Father,
I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you
with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands,
without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.
Amen
God Our Father, you called your servant Charles de Foucauld to discover the infinite greatness of your love by contemplating the life of Jesus of Nazareth, your Son, who became flesh, who humbled himself to the point of death, who was raised to life, and who sent the Holy Spirit as his first gift to those who believe.
May we find, as we lovingly read the Gospel, and as we adore the Eucharist, a fountain of inexhaustible life in Christ, and a missionary courage and energy which will bind us in a spirit of universal fraternity. Thus we can work together to bring about your plan for the salvation of all people. We ask you in particular to grant, by the intercession of your servant Charles de Foucauld, if this is in conformity with your will, this grace…. for… whom we commend to your fatherly heart.
We ask you this through Jesus, your beloved Son, Our Lord.
Amen
God our Father, You have called Blessed Charles to live through your love in intimacy with your Son, Jesus of Nazareth. Grant that we may find in the Gospel the foundation of a more and more luminous Christian life and in the Eucharist, the source of universal kinship. Through Jesus Christ… [ our Brother and Lord…]
Twenty days to go! The time is near…
Although that awaited Day will be Happy, how sweet today already is!
You are there, my God, at Mary’s bosom, you are there in that little house, adored by Her and by Joseph and the angels.
Take me to them, my Lord.
My Lord and my God, when I am in your Sanctuary, at the foot of the Tabernacle, are you not as close to me as you were to St. Joseph during Advent?
When You give Yourself to me in Holy Communion, are You not as close to me, as in me, as You were in the Holy Virgin?
My God, how happy I am, how happy I am.
But Lord, I beg You, convert me,
may I be at the foot of the Tabernacle, may I be in the Holy Communion,
may I be what I should be; may I no longer be indifferent, asleep before your Altar, so that I no longer receive your divine Body without reflection.
Convert me, convert me, my Lord, I pray in your Name!
Remind me that You promised to grant all that we ask
in Your Name and to give the good spirit to those who ask.
My God, give me the good spirit, Your Spirit, and make me spend this Advent
and all the days of my life in a way that glorifies You as much as I can;
As much as I can, as much as You will me to be, not nearly as much as the Blessed Virgin or St. Joseph, but as much as You will me to be, as much as I can with the Graces You give me;
Let me join Your Holy Family so lovingly, humbly, overwhelmed in admiration, in contemplation, in love, at Your feet, during this Advent, and always.
And what I ask of You for me,
I ask of You for all people,
and above all for those I must especially pray for,
in You, through You and for You.
Amen.
Loving God, help us to know you wherever we find you and seek to serve you in all people, that with your servant Charles de Foucauld, we may be faithful even unto death; through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
O God,
you endowed Blessed Raphael Chyliński, presbyter, with the grace of
imitating humble and poor Christ and of bringing help to the needy and
sick in the spirit of the evangelical love,
grant that by his example we may perform works of Christian mercy and
deserve to be accepted to the host of your blessed in your kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
O my Lord Jesus! Teach me to be generous; teach me to serve You as you deserve; to give, and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to ask for rest; to labour, seeking no reward, save that of knowing that I do Thy will. Amen.
O God I Love you,
not simply to be saved,
and not because those who fail in love to you
will be punished with eternal fire.
You, you, my Jesus, have all-embraced me on the cross.
You have borne the nails, the lance, much ignominy,
numberless griefs, sweating and anguish, and death,
and these on account of me and for me, a sinner.
Why, therefore, should I not love you,
O, most loving Jesus,
Not that in heaven you shall save me,
nor lest for eternity you shall condemn me;
not with the hope of any reward,
but as you have loved me, so also will I love you,
only because you are my King,
and because you are my God. Amen.
Eternal God, Creator of all things, remember that You alone have created the souls of unbelievers, which You have made according to Your Image and Likeness. Behold, O Lord, how to Your dishonor many of them are falling into Hell. Remember, O Lord, Your Son Jesus Christ, Who so generously shed His Blood and suffered for them. Do not permit that Your Son, Our Lord, remain unknown by unbelievers, but, with the help of Your Saints and the Church, the Bride of Your Son, remember Your mercy, forget their idolatry and infidelity, and make them know Him, Who You have sent, Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, Who is our salvation, our life, and our resurrection, through Whom we have been saved and redeemed, and to Whom is due glory forever. Amen.
O devoted Servant of God, Saint Francis Xavier, your heart was burning with love for Jesus. Impelled by his love, you went from country to country and spent yourself unto death to proclaim the name of Jesus and the good news of salvation. That is why the Father filled you with glory in heaven and preserved your body from corruption here on Earth. Filled with joy for these unique gifts, we join you in praising the Father.
And Now we ask your intercession for ourselves.
( Each one makes ones’s intention silently )
We ask you to obtain for us the fulfilment of these desires if they are pleasing to the Father. And for everything together with you we praise the Father, through Jesus in the Spirit. Amen.
purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
“Great Saint Francis,
well beloved and full of charity,
in union with you I reverently
adore the Divine Majesty.
I give thanks to God
for the singular gifts of grace
bestowed on you in life and
of glory after death,
and I beg of you,
with all the affection of my heart,
by your powerful intercession,
obtain for me the grace to live
a holy life and die a holy death.
I beg you to obtain for me …
(mention your petition).
But if what I ask is not for
the glory of God and for my
well-being, obtain for me,
I beseech you,
what will more certainly
attain these ends.
Amen.”
Most amiable and most loving St. Francis Xavier, in union with thee I reverently adore the Divine Majesty. The remembrance of the favours with which God blessed thee during life, and of thy glory after death, fills me with joy. I implore thee to obtain for me, through thy powerful intercession, the inestimable blessing of living and dying in the state of grace. I also beseech thee to obtain the special favour I ask of this Novena.
(Make your request here…)
Priest: Pray for us, St. Francis Xavier
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
O God, Who didst vouchsafe, by the preaching and miracles of Saint Francis Xavier, to join unto Thy Church the nations of the Indies, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who reverence his glorious merits may also imitate his example, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Pray three times…
Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be To The Father…
Holy Mary, daughter of King David
and Mother of God, the universal King;
All your desires are centered
only on what merits to be sought
and is worthy of love.
You harbor anger only for sin and its author.
You will have a life superior to nature,
but not for your own sake.
For it has not been created for you
but has been entirely consecrated to God,
who has introduced you into the world
to help bring about our salvation
in fulfillment of his plan,
the Incarnation of his Son
and the Divinization of the human race.
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that we may be helped by the prayers of the Priest Saint John Damascene, so that the true faith, which he excelled in teaching, may always be our light and our strength. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
O Lord and Master Jesus Christ our God, who alone hast power to absolve men from their sins, for Thou art good and lovest all men, forgive all my transgressions done in knowledge or in ignorance, and make me worthy without condemnation to have communion of Thy divine and glorious and pure and life-creating mysteries. Let them not be for my punishment, or for the increase of my sins. But let them be for my purification and sanctification, as a promise of the life and kingdom to come, a defense and a help and a repulsion of every evil attacker and the removal of my many transgressions. For Thou art a God of mercy and generosity and love for mankind, and to Thee we send up glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Confirm our minds, O Lord, in the mysteries of the true faith, set forth with power by your servant John of Damascus, that we, with him, confessing Jesus to be true God and true Man, and singing the praises of the risen Lord, may, by the power of the resurrection, attain to eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for evermore.
