Praying the Angelus

The Angelus is a centuries-old Catholic devotion that recalls the annunciation of Christ’s birth by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. In Praying the Angelus, popular author and speaker Jared Dees reinvigorates the devotion, shares intimately from his own experience of it, and shows us how to begin and enrich the practice with original meditations to reflect on the words of both the Angelus and the Regina Caeli.

Jared Dees was twenty-seven and in his fourth year of teaching religion in a Catholic school when he first experienced the Angelus. The creator of The Religion Teacherwebsite allows the devotion to anchor his prayer life and challenge him to daily conversion of heart and will.

Dees introduces the Angelus devotion and explores its rich history and significance for the Church. As spiritual companion and guide, he offers meditations on the words and images of both the Angelus and the Regina Caeli, which is prayed during the Easter season. We find lessons about the power of repetitive prayer, the humility of being a disciple, the importance of admitting time belongs to God, the wisdom of taking time with discernment, and the joy of resting in the Lord’s presence. He shares personal stories of the life-change power of the Angelus andguides both newcomers and those already familiar with the prayer to contemplate the mysteries of salvation that lie at the heart of the devotion—the Annunciation, Incarnation, and Resurrection.

Named for the opening words of the devotion's first prayer in Latin, “The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,” the Angelus is typically prayed at 6 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. each day. During the Easter season, the Regina Caeli, another ancient Marian prayer, is recited instead.

Features & Benefits

Praying the Angelus is supported by Dees’s website, TheAngelusPrayer.com, which has attracted more than 95,000 visitors since its launch in 2013.

Jared Dees is the creator of the popular website The Religion Teacher, which reaches more than 22,000 email subscribers and hosts a million visitors each year.

Combined sales of Dees’ first two books exceed 10,000 copies.

Jared Dees is the creator of the popular website The Religion Teacher, which provides practical resources and effective teaching strategies to religious educators. A respected graduate of the Alliance for Catholic Education program at the University of Notre Dame, Dees earned master’s degrees in education and theology, both from Notre Dame. He has volunteered for and worked in a wide variety of Catholic ministries, including Catholic schools, parish religious education, youth ministry, campus ministry, RCIA, and adult faith formation. Dees is the digital marketing manager at Ave Maria Press and the author of 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, and To Heal, Proclaim, and Teach. His articles have appeared in Momentum, CATECHIST, Catechetical Leader, and on numerous websites. Dees lives in South Bend, Indiana, with his wife and four children.