Since the Mass looks ordinary to our own eyes, we need the grace of God to help us to even begin to comprehend the beauty and treasure of what we are about to experience. These prayers before Mass assist us with asking God for this blessing.
When was the last time you walked out of Mass and felt truly different, knowing that what you have just experienced was something momentous and life-changing? It is very easy to go to Mass out of habit and to forget the significance of what we are participating in. Here we suggest ten ways that you can more fully appreciate the Mass, with the help of The CTS Sunday Missal 2024.
Many saints came to know Mary as a spiritual mother came to do so through prayer of the Rosary. In this blog, discover four saints in particular who loved the Rosary: St Dominic, who is traditionally said to have been given the rosary by Our Lady herself; St Louis de Montfort, who did much to spread devotion to the Rosary; St Bernadette who only got her own Rosary after Our Lady appeared to her in Lourdes; and St Therese of Lisieux, whose childlike devotion amused her sisters.
St Rose of Lima regularly withdrew to a small cabin behind her house to contemplate and pray. She wanted to be with Jesus at every moment, especially in his ultimate suffering on the cross. Learn how to pray as Rose did, following this advice which draws inspiration from her life.
Do you struggle to pray the Rosary? Fr Lawrence Lew OP, Promotor General of the Rosary for the Order of Preachers, offers advice from his own experience of praying the rosary, guiding you in your prayer to become more like Mary in faith, hope, and love.
While awaiting his execution in the Tower of London, St Thomas More spent his last days writing this moving meditation in the margins of the Book of Hours. This inspiring prayer reveals the mindset of a man of God who was ready to meet his death - and his Saviour - with open arms.