Amen
(Mention your request here…)
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
O Master, Lover of mankind, is this bed to be my coffin, or wilt Thou enlighten my wretched soul with another day?
Behold, the coffin lieth before me; behold, death confronteth me. I fear, O Lord, Thy judgment and the endless torments, yet I cease not to do evil.
My Lord God, I continually anger Thee, and Thy most pure Mother, and all the Heavenly Hosts, and my Holy Guardian Angel.
I know, O Lord, that I am unworthy of Thy love for mankind, but am worthy of every condemnation and torment.
But, O Lord, whether I will it or not, save me.
For to save a righteous man is no great thing, and to have mercy on the pure is nothing wonderful, for they are worthy of Thy mercy.
But on me a sinner, show the wonder of Thy mercy; in this reveal Thy love for mankind, lest my wickedness prevail over Thine ineffable goodness and merciful kindness; and order my life as Thou wilt.
Lord,
may the prayers of Saint John Damascene help us,
and may the true faith he taught so well
always be our light and our strength.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity with the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
May the intercession of the blessed Abbott Sabbas help us, we pray You, Lord, so that we may obtain by his patronage what we cannot receive by our own merits. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who being God, lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end.
Amen
Jesus, Almighty King of kings, You Who obeyed Your Father to the end, Teach me the meaning of obedience. My soul burns to comply to Your Will, Striving to charm Your Divinity. While my worldly nature seeks one way, My spiritual nature seeks another. Bless me with the strength to obey, That my soul may subdue both natures, Blending them as a fair aromatic bloom. I always seek favour in Your eyes, To always obey You until my last breath! Amen.
Glorious St. Nicholas, my special patron, from thy throne in glory, where thou dost enjoy the presence of God, turn thine eyes in pity upon me and obtain for me from our Lord the graces and helps that I need in my spiritual and temporal necessities
(and especially this favor [mention your request], provided that it be profitable to my salvation).
Be mindful, likewise, O glorious and saintly Bishop, of our Sovereign Pontiff, of Holy Church, and of all Christian people. Bring back to the right way of salvation all those who are living steeped in sin and blinded by the darkness of ignorance, error, and heresy. Comfort the afflicted, provide for the needy, strengthen the fearful, defend the oppressed, give health to the infirm; cause all men to experience the effects of thy powerful intercession with the supreme Giver of every good and perfect gift. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
V. Pray for us, O blessed Nicholas.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
O God, who has glorified blessed Nicholas, thine illustrious Confessor and Bishop, by means of countless signs and wonders, and who dost not cease daily so to glorify him; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, being assisted by his merits and prayers, may be delivered from the fires of hell and from all dangers. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
God of joy and cheer,
we thank you for your servant,
the good bishop Nicholas.
In loving the poor,
he showed us your kindness;
in caring for your children,
he revealed your love.
Make us thoughtful
without need of reward
so that we, too, may be good followers of Jesus.
O good St. Nicholas,
you who are the joy of the children,
put in my heart the spirit of childhood,
which the gospel speaks, and teach me to seed happiness around me.
You, whose feast prepares us for Christmas,
open my faith to the mystery of God made man.
You good bishop and shepherd,
help me to find my place in the Church
and inspire the Church to be faithful to the Gospel.
O good Saint Nicholas, patron of children, sailors and the helpless,
watch over those who pray to Jesus, your Lord and theirs,
as well as over those who humble themselves before you.
Bring us all in reverence to the Holy Child of Bethlehem,
when true joy and peace are found.
Amen.
Loving God, we thank you for
the example of St Nicholas,
who fed the hungry,
brought hope to the imprisoned,
gave comfort to the lost,
and taught the truth to all.
May we strive to imitate him
by putting you first in all we do.
Give us the courage, love and strength
of St Nicholas, so that, like him,
we may serve you through loving
our brothers and sisters. Amen.
O good holy Nicholas,
you who brought joy to children,
put in my heart the spirit of childhood
about which the Gospel speaks.
Teach me how to sow
happiness around me.
Amen
God, we pray that through the
intercessions of St. Nicholas
you will guide and protect our children.
Keep them safe from all harm
and help them grow to become
loving disciples of Jesus in your sight.
Give them strength to always mature
into deeper faith in you,
and to keep alive joy in your creation.
Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
Good St Nicholas,
Help us prepare for the miracle of the coming of Jesus.
Help us not to be blind to the gifts of getting ready.
Help us be sincere in the greetings we send and receive, with love and prayer.
Kind St. Nicholas, protect us from shoppers’ fatigue, stress, overspending, yet help us to be kind and generous of heart to all, especially those who are alone, financially poor and fearful.
May our celebration of your feast lead others to see the true meaning of giving and receiving and to guide all people to
the greatest of all gifts, even Jesus Christ, prince of peace and child of Mary, Our Lord and only saviour.
Amen
Saint Nicholas, faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, example of Christian love, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, helper of the poor and needy, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, champion of orphans and widows, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, protector of those who sail at sea, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, defender of the true faith, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, patron of children around the world, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, secret giver of gifts, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, the great wonderworker, pray for us.
Saint Nicholas, our friend in Heaven, pray for us.
Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling,
for I am a sinner,
and dare not rely on my own worth,
but only on your goodness and mercy.
I am defiled by many sins in body and soul,
and by my unguarded thoughts and words.
Gracious God of majesty and awe,
I seek your protection,
I look for your healing.
Poor troubled sinner that I am,
I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.
I cannot bear your judgment,
but I trust in your salvation.
Lord, I show my wounds to you and uncover my shame before you.
I know my sins are many and great,
and they fill me with fear,
but I hope in your mercies,
for they cannot be numbered.
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king, God and man,
crucified for mankind,
look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer,
for I trust in you.
Have mercy on me,
full of sorrow and sin,
for the depth of your compassion never ends.
Praise to you, saving sacrifice,
offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all mankind.
Praise to the noble and precious blood,
flowing from the wounds of my crucified Lord Jesus Christ and washing away the sins of the whole world.
Remember, Lord your creature,
whom you have redeemed with your blood;
I repent my sins,
and I long to put right what I have done. Merciful Father, take away all my offenses and sins;
purify me in body and soul,
and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies.
May your body and blood,
which I intend to receive, although I am unworthy,
be for me the remission of my sins,
the washing away of my guilt,
the end of my evil thoughts,
and the rebirth of my better instincts.
May it incite me to do the works pleasing to you and profitable to
Blessed servant of God, St. Ambrose, we pray today for Learning.
Intercede for us! God blessed you with faith, understanding and the great ability to preach the sweet words of the Gospel. Please pray for the education and wisdom of:
(Mention your intentions)
Holy St. Ambrose, you are called the Honey Tongued Doctor because of your ability to help others learn the Truth of Christianity. We invoke your powerful intercession, confident in the hope that you will hear our prayers and obtain for us the special grace of knowledge and wisdom.
