Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort’s Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary 33 Days of Prayers (.pdf)
Fifteen (15) Tuesdays in Honor of St. Dominic (.pdf)
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Prayers of St. Thomas Aquinas
- For a Holy Life
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- Before Mass #1
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- Before Mass #2
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- After Mass #1
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- After Mass #2
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- Before Study
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Saint Dominic's Nine Ways of Prayer
The Nine Ways arises from the medieval monastic tradition of prayer. St. Dominic's innovation, perhaps, was to use his whole body as a prayer. St. Dominic was widely known and loved, and his manner of living and praying was treasured by the early members of the Order. These special modes of prayer, besides other very devout and customary forms, Saint Dominic used during the celebration of Mass and the praying of the psalmody. Included here are links and references to the Nine Ways Of PrayerDominican Mass Propers
Propers of the Office for the Order of Preachers in Paperback Book is available here (link here)
Mass Proper - St. Dominic (.pdf)
Mass Proper - St. Peter Martyr (.pdf)
Indulgences
Indulgences granted to Lay Dominican Members (.pdf)Apostolic Pardon (.pdf)
List of Roman Catholic prayers and other acts of piety, such as novenas, for which specific indulgences were granted by Popes. In 1968 it was replaced by the Enchiridion Indulgentiarum
- The Raccolta - 1910 Collection of Indulgenced Prayers and Good Works (.pdf)
- Enchiridon of Indulgences (.pdf) (.docx)
Other Inspirational Catholic Prayers
Prayers to the Sacred Members (attributed to St. Bernard) (.docx)The Pieta Book (Blue Book - uncopyrighted version) (.pdf) (.docx)
Pope Leo XIII - Original Prayer to St Michael and Prophecy (.pdf)
Prayers, Meditations and Recommended Readings during Advent
The O Antiphons (.docx)Birth of Jesus - As related in the Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda (.pdf)
Prayers, Meditations and Recommended Readings during Lent
Prayers to the Sacred Members (attributed to St. Bernard) (.doc)The Dolorus Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ
by Anne Catherine Emmerich (The Last Supper) (.doc)
Saint Catherine de Ricci - Canticle of the Passion
Written English Version of Chant (.doc)
Listen to the Marbury Dominican Nuns chant this Canticle (Listen to it here)
Listen to the chant of this Canticle in English (Listen to it here)
Saint Catherine de Ricci - Her Life, Her Letters, Her Community
by By F. M. Capes 1845 - 356 pages - 14mb (.pdf)
Epic, Ground Breaking, Life Changing and Grace Filled Ideas for Lent
from Epic Pew (.pdf)
Prayer Requests Resources
The Dominican Nuns of Summit, New JerseyDominican Nuns, Menlo Park, CA
The Monastery of the Angels, Cloistered Dominican Nuns, Los Angeles, CA
Mass Cards and Prayer Requests for the Living or Deceased
Prayers at Death - The Apostolic Pardon
The Apostolic Pardon (see below or download .pdf)There is a little-known, but important, plenary indulgence that is granted to the dying. If it is administered by a priest, it is called the “Apostolic Pardon” or “Apostolic Blessing.”
The current ritual of the Anointing of the Sick states that the priest “may add the apostolic pardon for the dying” after the penitential rite or after the sacrament of Penance. When Viaticum is given within Mass, “the apostolic pardon may be added after the final blessing.”
The Apostolic Blessing has two forms in the ritual for the Anointing of the Sick. Both are short and easy to memorize.
Form A: “Through the holy mysteries of our redemption, may Almighty God release you from all punishments in this life and in the life to come. May He open to you the gates of paradise and welcome you to everlasting joy.”
Form B: “By the authority which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a full pardon and the remission of all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, (+) and of the Holy Spirit.”
The Handbook of Indulgences reassuringly stipulates that “If a priest cannot be present, holy mother Church lovingly grants such persons who are rightly disposed a plenary indulgence to be obtained in articulo mortis, at the approach of death, provided they regularly prayed in some way during their lifetime.” Note the two conditions. The dying person must be “rightly disposed” and have “regularly prayed.”
Being rightly disposed means to be in the state of grace and without attachment even to venial sin. This is required in the gaining of any plenary indulgence. But what does it mean to have “prayed regularly in some way during their lifetime”?
The Apostolic Constitution on Indulgences, Indulgentiarum Doctrina, promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1967, puts it this way. If one of the faithful in danger of death is unable to have a priest to administer the sacraments and to impart the apostolic blessing, “the Church, like a devoted mother, graciously grants such a person who is properly disposed a plenary indulgence to be gained at the hour of death. The one condition is the practice of praying for this all during life. Use of a crucifix or cross is recommended for the gaining of this indulgence.”
The one condition necessary in such a situation, then, is that the dying person should have desired this indulgence – and prayed for it! No doubt, this can be accomplished in many ways; but one of simplest and clearest ways would be to ponder prayerfully the words of the Apostolic Pardon itself.