There are a number of prayers recited by Catholics that are common to all Catholics world wide. The pre-eminent prayer of all is The Lord's Prayer, also known as "the Our Father". This is the single most known prayer in the world because it is actually recorded in the Bible as given to us by Jesus Christ Himself, hence The Lord's Prayer. In this prayer, all Catholics and most Christian sects praise God in the first part of the prayer and then petition Him for a holy life in the second part.

Other Common Catholic prayers are known as the Hail Mary, the Glory Be, the first few words by which they start. Then there are the prayers before a meal and of thanksgiving after a meal. Then there are a sizable group of prayers known as Acts of various kinds, such as Acts: of Adoration, of Faith, of Love, of Hope, of Contrition. Then there is the Apostle's Creed, which is not really a prayer, but is recited as a prayer, telling one and all what Catholics believe in a short form.