Lord God, you made St. Ambrose an outstanding teacher of the faith. We are in awe of his faith and so we ask that you pray for us…
Pray for us, that we will always seek truth.
Help us, St. Ambrose, to live our lives seeking truth and wisdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
O Lord, who has mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of your Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore You, a heart to delight in You, to follow and enjoy You, for Christ’s sake. Amen
I beg of you, O Lord, by this most holy mystery of Your Body and Blood, with which You daily nourish us in Your Church, that we may be cleansed and sanctified and made sharers in Your divinity. Grant to me Your holy virtues, which will enable me to approach Your altar with a clean conscience, so that this heavenly Sacrament may be a means of salvation and life to me, for You Yourself have said: “I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
Most Sweet Bread, heal my heart, that I may taste the sweetness of Your love. Heal it from all weakness, that I may enjoy no sweetness but You. Most pure Bread, containing every delight which ever refreshes us, may my heart consume You and may my soul be filled with Your sweetness. Holy Bread, living Bread, perfect Bread, that has come down from heaven to give life to the world, come into my heart and cleanse me from every stain of body and soul. Enter into my soul; heal and cleanse me completely. Be the constant safeguard and salvation of my soul and body. Guard me from the enemies who lie in wait. May they flee from the protecting presence of Your power, so that, armed in soul and body by You, I may safely reach Your Kingdom.
There we shall see You, not as now as in mysteries, but face to face, when You will deliver the Kingdom to God the Father, and will reign as God over all. Then You, who with the same God the Father and the Holy Spirit, live and reign forever, will satisfy the hunger of my soul perfectly with Yourself, so that I shall neither hunger nor thirst again. Amen.
O most Holy Virgin, immaculate in body
and spirit, look kindly on me as I implore
your powerful intercession.
O most Holy Mother, receive my prayers
as I present them to God.
(State your intentions here)
O Mary, Mother of Jesus and our mother,
you intercede for us with your son.
O Mary conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Amen.
Father, you prepared the Virgin Mary to be the worthy mother of your Son. You let her share beforehand in the salvation Christ would bring by his death, and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception. Help us by her prayers to live in your presence without sin. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Father, the image of the Virgin is found in the Church. Mary had a faith that your Spirit prepared and a love that never knew sin, for you kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception. Trace in our actions the lines of her love, in our hearts her readiness of faith. Prepare once again a world for your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation.
I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will.
Queen of Heaven, I beg you to beg my Savior to grant me these requests…
(Mention your intentions)
My holy Mother, I know that you were obedient to the will of God. In making this petition, I know that God’s will is more perfect than mine. So, grant that I may receive God’s grace with humility as you did.
As my final request, I ask that you pray for me to increase in faith in our risen Lord; I ask that you pray for me to increase in hope in our risen Lord; I ask that you pray for me to increase in love for the risen Jesus!
Hail Mary…
Amen.
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your Divine Son while upon this earth; you have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us and obtain for us from Him the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.
Introductory prayer
O most Holy Virgin, who was pleasing to the Lord and became His mother, immaculate in body and spirit, in faith and in love, look kindly on me as I implore your powerful intercession. O most Holy Mother, who by your blessed Immaculate Conception, from the first moment of your conception did crush the head of the enemy, receive our prayers as we implore you to present at the throne of God the favor we now request.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
Introductory prayer
O Mary, ever Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, Queen of Angels and of Saints, we salute you with the most profound veneration and filial devotion as we contemplate your holy Immaculate Conception. We thank you for your maternal protection and for the many blessings that we have received through your wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all our necessities, we have recourse to you with unbounded confidence. O Mother of Mercy, we beseech you now to hear our prayer and to obtain for us of your Divine Son the favor that we so earnestly request in this novena.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
Introductory prayer
O Blessed Virgin Mary, glory of the Christian people, joy of the universal Church and Mother of our Lord, speak for us to the Heart of Jesus, who is your Son and our Brother. O Mary, who by your holy Immaculate Conception did enter the world free from stain, in your mercy obtain for us from Jesus the special favor which we now so earnestly seek.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
Introductory prayer
O Mary, Mother of God, endowed in your glorious Immaculate Conception with the fullness of grace; unique among women in that you are both mother and virgin; Mother of Christ and Virgin of Christ, we ask you to look down with a tender heart from your throne and listen to our prayers as we earnestly ask that you obtain for us the favor for which we now plead.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
Introductory prayer
O Lord, who, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, did prepare a fitting dwelling for Your Son, we beseech You that as by the foreseen death of Your Son, you did preserve her from all stain of sin, grant that through her intercession, we may be favoured with the granting of the grace that we seek at this time.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
Introductory prayer
We rejoice with you in your Immaculate Conception. To the one ever-reigning God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three in Person, one in nature, we offer thanks for your blessed Immaculate Conception. O Mother of the Word made Flesh, listen to our petition as we ask this special grace during this novena.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
Introductory prayer
O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God, and my mother, from the sublime heights of your dignity, turn your merciful eyes upon me while I, full of confidence in your bounty and keeping in mind your Immaculate Conception and fully conscious of your power, beg of you to come to our aid and ask your Divine Son to grant the favor we earnestly seek in this novena, if it be beneficial for our immortal souls and the souls for whom we pray.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
Introductory prayer
O Most gracious Virgin Mary, beloved Mother of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, intercede with Him for us that we be granted the favor which we petition for so earnestly in this novena. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, we feel animated with confidence that your prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. O Glorious Mother of God, in memory of your joyous Immaculate Conception, hear our prayers and obtain for us our petitions.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
Introductory prayer
O Mother of the King of the Universe, most perfect member of the human race, “our tainted nature’s solitary boast,” we turn to you as mother, advocate, and mediator. O Holy Mary, assist us in our present necessity. By your Immaculate Conception, O Mary conceived without sin, we humbly beseech you from the bottom of our heart to intercede for us with your Divine Son and ask that we be granted the favor for which we now plead.
(State your personal intention here.)
Closing Prayer
O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, you did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You.
Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
O St. Juan Diego, in appearances of Our Lady of Guadalupe, you, a humble peasant, were chosen as Her messenger. Your faithfulness in this task is evident still today, in the miraculous image the Virgin left upon your tilma. Intercede for me, I pray, that I might have your childlike trust in the mother of God, and that my heart might respond to her maternal promptings. Through such simple confidence, obedience, and love, may I join you one day in sharing everlasting joy, where our heavenly Mother reigns in the glory of her Son. Amen.
Saint Juan Diego, you are our first American indigenous saint.
Please pray that God the Father would protect all migrants through his Son, Jesus Christ.
Ask the Father to pour out the love of the Holy Spirit upon all
who are isolated, alone and separated by choice or necessity from their native lands.
May those torn away from their families and forced to leave their country to find work elsewhere be reunited: husbands with wives and parents with children.
We ask especially for migrant women and children who are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of human trafficking. Give them your protection and shield them from evil.
May we as a Church receive the grace to welcome with love migrants who enter into our country, seeking a home in our parishes and communities.
