May God protect President Trump.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Edit: 1 downvote = 1 prayer.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

Edit II: For the education of those Protestants who chose to libel the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church, instead of joining in prayer:

"Catholic Prayer

Many non-Catholics do not understand a number of aspects of Catholic prayer. There are some non-Catholics who think that Catholics do not actually engage in prayer that they would understand, instead thinking that Catholics pray in a pagan fashion and never to Jesus or God the Father. Obviously, this is untrue, and it will be necessary for the Catholic apologist to clear up this misunderstanding if it exists. One of the best ways to do this is to simply pray with the person you are talking to; say a quick prayer to Jesus asking that the two of you will be able to understand each other's position and that you will both come to the truth. This is a prayer that neither Catholics nor Protestants will have any problems praying.

With that potential confusion out of the way, there are basically five objections which are raised by non-Catholics regarding Catholic prayer. The Catholic apologist should be ready to answer any of these.

Prayer to Saints

Non-Catholics are often confused by the fact that Catholics pray to saints, seeing this as an example of worshiping a creature rather than the Creator (and thus idolatry). It will be necessary to clarify firstly what Catholics actually do and then to defend that (rather than what the non-Catholic thinks Catholics do).

Catholics do not worship saints, we simply give them honor and veneration. We do not pray to them in the same way as we pray to God – a better understanding would be that we pray with saints or pray in communion with the saints. They act of praying “to” a saint is better understood as asking the saint to pray for us and present our petitions to God.

Essential to defending the notion that the saints in Heaven are capable of presenting our petitions to God is that the saints are alive and part of the Church (although just not part of the Church Militant here on earth). This is the theology of the communion of saints, and in order to defend Catholic prayer to saints it will be necessary to defend that teaching.

Once it is shown that the Catholic Church is right to regard those who have died in Christ and are in Heaven as part of the Church, it may be necessary to show that prayer on behalf of others is efficacious. In Romans 15:30 we read that Paul asks for prayers on his behalf. In Colossians 4:3 and I Thessalonians 5:25 we read Paul asking people to “pray for us”. II Thessalonians contains two further similar verses – 1:11, 3:1. Ephesians 6:18-19 asks for supplication for all the saints (that is, the Christians made holy by baptism) and for Paul.

Use of these verses, while beneficial, may not actually be necessary once the apologist has shown that the saints in Heaven are just as much a part of the Church as Christians on earth. Which Christian, when asked to pray for another Christian, would not do so? Catholics ask saints to pray for them just as any Christian might ask another person to pray for them – saints are simply closer to God as they are now in Heaven and have been made perfect by purgatory. Why would a Christian not ask them to pray for him or her?

In addition to references to the Christians on earth praying for others, there are Scriptural references to the saints and angels praying for the faithful on earth. In Tobit 12:12 we read that the angel presented Tobit & Sarah's prayers to God, and in Revelation 5:8 the angels are shown offering the prayers of the holy ones to God.

Don't you worship statues?

Although the valid use of statues (and icons, and pictures, and other forms of liturgical art) has been covered elsewhere, the accusation that Catholics pray to statues (either of the saints, angels or of God Himself) is one which is commonly leveled at Catholics. In order to defend the Catholic practice of using statues in prayer it will first be necessary to show that the use of statues is acceptable and secondly that Catholics are not praying to or worshiping the statue itself (which is just plaster or wood) but rather the person represented by the statue.

In just the same way as a person might have a picture or photograph of a loved one in order to remind him or her of their friend or family member, so to do Catholics use statues as a reminder and a focus when praying to a saint, angel or God. In addition to the beautifying of our places of worship by the use of liturgical art, it serves a very practical purpose of reminding us. However, Catholics do not pray to the statues themselves – but rather to the people who are presented by them.

Why do you use candles?

A number of non-Catholics find the use of candles to be in some way sinister, thinking that it is an example of paganism or a non-Christian form of worship.

The use of candles is not a formal part of Catholic worship – they are used because they are beautiful and because they remind us of the light of Christ. Candles are used in many Catholic liturgies to symbolize the light that comes from Christ, God the Father and Heaven. A candle remains burning after the prayer has been said, and so the use of the candle reminds us that our prayer stays always before God.

