How to Pray a Litany of the Saints
The litany of the saints is a Catholic devotion to ask a list of saints to join their prayers with yours. Litanies take Psalm 136 as their example. It begins by thanking God and then listing a number of reasons for thanking. Each reason is followed by the refrain "His love endures forever." A litany is one of the many tools available to help Catholics pray.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Choose a litany based upon the saints it includes or its spiritual emphasis. Some litanies include an extended petition for God's mercy while others primarily address the saints.
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2
Assign the leader and response parts. During Mass the cantor or choir usually sings the leader part and the congregation sings the response.
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3
Begin the litany by invoking God and asking that He hear your prayer. This is usually done in the beginning of the litany's text.
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4
Lead the congregation by singing, chanting or saying the first saint's name. The congregation then replies "pray for us" or the designated response.
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5
Continue to pray, repeating the call and response until the litany is completed and all the saints have been asked to pray for you.
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6
Write your own litany for next time. Begin with an existing litany and make it your own by adding the names of your patron saints when you pray.
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Tips & Warnings
Litanies can be prayed as a novena to increase their effectiveness.
Don't confuse the role of the saints in your prayers. They cannot answer prayers but only add their own to yours.