We ask for your prayers and intercession for all immigrants
who are desperate, alone and in need of God’s loving support.
And we ask Our Lady, who appeared to you as your mother and Mother of all in our land, to wrap her mantle of protection around all migrant people.
We beg for her love, compassion, help and protection on all immigrants who today experience great sufferings, sorrows, necessities and misfortunes.
Amen.
St. Juan Diego, we entrust to you our lives so that, feeling the call to holiness, we may imbue every area of social life with the spirit of the Gospel. Bless our priests, deacons, sisters, and brothers. Bless families, strengthen spouses in their marriage, help parents to give their children a Christian upbringing. Look with favor upon the pain of those who are suffering in body or in spirit, on those afflicted by poverty, loneliness, marginalization, or ignorance. May all people, civic leaders and ordinary citizens, always act in accordance with the demands of justice and with respect for the dignity of each person, so that in this way peace may be fostered. Beloved Juan Diego, show us the way that leads to the Virgin, that she may receive us in the depths of her heart, for she is the loving, compassionate Mother who guides us to the true God. Amen.
St. Juan Diego, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Saint Juan Diego, you were chosen by Our Lady of Guadalupe
as an instrument to show your people and the world
that the way of the Christian is one of love, compassion, understanding, values, sacrifices, repentance of our sins, esteem and respect for the creation of God, and above all, one of humility and obedience.
You, who we know are in the Kingdom of our Lord and near our mother, be our angel and protect us, stay with us while we fight in this modern life without knowing, most of the time, where to place our priorities.
Help us to pray to God, through the Heart of our Lady of Guadalupe
towards the Heart of Jesus, to obtain the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
and to use them for the good the humanity and the Church.
Amen
Lord have mercy on us. Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us. Lord have mercy on us.
Christ hear us. Christ hear us.
Christ graciously hear us. Christ graciously hear us.
God, our Heavenly Father, Have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary of Guadalupe, Pray for us.
Virgin of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, Pray for us.
Virgin of Guadalupe, star of the new evangelization, Pray for us.Saint Juan Diego, Pray for us.
Saint Juan Diego, instructed in the doctrine of Christian love, Pray for us.
Saint Juan Diego, eager to learn from the missionaries, Pray for us.
Saint Juan Diego, pilgrim of faith, hope and charity, Pray for us.
Saint Juan Diego, who abandoned the shadows of paganism, Pray for us.
Saint Juan Diego, who loved poverty, Pray for us.
Saint Juan Diego, who practiced humility, Pray for us.
Oh, God, Perfect Father, that in the person of Saint Juan Diego you gave us a living example of simplicity, fidelity and love, through his intercession, grant us the requests we make with piety. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen
Dear God!
You gave us Blessed Adolph Kolping as an intercessor and a role model. His life found fulfilment in caring for young people in religious and social difficulties.
His concern was to understand work, family and society in the light of our faith. He considered helping one another within the community to be the expression of the Christian love for one’s neighbour.
We beseech you: Help us work together in the International Kolping Society to overcome poverty, injustice and hopelessness. Help us to defend human life and protect marriage and family to be the salt of the earth and a light for the world.
Fulfil our hope of being able to honour Adolph Kolping as a Saint throughout the whole Church in all languages and nations. Let us, through faith, hope and love, work towards bringing to perfection Your kingdom in this world.
For this we pray through Christ, our Lord. Amen
the requests we make with piety. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen
O Saint Damasus, Bishop of Rome
who guided the bark of Peter through difficult waters,
who kept her on the course set for her by the Lord
even as she grew in this world
from a Church of the blood of martyrs
to one entering the light of day,
of acceptance by the city of man.
You who sought so diligently to preserve the memory of the martyrs
lest it should pass away,
and the Cross of Christ with it,
pray that today, too, the Church will remember its root,
the root of Jesse and His sacrifice,
and that as she grows
our Mother on earth will be well understood
by those called into her walls.
Pray that the martyrs pray for us,
that in their blood we will always find our growth.
Amen.
Saint Damasus, instead of worrying
about the short term of life on earth,
you took God’s view and looked to the things that last.
Pray for me that I may be able to look
beyond immediate popularity and fleeting favors,
and choose to do the things that God wants me to do.
Amen.
Grant, we pray, O Lord,
that we may constantly exalt the merits of your Martyrs,
whom Pope Saint Damasus so venerated and loved.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Father,
as Saint Damasus loved and honoured your martyrs,
so may we continue to celebrate their witness for Christ,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Saint Damasus, you had within you a positivity to regard the quality of a Christian life as focal, in the short term of life on earth, and you took God’s view and looked to the things that last. You were a dedicated propagator of the faith and discerned the promptings of the Holy Spirit with piety and wisdom.
Pray for us, that we may be blessed with true purpose of spreading God’s Word with love and humility and look beyond immediate popularity and fleeting favors, choosing to do the things that God has designed for us to do. Pray that we may live fruitful, Christlike lives. Amen
O Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, grant to our homes the grace of loving and respecting life in its beginnings, with the same love with which you conceived in your womb the life of the Son of God. Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Fair love, protect our families so that they may always be united and bless the upbringing of our children. Our hope, look upon us with pity, teach us to go continually to Jesus, and if we fall help us to rise again and return to him through the confession of our faults and our sins in the sacrament of penance, which gives peace to the soul.
We beg you to grant us a great love of all the holy sacraments, which are, as it were, the signs that your Son left us on earth. Thus, Most Holy Mother, with the peace of God in our consciences, with our hearts free from evil and hatred, we will be able to bring to all others true joy and true peace, which come to us from your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
Virgin of Guadalupe, Patroness of unborn children, we implore your intercession for every child at risk of abortion. Help expectant parents to welcome from God the priceless gift of their child’s life.
Console parents who have lost that gift through abortion, and lead them to forgiveness and healing
through the Divine Mercy of your Son.
Teach us to cherish and to care for family and friends until God calls them home. Help us never to see others as burdens.
Guide our public officials to defend each and every human life through just laws. Inspire us all to bring our faith into public life, to speak for those who have no voice.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who is Love and Mercy itself.
Amen.
O our Lady of Guadalupe,
mystical rose,
make intercession for Holy Church,
protect the Sovereign Pontiff,
help all those who invoke thee in their necessities,
and since thou art the ever-Virgin Mary
and Mother of the true God,
obtain for us from thy most holy Son
the grace of keeping our faith,
sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life,
burning charity and the precious gift of final perseverance.
Dearest Lady,
fruitful Mother of Holiness,
teach me Your ways of gentleness and strength.
Hear my prayer,
offered with deep felt confidence to beg this favor…
(State your prayer request here.)
O Mary,
conceived without sin,
I come to your throne of grace
to share the fervent devotion
of your faithful Mexican children
who call to Thee under the glorious title “Guadalupe” –
the Virgin who crushed the serpent.
Queen of Martyrs,
whose Immaculate Heart was pierced
by seven swords of grief,
help me to walk valiantly
amid the sharp thorns strewn across my path.
Invoke the Holy Spirit of Wisdom
to fortify my will to frequent the Sacraments so that,
thus enlightened and strengthened,
I may prefer God to all creatures
and shun every occasion of sin.
