How to Pray a Holy Hour

As we once put it in Faith & Family: To pray a holy hour, all you need is a tabernacle with a lit sanctuary lamp, a Bible (or Magnificat ), and a Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (available online  or through Amazon or any Catholic bookseller).

Three Rules
1. Be attentive: Don't rattle prayers or silently review stresses. Be silent exteriorly and interiorly.
2. Be alert: It's not a reading hour — readings should be brief intervals to jump-start your prayer.
3. Be awake: Sit, stand, or kneel respectfully. Draping your body, or resting your head in your arms on the pew can put you to sleep!

Minute by Minute
(Vary any or all of this to suit your needs!)

:00-:05
(5 Minutes)
Pray to the Holy Spirit to help you (perhaps the "Come Holy Spirit" in the Compendium's prayers section).
Make acts of faith, hope and charity. Tell God how much and why you believe in him, trust in him and love him. Or meditatively use the Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity in the Compendium's prayers section.
Ask for more faith, hope and charity.

:05-:15
(10 minutes)
Adore God (imagine sitting with Christ)
Pray: "Oh my God, I adore your divine greatness from the depths of my littleness, you are so great, and I am so small." or "Glory Be ..." Repeat as long as necessary.
Or use the Te Deum (in the Compendium prayers)
Or read Scripture (try John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:6-11)

:15-:25
(10 minutes)
Contrition (imagine embracing Christ on the cross)
Pray: "Oh my Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner."
Examine your conscience using 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Colossians 3:5-10, or any examination of conscience.
Or pray one of the Penitential Psalms: 6, 32, 38,  51, 102

:25-:40
(15 minutes)
Meditate.
Pray: The Rosary or the Stations of the Cross.
Or read the Gospel of the day in your Magnificat, or a brief passage from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.
Or meditate on a doctrine in the compendium (Perhaps: Sun., Resurrection; Mon., Incarnation; Tues., Mercy/confession; Wed., Holy Spirit; Thurs, Eucharist; Fri., Passion; Sat., Mary).
Or meditate on one of the Formulas of Christian Doctrine (or one of the prayers) in the Compendium.

:40-:50
(10 minutes)
Give Thanks
Pray: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his mercy endures forever."
Thank him for (be specific): food, shelter, clothing, health, family, friends, coworkers, your job, car, material things, and most of all your spiritual gifts -- faith, hope, love, this time of prayer, the Catholic faith, and the "apostles" who reached you.
Thank God for answers to prayer and favorable circumstances. Thank him for crosses. Thank him for creating you and caring so much for you.

:50-:55
(5 minutes)
Pray: "Our Father ..."
Ask him for: the Church, the pope's intentions, for those who are suffering, for priests and bishops, for religious, for vocations, for your country, your family, for what you need most in the spiritual life.
Pray for peace and the protection of the institution of the family.
Pray for those who have asked for prayers.

:55-1:00
(5 minutes)
Make a resolution to act on a light of the Holy Spirit you received. Be specific and concrete.
Ask the Blessed Mother to help you, perhaps with Marian prayers from the Compendium.

Good luck!
-- Tom Hoopes

Comments

[~Nona]

This was very helpful advice.

I live near a church that has exposition every weekday afternoon. I need a structured approach to take advantage of my hour with Christ -- and this is a splendid guide. Thank you for writing it!

[Sukho Mun]

During the one hour of perpetual adoration, I was taught not to pray the station of cross and the Holy Rosary, only except the beginner of adoration. Also, i was taught just to confess sin less than five minutes not to immerse into the sin.
I look forward to hearing from you.
God bless you.
Sukho

[Maricruz Figueroa]

I am looking for special prayer for
Eucaristic Adoration for children.
Can you help me?
Thank you.

[pierina_thera@yahoo.com]

Prayer for Children:

Jesus I love you.
Jesus I need you.
Jesus pray for me.

MAY THE MOST HOLY, MOST SACRED, MOST ADORABLE, MOST INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND UNUTTERABLE NAME OF GOD BE ALWAYS PRAISED, BLESSED, LOVED, ADORED AND GLORIFIED, IN HEAVEN, ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, BY ALL THE CREATURES OF GOD, AND BY THE SACRED HEART OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IN THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. AMEN.

[Mary Stagno]

Please I want to do an hour adoration for adults next sunday, can you please help me. Regards Mary