The Morning Offering: Catholic Prayer to Begin the Day

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The Morning Offering is a short Catholic prayer that offers the coming day to Jesus in union with the sacrifice of the Mass. You can pray it when you wake up, before breakfast or at the start of work, entrusting your duties, joys and difficulties to God.

The traditional Morning Offering prayer

This is the English form printed under “Morning Offering of the Apostleship of Prayer” in F. X. Lasance’s My Prayer-Book (1908), page 211, with capitalization and line breaks adjusted:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer thee my prayers, works, and sufferings of this day
for all the intentions of thy Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
for the intentions of all our associates,
and in particular for the intention recommended this month by the Holy Father.

You may finish with Amen. “Thee” means “you,” and “thy” means “your.” Modern versions sometimes add “joys,” name particular intentions or use contemporary pronouns. The prayer above is the historic wording; the short prayer below is original to this guide.

A short Morning Offering

If you need something you can say before getting out of bed, use this original short prayer:

Jesus, I give you this day: everything I think, say, do and suffer. Use it for your glory and for the good of others. Amen.

What the Morning Offering means

  • “Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary…” We give our day to Jesus through His Mother, as He came to us through her.
  • “…my prayers, works, and sufferings…” Daily life becomes material for prayer: study, caring for children, paid work, rest and difficulties patiently borne. The Catechism teaches that the lives and work of the faithful can be offered to God through Christ (CCC 901). This includes the day’s happiness as well as its burdens.
  • “…in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world…” We ask to unite our offering to Christ’s. The Catechism describes the Church joining her prayer, work and suffering to his offering in the Eucharist (CCC 1368).
  • “…for the intentions of all our associates…” In this historic wording, “associates” refers to fellow members of the Apostleship of Prayer. You can join that concern for others while also bringing your family, parish and personal intentions to prayer.
  • “…for the intention recommended this month by the Holy Father.” Every month the Pope proposes a prayer intention for the whole Church.

The Pope’s monthly prayer intention

Each month the Pope proposes a prayer intention for the Church. Find the current intention through the official Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. You can name it before praying the Morning Offering or simply pray for the Holy Father’s intention when you do not have the wording at hand.

You do not need a new version of the whole prayer every month. Keep the prayer you know and include the current intention.

History of the Morning Offering

The Apostleship of Prayer began in 1844, when the Jesuit Father François-Xavier Gautrelet encouraged Jesuit students at Vals-près-le-Puy, France, to offer their daily lives for the Church’s mission. The network’s own historical account explains these beginnings.

The work continues as the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. Its official timeline also records Pope Leo XIII’s introduction of a monthly intention in 1879. The Morning Offering connects a simple daily habit with this wider prayer for the Church and the world.

Make it part of your morning

  1. Choose a regular cue, such as sitting up in bed or making breakfast.
  2. Make the Sign of the Cross and pray your offering slowly.
  3. Name one person or responsibility you want to entrust to God.
  4. During the day, renew your intention with a brief “Jesus, I offer this to you.”

If you forget in the morning, make the offering when you remember. Its purpose is to turn the day toward God, so begin with the moment you have.

Other Catholic morning prayers

  • The Sign of the Cross, as soon as you wake up.
  • The Guardian Angel prayer: “Angel of God, my guardian dear…”
  • The Angelus at 6 a.m.
  • Morning Prayer (Lauds) from the Liturgy of the Hours. See how to pray Lauds.
  • The Acts of Faith, Hope and Love. See the three acts.
  • A moment of thanksgiving: “Thank you, Lord, for the gift of this new day.”

Frequently asked questions

When should I pray the Morning Offering?

As soon as possible after waking, before the day gets busy.

Can I pray the Morning Offering in my own words?

Yes. The essential thing is to offer the whole day to God. The traditional text is a help, not a requirement.

What is the difference between the Morning Offering and morning prayer?

The Morning Offering is one short prayer. “Morning prayer” can mean any prayers said in the morning, or specifically Lauds, the morning prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Is there an evening version?

Many people end the day by giving thanks, reviewing their actions and asking forgiveness. An Act of Contrition can help you express sorrow for sin and a desire to begin again.

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