Help me,
as a living branch of the Vine
that is Jesus Christ,
to exemplify His divine charity
always seeking the good of others.
Queen of Apostles,
aid me to win souls
for the Sacred Heart of my Savior.
Keep my apostolate fearless,
dynamic, and articulate,
to proclaim the loving solitude of Our Father in Heaven
so that the wayward may heed His pleading
and obtain pardon,
through the merits of Your Merciful Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of the true God and Mother of the Church!, who from this place reveal your clemency and your pity to all those who ask for your protection, hear the prayer that we address to you with filial trust, and present it to your Son Jesus, our sole Redeemer.
Mother of Mercy, Teacher of hidden and silent sacrifice, to you, who come to meet us sinners, we dedicate on this day all our being and all our love. We also dedicate to you our life, our work, our joys, our infirmities and our sorrows. Grant peace, justice and prosperity to our peoples; for we entrust to your care all that we have and all that we are, our Lady and Mother. We wish to be entirely yours and to walk with you along the way of complete faithfulness to Jesus Christ in His Church; hold us always with your loving hand.
Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, we pray to you for all the Bishops, that they may lead the faithful along paths of intense Christian life, of love and humble service of God and souls. Contemplate this immense harvest, and intercede with the Lord that He may instill a hunger for holiness in the whole people of God, and grant abundant vocations of priests and religious, strong in the faith and zealous dispensers of God’s mysteries.
Grant to our homes the grace of loving and respecting life in its beginnings, with the same love with which you conceived in your womb the life of the Son of God. Blessed Virgin Mary, protect our families, so that they may always be united, and bless the upbringing of our children.
Our hope, look upon us with compassion, teach us to go continually to Jesus and, if we fall, help us to rise again, to return to Him, by means of the confession of our faults and sins in the Sacrament of Penance, which gives peace to the soul.
We beg you to grant us a great love for all the holy Sacraments, which are, as it were, the signs that your Son left us on earth. Thus, Most Holy Mother, with the peace of God in our conscience, with our hearts free from evil and hatred, we will be able to bring to all true joy and true peace, which come to us from your son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.
Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, Queen of the Angels and Mother of the Americas.
We fly to you today as your beloved children.
We ask you to intercede for us with your Son, as you did at the wedding in Cana.
Pray for us, loving Mother,
and gain for our nation and world,
and for all our families and loved ones,
the protection of your holy angels,
that we may be spared the worst of this illness.
For those already afflicted,
we ask you to obtain the grace of healing and deliverance.
Hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful,
wipe away their tears and help them to trust.
In this time of trial and testing,
teach all of us in the Church to love one another and to be patient and kind.
Help us to bring the peace of Jesus to our land and to our hearts.
We come to you with confidence,
knowing that you truly are our compassionate mother,
health of the sick and cause of our joy.
Shelter us under the mantle of your protection,
keep us in the embrace of your arms,
help us always to know the love of your Son, Jesus. Amen
Saint Lucy
Whose beautiful name signifies ‘LIGHT’
by the light of faith which God bestowed upon you
increase and preserve His light in my soul
so that I may avoid evil,
Be zealous in the performance of good works
and abhor nothing so much as the blindness and
the darkness of evil and sin.
Obtain for me, by your intercession with God
Perfect vision for my bodily eyes
and the grace to use them for God’s greater honour and glory
and the salvation of souls.
St. Lucy, virgin and martyr
hear my prayers and obtain my petitions.
Amen.
O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out instead of denying the faith and defiling your soul; and God, through an extraordinary miracle, replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes to reward your virtue and faith, appointing you as the protector against eye diseases. I come to you for you to protect my eyesight and to heal the illness in my eyes.
O St Lucy, preserve the light of my eyes so that I may see the beauties of creation, the glow of the sun, the color of the flowers and the smile of children.
Preserve also the eyes of my soul, the faith, through which I can know my God, understand His teachings, recognize His love for me and never miss the road that leads me to where you, St Lucy, can be found in the company of the angels and saints.
St Lucy, protect my eyes and preserve my faith!
St. Lucy, pray for us!!
Amen!
O God, our Creator and redeemer, mercifully hear our prayers that as we venerate Thy servant, Saint Lucy, for the light of faith thou didst bestow upon her, thou wouldst vouchsafe to increase and to preserve this same light in our souls, that we may be able to avoid evil, to do good and to abhor nothing so much as the Blindness and the darkness of evil and of sin.
Relying on Thy goodness, O God, we humbly ask Thee, by the intersession of Thy servant, Saint Lucy that Thou wouldst give perfect vision to our eyes, that they may serve for Thy greater honor and glory, and for the salvation of our souls in this world, that we may come to the enjoyment of the unfailing light of the Lamb of God in paradise.
Saint Lucy, Virgin and martyr, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.
Amen.
O Blessed Jesus, grant me stillness of soul in Thee. Let Thy mighty calmness reign in me. Rule me, O thou King of gentleness, King of peace. Give me control, control over my words, thoughts and actions. From all irritability, want of meekness, want of gentleness, O dear Lord, deliver me. By thine own deep patience give me patience, stillness of soul in Thee. Make me in this, and in all, more and more like Thee. Amen.
O abyss of delights! You are so much the more abundant the more Your riches are concentrated in the infinite unity and simplicity of Your unique being, where one attribute is so known and enjoyed as not to hinder the perfect knowledge and enjoyment of the other; rather, each grace and virtue within You are a light for each of Your other grandeurs. By Your purity, O divine Wisdom, many things are beheld in You through one. For You are the deposit of the Father’s treasures, the splendor of the eternal light, the unspotted mirror and image of His goodness.
Awaken and enlighten us, my Lord, that we might know and love the blessings which You ever propose to us, and that we might understand that You have moved to bestow favors on us and have remembered us.
O Lord, my God, who will seek You with simple and pure love and not find You are all he desires, for You show Yourself first and go out to meet those who desire You?
My spirit has become dry because it forgets to feed on You.
Almighty Father,
you endowed John of the Cross
with a spirit of self-denial
and a love of the Cross.
By following his example,
may we come to the eternal vision of your glory.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
(Mention your request here…)
St. John of the Cross, pray for us.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…
Let Your divinity shine on my intellect by giving it divine knowledge, and on my will by imparting to it the divine love and on my memory with the divine possession of glory.
Let us so act that by means of this loving activity we may attain to the vision of ourselves in Your beauty in eternal life. That is: That I be so transformed in Your beauty that we may be alike in beauty, and both behold ourselves in Your beauty, possessing now Your very beauty; this, in such a way that each looking at the other may see in the other his own beauty, since both are Your beauty alone, I being absorbed in Your beauty; hence, I shall see You in Your beauty, and You shall see me in Your beauty, and I shall see myself in You in Your beauty, and You will see Yourself in me in Your beauty; that I may resemble You in Your beauty, and You resemble me in Your beauty, and my beauty will be Your beauty and Your beauty my beauty; wherefore I shall be You in Your beauty, and You will be me in Your beauty, because Your very beauty will be my beauty; and therefore we shall behold each other in Your beauty
“Mine are the heavens and mine is the earth. Mine are the nations, the just are mine, and mine the sinners. The angels are mine, and the Mother of God, and all things are mine; and God himself is mine and for me, because Christ is mine and all for me. What do you ask, then, and seek, my soul? Yours is all of this, and all is for you. Do not engage yourself in anything less or pay heed to the crumbs that fall from your Father’s table. Go forth and exult in your Glory! Hide yourself in it and rejoice, and you will obtain the supplications of your heart.”
