From ancient times the Church has had the custom of celebrating each day the liturgy of the hours. In this way, the Church fulfills the Lord’s precept to pray without ceasing, at once offering its praise to God the Father and interceding for the salvation of the world.

Morning Prayer is from the Liturgy of the Hours the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings. Together with the Mass, it constitutes the official public prayer life of the Church.

The practice of daily prayers grew from the Jewish practice of reciting prayers at set times of the day: for example, in the Book of Acts, Peter and John visit the Temple for the afternoon prayers (Acts 3:1). Psalm 119:164 states: “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.”

The modern Liturgy of the Hours usage focuses on three major hours and from two to four minor hours:

The Major Hours:
· the Office of Readings (formerly Matins), major hour
· Morning prayer (Lauds), major hour
· Evening prayer (Vespers), major hour
The Minor Hours
· Midday prayer (said at either the third, sixth or ninth hour - or each of these can be celebrated separately)
· Night Prayer (Compline)

From ancient times the Church has had the custom of celebrating each day the liturgy of the hours. In this way, the Church fulfills the Lord’s precept to pray without ceasing, at once offering its praise to God the Father and interceding for the salvation of the world.

Evening Prayer is from the Liturgy of the Hours the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings. Together with the Mass, it constitutes the official public prayer life of the Church.

The practice of daily prayers grew from the Jewish practice of reciting prayers at set times of the day: for example, in the Book of Acts, Peter and John visit the Temple for the afternoon prayers (Acts 3:1). Psalm 119:164 states: “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.”

The modern Liturgy of the Hours usage focuses on three major hours and from two to four minor hours:

The Major Hours:
· the Office of Readings (formerly Matins), major hour
· Morning prayer (Lauds), major hour
· Evening prayer (Vespers), major hour
The Minor Hours
· Midday prayer (said at either the third, sixth or ninth hour - or each of these can be celebrated separately)
· Night Prayer (Compline)

The Mass gives us the opportunity to worship and to receive God’s grace, to come into communion with him and with other worshipers through the sacrament of the Eucharist. As a sacrament, it is Jesus himself acting through the Eucharist, which supplies all the graces we derive from it. At Mass we are able to stand mystically at the foot of the cross and witness for ourselves the same self-sacrifice of Jesus. Mass is a celebration of this sacrifice. It is the active participation of all that come together. We do not come to Mass simply to receive something passively or to watch a show; we come as participants embracing the grace Christ pours out for us shed by his own blood on the cross. Different people have different roles at Mass. Some people are Eucharistic ministers. They help distribute the Eucharist to assist the priest when it is necessary in order to maintain the flow of worship. Lectors help proclaim the Word of God and make it come alive for us. Cantors and choir members lead us in song to help us stay in tune. The priest is there to serve us by leading us in prayer acting in the person of Christ, explaining the Scripture (Bible) readings, and consecrating the bread and wine so that they may become the body and blood of Jesus.

The Rosary is taken from the Latin word “rosarium” which means “crown of roses” or “garland of roses.” To us members of Faith, the Rosary is a form of prayer that we use along with its namesake prayer beads. According to tradition, the idea of the Rosary was given to Saint Dominic when the Virgin Mary appeared to him in an apparition in the year 1214. This Marian apparition is given the title of Our Lady of the Rosary. The Dominican priest and theologian Alanus de Rupe promoted the practice of the Rosary by establishing the “fifteen rosary promises” and founding several rosary confraternities. The Rosary inspires us to meditate on the mysteries of the lives of Jesus and Mary. Meditation is an important part of our lives as Christians. The Church teaches, meditation “engages thought, imagination, emotion and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart and strengthen our will to follow Christ.”

The Mass gives us the opportunity to worship and to receive God’s grace, to come into communion with him and with other worshipers through the sacrament of the Eucharist. As a sacrament, it is Jesus himself acting through the Eucharist, which supplies all the graces we derive from it. At Mass we are able to stand mystically at the foot of the cross and witness for ourselves the same self-sacrifice of Jesus. Mass is a celebration of this sacrifice. It is the active participation of all that come together. We do not come to Mass simply to receive something passively or to watch a show; we come as participants embracing the grace Christ pours out for us shed by his own blood on the cross. Different people have different roles at Mass. Some people are Eucharistic ministers. They help distribute the Eucharist to assist the priest when it is necessary in order to maintain the flow of worship. Lectors help proclaim the Word of God and make it come alive for us. Cantors and choir members lead us in song to help us stay in tune. The priest is there to serve us by leading us in prayer acting in the person of Christ, explaining the Scripture (Bible) readings, and consecrating the bread and wine so that they may become the body and blood of Jesus.

The Mass gives us the opportunity to worship and to receive God’s grace, to come into communion with him and with other worshipers through the sacrament of the Eucharist. As a sacrament, it is Jesus himself acting through the Eucharist, which supplies all the graces we derive from it. At Mass we are able to stand mystically at the foot of the cross and witness for ourselves the same self-sacrifice of Jesus. Mass is a celebration of this sacrifice. It is the active participation of all that come together. We do not come to Mass simply to receive something passively or to watch a show; we come as participants embracing the grace Christ pours out for us shed by his own blood on the cross. Different people have different roles at Mass. Some people are Eucharistic ministers. They help distribute the Eucharist to assist the priest when it is necessary in order to maintain the flow of worship. Lectors help proclaim the Word of God and make it come alive for us. Cantors and choir members lead us in song to help us stay in tune. The priest is there to serve us by leading us in prayer acting in the person of Christ, explaining the Scripture (Bible) readings, and consecrating the bread and wine so that they may become the body and blood of Jesus.