Prayer Memorization
Memorizing Traditional Catholic Prayers
Teaching children to pray is one of the greatest responsibilities and privileges of a Catholic parent. In order to enable your children to enjoy a lifetime of praying together with their Catholic family comfortably, they must know at least the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and Act of Contrition. To support you in this enterprise, we offer many resources, listed below. Don't get overwhelmed or discouraged! Reach out to us early with any concerns; we are here to work with you to make the best plan for your family, including adaptations for special needs and circumstances.
Tips for Memorization
- Pray together at the same time every day, like before bed or during car rides.
- Put copies of the prayers in key places, such as on the bathroom mirror to be read while brushing teeth and on the table for mealtimes.
- Practice.
- Number the lines of the prayer.
- Read the prayer, focusing on the first line.
- Then shut eyes, say the first line from memory, open eyes and read the rest of the prayer focusing on the second line, and so on.
- Sing the prayers.*
- Pray with hand motions.*
- Do activity sheets of the prayers.*
- Have the children decorate or illustrate the prayers.*
- Reflect on the meaning of the prayers.*
Preparing for First Communion
Those who are in their second year of preparation for First Communion must recite the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and Act of Contrition from memory at the faith formation office in the spring during the following times: February 28: 12-4 pm, March 1: 9 am-4 pm, Math 2: 9 am-4 pm, March 3: 9 am-7 pm, Math 4: 9 am-7 pm.
Our Father resources:
- Learn to pronounce the Our Father: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZPCG5slxhk
- Our Father Coloring 1
- Our Father Color 2
- Our Father fill in the blank
- Our Father meaning
- Our Father with hand motions
- Our Father word search
- Sing the Our Father: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwvBtcwPQS8
Hail Mary resources:
- Learn to pronounce the Hail Mary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-5_2fZLilQ&t=3s
- Hail Mary Coloring
- Hail Mary fill in the blank 1
- Hail Mary fill in the blank 2
- Hail Mary line by line
- Hail Mary meaning
- Hail Mary with hand motions
- Hail Mary word search 1
- Hail Mary word search 2
- Sing the Hail Mary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bP-MJj6B64 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OxeUAtiuHk
Glory Be resources:
- Learn to pronounce the Glory Be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSjwl4CNSp4
- Glory Be fill in the blank
- Glory Be meaning
- Glory Be tracing
- Glory Be with hand motions
- Sing the Glory Be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAdyi-Od5XM
Act of Contrition resources:
- Learn to pronounce the Act of Contrition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwDgh0D17G8
- Act of Contrition coloring
- Act of Contrition fill in the blank
- Act of Contrition line by line
- Act of Contrition meaning
- Act of Contrition puzzle
- Act of Contrition with hand motions
- Act of Contrition word search
- Sing the Act of Contrition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpGnIk5g9q0