O Blessed Jesus,
give me stillness of soul in You.
Let Your mighty calmness reign in me.
Rule me, O King of Gentleness,
King of Peace.
Eternal Father, the sick, the poor, and the aged are constantly in danger of being considered useless members of society and therefore ignored. Lord, may women and men, motivated by the ideals of Mother Frances show compassion and give dignity, so that all people respected.
When the just cry out, you hear their cries Lord, heal them from all their distress, and rescue them.
When we strive to live as fervent disciples of Jesus, we may face peril and persecution. Help us continue to draw spiritual strength from holding fast to your precepts Lord, and show love, as Mother Frances did, trusting in the power of Christ’s love, for in His Name we are saved and healed. Amen
To you O Lord we lift up our hearts and voices. By the holy example of your servant, Blessed Mary Frances Schervier, may we grow in love for the poor and sick; devoting our lives to seeking you in prayer and in the face of those who are suffering. By imitating her love for simplicity, may we shun the lure of wealth and prestige in this life and seek first the Kingdom of God. Help us through her intercession to turn our sorrows and struggles into paths of holiness through generous works of mercy and fervent heartfelt prayer. May our lives bring glory to your holy name O God and may you be adored forever!
Amen.
Jesus, Almighty King of kings, You Who obeyed Your Father to the end, Teach me the meaning of obedience. My soul burns to comply to Your Will, Striving to charm Your Divinity. While my worldly nature seeks one way, My spiritual nature seeks another. Bless me with the strength to obey, That my soul may subdue both natures, Blending them as a fair aromatic bloom. I always seek favour in Your eyes, To always obey You until my last breath!
Gracious God, we pray to you today in thanksgiving for all you have given to us.
May we learn to be generous with our blessings and care for those in our communities who are in need.
As Kozminski lived a life of discipleship to you, let us take from his example and foster loving personal relationships with our family and friends, especially during the holiday season.
We ask all this through Christ our Lord,
Amen.
O God,
you willed to give to your priest, Blessed Honoratus,
a spirit of tender love for souls
to reconcile them with you.
Through his intercession
may we taste the sweetness of your forgiveness
and be joined with you in perfect charity.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Good people,
Most royal greening verdancy.
Rooted in the sun,
You shine with radiant light.
In this circle of earthly existence
You shine so finely,
It surpasses understanding.
God hugs you,
You are encircled by the arms
Of the mystery of God
O God, by whose grace your servant Hildegard, kindled with the Fire of your love, became a burning and shining light in your Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and walk before you as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Amen.
O Great Father we are in great need;
Now therefore we implore, we implore you
Through your Word, by which you have
Filled us with [those things] we need;
Now it may please you Father for it befits you
To consider us with your help,
So that we might not fail and lest your name
Might be blackened in us
And through your name, deign to help us.
O eternal Lord,
it is pleasing to you
to burn in that same fire of love,
like that from which our bodies are born,
and from which you begot your Son
in the first dawn before all of Creation.
So consider this need which falls upon us,
and relieve us of it for the sake of your Son,
and lead us in joyous prosperity.
O Shepherd of souls
and o first voice
through whom all creation was summoned,
now to you,
to you may it give pleasure and dignity
to liberate us
from our miseries and languishing.
O ruby blood
which flowed from on high
where divinity touched.
You are a flower
that the winter
of the serpent’s breath
can never injure.
O leafy branch,
standing in your nobility
as the dawn breaks forth:
now rejoice and be glad
and deign to set us frail ones
free from evil habits
and stretch forth your hand
and lift us up.
Father, Source of Life,
you have bestowed on St Hildegard of Bingen
many excellent graces.
Help us to follow her example
of meditating on your ineffable Majesty
and to follow you
so that we, amidst the darkness of this world,
recognise the Light of your clarity
to cling to you without fail.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
O Lord, you were generous with your gifts of grace to the virgin Hildegard. By following closely her example and teaching, may we pass from the darkness of this life into your marvelous light. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Fire of the Spirit, life of the lives of creatures,
spiral of sanctity, bond of all natures,
glow of charity, lights of clarity, taste
of sweetness to sinners, be with us and hear us.
Composer of all things, light of all the risen,
key of salvation, release from the dark prison,
hope of all unions, scope of chastities, joy
in the glory, strong honour, be with us and hear us.
Amen.
Blessed Anthony Grassi, being struck by lightning only deepened your faith, and made it burn brighter for Christ. Help us all to be such a serene, glowing force that others will want to come to know the love of God that sustains us. Bring us to the feet of Jesus in reconciliation, and pray for us to never leave the path that leads to Him. AMEN!
Almighty and eternal God, You willed to set Blessed Urban over your entire people and to go before them in word and example. By his intercession keep the pastors of Your Church together with their flocks and guide that in the way of eternal salvation. Amen.
O God, who made Blessed Pope Urban V the Vicar of Peter and committed to him the care of the Universal Church, by his intercession keep your beloved flock ever safe, so that with integrity of faith and perfect charity your Church may journey to her heavenly homeland.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen
Heavenly Father, we are grateful for all that Blessed Pope Urban V accomplished during his papacy and we thank you, Father, for the holy men who watch over our souls. Amen.
I. O glorious Saint Dominic, thou who wast a model of mortification and purity, by punishing thy innocent body with scourges, with fasting, and with watching, and by keeping inviolate the lily of thy virginity, obtain for us the grace to practice penance with a generous heart and to keep unspotted the purity of our bodies and our hearts.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
II. O great Saint, who, inflamed with divine love, didst find thy delight in prayer and intimate union with God; obtain for us to be faithful in our daily prayers, to love Our Lord ardently, and to observe His commandments with ever-increasing fidelity.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
III. O glorious Saint Dominic, who, being filled with zeal for the salvation of souls, didst preach the Gospel in season and out of season and didst establish the Order of Friars Preachers to labor for the conversion of heretics and poor sinners, pray thou to God for us, that He may grant us to love all our brethren sincerely and to cooperate always, by our prayers and good works, in their sanctification and eternal salvation.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
V. Pray for us, Saint Dominic,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the burden of our sins may be raised up by the patronage of blessed Dominic Thy Confessor. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
St. Dominic of Silos, you appeared to the mother of the great St. Dominic to foretell her son’s birth, and she named him after you, as a testimony of your holiness.
We ask you to intercede for us in our prayers and petitions placed on the altar of the Most High, in Jesus’ Name. Amen
O Holy Priest of God and glorious Patriarch, St. Dominic, thou who wast the friend, the well-beloved son and confidant of the Queen Of Heaven, and didst work so many miracles by the power of the Holy Rosary, have regard for my intercessions.