There is no sinister motive in the use of candles, and the Catholic apologist should simply reassure the non-Catholic that this is the case. If the non-Catholic does not believe the Catholic, then there are larger problems to understanding and dialog than merely the use of candles!

Rote prayer

Many non-Catholics are concerned by the fact that Catholics make extensive use of rote prayer; prayers which they themselves did not write and which they seem to just be saying by habit without thinking of what they mean. There are a number of ways to deal with this objection.

Firstly, it is – in fact – correct that rote prayer treated simply as a habit and without any genuine motivation behind it is not a good thing. Prayer is far more than merely saying a few words – it requires a complete and total commitment of will and a willingness to engage in genuine dialog with the divine. The Catholic apologist should always agree with the non-Catholic on this point.

However, it is not true that the use of rote prayer is always an example of simply saying the words out of habit without truly engaging in genuine prayer. Very often, the use of rote prayer allows the Catholic to pray devoutly and intensely without having to worry about the words that should be used.

By using words someone else has composed the Catholic has access to wonderful prayers and truths of the faith discovered by or revealed to other people. The use of someone else's words can reveal additional truths about the Catholic faith and the nature of God which were not known before. In addition, the use of rote prayers connects all Catholics together – the fact that, all over the world, millions of Catholics are praying the Angellus is part of the unity of the corporate worship of the Church which finds its truest expression in the Eucharist.

Finally, rote prayer is not confined to just Catholics – many Protestant denominations have liturgies and other structured prayers. Even in the least liturgical Protestant denomination the service will have some sort of form and structure – and this form and structure is a form of rote prayer. Individual Christians of all denominations will pray using words which they learned from others – rote prayer is not simply a Catholic practice.

It is also mandated in the Bible – when Jesus is asked by His disciples how they should pray, He gives them the Lord's Prayer. This is perhaps the most common rote prayer in the world, and is shared by virtually all Christians. The rest of the Bible abounds with examples of people using form prayers to pray – the entire book of Psalms is the prayer book of Israel. All observant Jews (which Christ and the apostles were) would have used the Psalms as a prayer book and a form of rote prayer.

Repetitious and vain prayer?

In Matthew 6:7 we read that we should “not babble as the pagans do” with many words. An example of this sort of pagan prayer is given in I Kings 18:25-29 where the priests of Baal attempt to call upon their God for hours on end and nothing happens. An accusation leveled against the Catholic Church is that the repetitious prayer which is part of the various litanies, chaplets and the rosary is an example of “vain repetition”. This is not the case.

Firstly, Jesus is not advocating that we should never repeat ourselves when praying – this is clear from other Scriptures. Many of the Psalms (which Jesus would have used as an observant Jew) are basically litanies or examples of repetitious prayer (it is from this source that the Catholic Church got the idea for litanies!) - would Jesus have condemned these prayers too?

But there are also examples of repetition in prayer in the Scriptures which Jesus specifically holds up as being good – He prays for a third time and uses the same words in Matthew 26:44. The tax collector in Luke 18:13 kept praying the same prayer for mercy. The angels described in Revelation 4:8 pray day and night with the same three-fold prayer. All of these are examples of repetition – we are told in I Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing”.

What, then, is Jesus speaking against? He is speaking against vain repetition – repetition which is simply words without meaning behind them, or prayer to the wrong person. We are told to pray often – prayer is conversation with God. What we should be asking for, all the time and constantly, is mercy from God. Even if we think of different ways of asking for this, aren't we repeating ourselves? But, if we have faith in God, our prayer may be repetitious, but it will never be in vain."

May God protect President Trump.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Edit: 1 downvote = 1 prayer.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

May God protect President Trump.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Edit: 1 downvote = 1 prayer.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

May God protect President Trump.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Edit: 1 downvote = 1 prayer.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

May God protect President Trump.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Edit: 1 downvote = 1 prayer.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen.

May God protect President Trump.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Edit: 1 downvote = 1 prayer.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary Mother of God,

pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death

Amen.

May God protect President Trump.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.