Devotions are prayers, practices and pious traditions that the Church has developed over centuries in order to help individuals grow in their Faith. They are designed to worship God or to venerate Mary or the Saints. They come in many different forms, such as litanies (prayers in which a person's special titles are all identified), novenas (9-day cycles of prayers culminating in a special event) along with many other different forms. There are no restrictions or requirements, Catholics are welcome to pray or not pray as many devotions as they want. An important thing to note is there is no penalty of sin for not performing a devotion, these are not obligations, they are additional activities that can help draw a person closer to God.


Some of the most notable Devotions are as follows:

The Rosary

The Rosary is one of the most popular devotions. A series of repeated prayers designed to reflect on specific mysteries of Christ’s life and to ask for Mary’s intercession. For more information see the “Rosary” tab under “Catechesis”

Stations of the Cross

A series of prayers centered around 13 or 14 “Stations” - or critical events throughout Christ’s Passion Narrative. This is typically done during the Lenten season in preparation of Good Friday & Easter.

Divine Mercy Chaplet/Novena

The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a series of prayers, utilizing the same setup as a Rosary, that focus on God’s infinite Mercy and his sacrifice on the Cross. The Novena is a 9-day devotion where the “Divine Mercy Chaplet” is said for 9 straight days with different intentions, culminating on “Divine Mercy Sunday” the First Sunday after Easter.

Eucharistic Adoration

A form of devotion where an individual spends time in quiet reflection in the presence of a consecrated Eucharist host. This is a time for individuals to reflect on the mystery of the Eucharist, and spend time in meditative/contemplative prayer with God.

There are a large multitude of devotions that can accommodate any of your spiritual needs. In addition there are activities (such as pilgrimages) that might not be considered devotions, but are still extracurricular activities that help us draw closer to God. These devotions are a critical part of one’s faith and can be utilized to strengthen one’s spiritual health. Below is a link to a comprehensive list of Catholic Devotions