On earth you opened your heart to the miseries of your fellow man, and your hands were strong to help them; now in heaven your charity has not grown less not has your power waned.
Pray for me to the Mother of the Rosary and to her divine Son, for I have great confidence that through your assistance I shall obtain the favor I so much desire:
(mention your intentions)
Amen
Heavenly Father, let me turn to You in good times and in bad. Grant that I may always remain in loving union with You no matter what adversity or goodness should befall me. As St Dominic de Silos lived his life, when he was exiled, he found another way to give You honour and through this adversity You filled his work with miracles. So too may it be in my life. St Dominic de Silos Pray for us! Amen
Lord,
you gave Saint Peter Canisius
wisdom and courage to defend the Catholic faith.
By the help of his prayers
may all who seek the truth rejoice in finding you,
and may all who believe in you
be loyal in professing their faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Dear Doctor and Defender of the Church,
to you the Master must have said:
“Well done, composer of books
which have taught and inspired countless persons in many lands.”
Help those who compose catechisms
to communicate the true teachings of Christ
in ways that can be understood by our contemporaries
so that they will be moved to follow Jesus.
Amen.
O God you endowed Your priest, St. Peter Canisius,
with holiness and learning for the defense of the Church.
Through his intercession,
grant that those who seek the truth may joyfully find You
and that the people of believers
may ever persevere in bearing witness to You.
Amen.
Almighty, eternal God, Lord, heavenly Father, look with Your eyes of undeserved compassion on our sorrow, misery and need.
Have mercy on all the Christian faithful, for whom Your only-begotten Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, was content to give Himself into the hand of sinners and shed His precious Blood on the wood of the Holy Cross.
For the sake of the Lord Jesus, most gracious Father, avert our well-deserved punishments, present danger and future threats, harm and outrage, arms and warfare, dearth and misfortune, sickness and sorrowful, miserable times.
Enlighten and strengthen in all goodness our spiritual leaders and earthly rulers, that they may do everything to further Your honour as God, our salvation, the common peace, and the welfare of all Your people.
Grant us, O God of peace, a true unity in faith, free of all division and separation. Convert our hearts to true repentance and amendment of life. Kindle in us the fire of Your love; give us hunger and zeal for justice in all things, so that we, as obedient children through life unto death, may be pleasing to You and find favour in Your sight.
We also pray, O God, as You willed that we should pray, for our friends and enemies, for the healthy and the sick, for all Christians in sadness and distress, for the living and the dead.
To You, O Lord, be entrusted whatever we do, whatever our path, our work and our dealings, our living and dying. Let us delight in Your grace here in this world, and attain the next with all Your chosen ones, to praise, honour and extol You in unending joy and blessedness.
Grant us this, O Lord, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Almighty Father,
through the example of John of Kanty
may we grow in the wisdom of the saints.
As we show understanding and kindness to others,
may we receive your forgiveness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that by the example of St. John,
Thy Confessor we may make progress in the science of the Saints, and by showing mercy to others may obtain through his merits forgiveness from Thee.
Through our Lord.
Saint John of Kanty, you were unjustly fired from your work. Please pray for those who are jobless or in danger of losing their jobs that they may find work that is fulfilling in every way. Guide us to ways to help those looking for work. Amen
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that by the example of the Priest Saint John of Kanty
we may advance in knowledge of holy things
and by showing compassion to all,
may gain forgiveness in your sight.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever
O holy teacher of the faith
and pastor of Christ’s flock
who instructed with wisdom
and led by kindness and humility
those in your care
and all those around you –
teach us today
not only to know our faith
but to practice it by holiness of life
as you have done,
so simply,
so thoroughly as a child of the Lord.
Pray for us
and pray for our priests,
for whom you are a model of perfection.
All yourself you have given
in imitation of Jesus;
may the Lord God
be in our hearts and on our lips
just so truly
as He has been
with you,
good teacher.
What better way to prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child than to take a brief journey to Greccio, the spot in central Italy where Saint Francis of Assisi created the first Christmas crib in the year 1223.
Francis, recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. He would find a baby—we’re not sure if it was a live infant or the carved image of a baby—hay upon which to lay him, an ox and an ass to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town. At the appointed time, they arrived carrying torches and candles.
One of the friars began celebrating Mass. Francis himself gave the sermon. His biographer, Thomas of Celano, recalls that Francis “stood before the manger…overcome with love and filled with a wonderful happiness…”
For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, a savior who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus.
Tonight, as we pray around the Christmas cribs in our homes, we welcome into our hearts that same Savior.
Glory to God in the highest! My precious Lord, Jesus, I adore You with profound love and rejoice in the celebration of Your birth. Your love for us is unfathomable, it is glorious, transforming, awe-inspiring, and deeply personal. You chose to come and dwell among us, being born into poverty, rejection and humility. Yet Your mother knew whom she bore, Her heart was filled with the tenderest love as she adored her Child and her God.
Help me, dear Lord, to come to love You with the heart of Your mother. Invite me to adore You with St. Joseph and the poor shepherds. Reveal to me the glorious power of Your birth and change my life on account of this perfect gift of Yourself.
I love You, dear Lord Jesus. Help me to love You with all my heart. Newborn Savior of the World, I trust in You. Mother Mary and St. Joseph, Pray for me and for all.
Amen.
God, our loving Father, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to counter all the forces of evil: sin, suffering and death, and to overcome evil with the force of good; hatred with the power of love, your great love for us in Jesus.
Help us never to curse the darkness, but to join with you in bringing Your light into this world, the light that is your Son, born of the Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem. Help us to be instruments of your light and love by doing one special act of kindness or by being your special instrument of reconciliation this New Year.
May the Christ Candle we light symbolize our desire to bring light into a world of darkness and hope into a world of despair. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
O divine redeemer Jesus Christ, prostrate before thy crib, I believe thou art the God of infinite majesty, even though I do see thee here as a helpless babe. I humbly adore and thank thee for having so humbled thyself for my salvation as to will to be born in a stable. I thank thee for all thou didst wish to suffer for me in Bethlehem, for thy poverty and humility, for thy nakedness, tears, cold and sufferings.
Would that I could show thee that tenderness which thy virgin mother had toward thee, and love thee as she did. Would that I could praise thee with the joy of the angels, that I could kneel before thee with the faith of St. Joseph, the simplicity of the shepherds. Uniting myself with these first adorers at the crib, I offer thee the homage of my heart, and I beg that thou wouldst be born spiritually in my soul. Make me reflect in some degree the virtues of thy admirable nativity. Fill me with that spirit of renunciation, of poverty, of humility, which prompted thee to assume the weakness of our nature, and to be born amid destitution and suffering. Grant that from this day forward, I may in all things seek thy greater glory, and may enjoy that peace promised to men of good will.
Begin by reading from the Gospel of Luke 2:1-8.
