Our family prayers at day's end have developed into the following routine, which I am calling here A Little Office of Evening Prayers, because it's short and suitable for little ones. It's basically a single decade of the rosary with some extra stuff added to the end. Feel free to adapt for your own use. Enjoy!
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Response: Amen
Leader: O God, come to my assistance
Response: Lord, make haste to help me.
Leader: Glory be to the Father…
Response: As it was in the beginning…
All: Apostle's Creed
Leader: Glory be to the Father...Response: As it was in the beginning...
Three Hail Marys offered for the following (shifting each night to the next one in line):
- An increase in faith, hope, and charity
- The intentions of the Holy Father
- The intentions of our bishop
- The intentions of our pastor and his vicars
- The people of our parish
Leader: Tonight's mystery is ________.
Pray one decade of the rosary, every person present taking one of the Hail Marys.
Concluding prayers:
All: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. Amen.
All: O God, whose only begotten son, by his life, death, and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee that by meditating on these mysteries of the most holy rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise, through this same Christ, our Lord, Amen.
All: Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do, thou, O prince of the heavenly host, cast into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
All: Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Sing the Salve Regina
Family Litany: each person in turn names a saint until it wraps around back to me and I add one or two more. When everyone is present (including our son-in-law), the list looks something like the following:
Saint Rose of Lima, pray for us.
Saint Anne, pray for us.
Saint Marianne Cope, pray for us.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us.
Saint George, pray for us.
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, pray for us.
Saint John Bosco, pray for us.
Saint Dymphna, pray for us.
Saint Arnaud, pray for us.
Saint Damian, pray for us.
The Fourteen Holy Helpers, pray for us.
Saint Edmund the Martyr, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Response: Amen
Leader: now everyone go to bed.
Response: (various)