God our Heavenly Father, from the moment of creation you have never ceased showing your love for us. Even when we turned away from you, you did not abandon us to the darkness of sin and death. Indeed, it was when our need was greatest that you sent us a Redeemer—your Son, Jesus—to be born of the Virgin Mary. Bless us as we look upon this manger. May it remind us of the humble birth of Jesus and raise our minds to contemplate the awesome mystery of God-made-flesh. Let this holy season fill us with hope that we might join him in the eternal Kingdom of peace in heaven. Through Christ, our Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
Thank You, Father, that Your times and seasons are pre-ordained and that You sent Your only begotten Son to be born of a woman, so that at the appointed hour He could be made sin for our sins, and in so doing become the propitiation for the sins of all mankind.
Thank You, that in the eternal council chambers of the almighty Godhead, You devised a perfect plan that would save mankind from eternal separation from You, which required that the eternal Son of the Father became flesh and was conceived and born of a virgin.
Lord, we rejoice at the Christmas story and all the wondrous glory that we see unfolded in the manger scene in the little town of Bethlehem, and in the fields, while shepherds watched their flocks by night. We glory at the good news of great joy that was proclaimed by the angel of the Lord, and we are amazed to behold a heavenly choir of angelic beings singing,”glory to God in the highest.” We praise Your name for the visit of the wise men from the east and we grieve at the satanic atrocity that was perpetrated by king Herod on innocent children.
But most of all, we humbly kneel before Your throne of grace when we understand that the baby lying in a manger must one day be crucified to the cruel cross, so that our sins could be forgiven. Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be born so that He could die for our sins. In His name we pray,
Amen.
Father, we thank You from our innermost being that You sent Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to be born into a fallen race so that by His perfect life and sacrificial death He might be lifted up on the wooden cross, in the same way that Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness, so that all who looked would live.
Thank You, Father, for the wonderful plan of salvation that You in Your grace purposed would be the only way that mankind could be saved from His sin, and so You sent Your one and only begotten Son, to be born of a virgin into the human race, God becoming Man, so that man might be eternally clothed in the righteous garments of God.
Thank You that by His human life and physical death, He was able to reconcile us back to God, forgive us of our sins and break the power of death in the lives of all Who believe on His name.
Thank You that from His unpretentious beginning, where he had nowhere to lay His head, to His lifelong submission of the Father, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Thank You, Father, for the birth of My Redeemer and I rejoice in the God of my Saviour. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Dear Lord, how we praise and thank You that Love in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ came down at Christmas, when the eternal Son of God became Jesus, the perfect Son of Man, and through Whom the promise of peace was given to men of goodwill. Peace with God to those who trust in the redeeming blood of His Son, and the peace of God, for all who are born into the family of God, positioned in Christ and accepted in the Beloved.
Thank You, for the example of a life that personifies love and thank You that the Person of Jesus Christ is the One that satisfies every need of the human heart.
Father, at this special time of the year when we remember that first Christmas day when Your dearly beloved Son was manifested in the flesh in the form of a new-born babe, we pray that His love and His peace may spread abroad into the hearts and minds of many lost and hurting people, who feel themselves unloved and who lack that vital peace with God and the incomparable peace of God within, that surpasses all comprehension.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit grant peace in the hearts of all who are searching for answers, as to emptiness in their lives, this Christmas time. We ask this in the name of Jesus,
Amen.
Heavenly Father, at this festive season I pray that the real meaning of Christmas will not be missed, and that the precious truth that was given to the shepherds and sung by the angels, will become a reality in the hearts and lives of many people this year.
As we prepare for this lovely season of the year and all the joy that it brings with it, help us not to forget that Christ was born for a purpose. And that as we share our gifts one with the other, may we remember the wonderful gift of grace that was sent into the world 2000 years ago.
As we listen to the Scripture readings and rejoice over the good news that was proclaimed that holy night, let us not forget to thank You for Your gift of grace in the Person of Christ Jesus, knowing that He was sent to earth so that by believing on Him we could go to heaven.
Thank You, Father, that in Christ You made all the good and necessary preparation for sinners to be made righteous through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, by first sending Him at the appointed time to be born into a race of sinners.
May we seek to prepare our hearts for our future heavenly home, knowing that our citizenship is in heaven, and may we spend this Christmas period reflecting on the wonderful truth that Christ Jesus was born into the world to save sinners, like me, for which I praise Your holy name. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, true God from true God, you became a little child for us so the world you made would be saved. Just as a child is born to us and a Son is given to us, may we be born again through you
and always remain in the number of God’s faithful children; through your merits, O blessed Savior, with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
| SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| "St.Justin, New St.Angela Merici,Trad" | "St.Marcellinus & St.peter ,New,Trad St.Erasmus,Trad St.Blandina,Hist" | "St.Charles Lwanga & Comps.New,Trad/some places St.Clotilde, Hist" | "Vigil of Pentecost,Trad St.Francis Caracciolo,Trad " | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| St.Boniface,New,Trad | "Blessed Virgin Mary,Mother of the Church New;Mon. after Pentcost St.Norbert,New,Trad" | St.Robert of Newminster,Hist | "Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces Trad/some place; Sts.Medard & Gildard,Hist " | "St.Ephrem of Syria,New Sts.Primus & Felician,Trad St.Columba,Trad/some places" | "St.Maygart of Scotland,Trad St.Landericus,Hist" | St.Bambas,New,Trad |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| "St.John of St.Facundo,Trad Sts.Basilides, Cyrinus,Nabor & Nazarius,Trad St.Guy of Cortona,Hist " | St.Anthony of Padua,New,Trad | St.Basil the Great,Trad | "St.vitus,Modestus & Crescentia,Trad St.Germaine Cousin,Hist" | "Corpus Christi Trad.; Thurs,after Trinity Sunday St.John Francis Regis, Hist St.Benno,Hist" | "St.Gregory Barbarigo,Trad St.Harvey,Hist St.Botolph,Hist" | "St.Ephrem of Syria,Trad Sts.Mark & Marcellianus,Trad " |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| "St.Romuald,New St.Juliana Falconieri,Trad Sts.Gervase & Protase,Trad" | "St.Silverius,Trad Our Lady Consolation Trad/some places" | "St.Aloysius Gonzaga,New,Trad St.Terence,Hist" | "St.Paulinus of Nola,New,Trad St.john Fisher,New,Trad/some places St.Thomas More,New" | "Nativity of St.John the Bapist,New Vigil of St.John the Baptist Trad. St.Ethelreda,Hist" | "Most scared Heart of Jesus New, Trad;Fri before 3rd Sun.after Pentecost." | "Immaculate Heart of Mary New Sat.after sacred Heart of Jesus Nativity of St.John the Baptist Trad St.Wwilliam of Vercelli,Trad St.Prosper of Reggio,Hist" |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 |
| "St.Josemaria Escriva, New/some places Sts.John & Paul,Trad St.Pelagius,Hist St.Anthelm,Hist" | "St.Cyril of Alexandria,New Our Lady of Perpetual Help,Hist St.Ladislaus,Hist" | "St.Irenaeus,New Vigil of Sts.Peter & Paul,Trad" | Sts.Peter &Paul,New,Trad | "First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church,New The Eucharistic Heart of Jesus,Trad/some places;Thurs.after 3rd Sun.after Pentecost. Commemoration of St.Paul,Trad" |
