Love and True Prayer

“Our Spouse is a Doctor of Love who follows us and cures, as they occur, the little injuries of the journey. Our dispositions change quite often, but our love must not change, and the needle of our compass must be always turned toward the north of Divine Love. What do all our feelings and beautiful thoughts amount to? Nothing, absolutely nothing… Let us just remain in peace, our eyes fixed upon the holy mountain whence comes our help. Look at Jesus and love Him, that is all. It is Heaven on earth, before being Heaven above. Recently a tiny shellfish gave me a lesson in interior recollection. I had difficulty in opening it because it resisted strongly, and I said to myself: “It is quite a vigorous little creature; no one would think it is so far from the sea.” It taught me a great lesson. I must be sufficiently filled with the water of recollection to resist as strongly as he did the pressure of work and various happenings of the day, anything that could make me lose the drop of water which makes possible my union with God…True prayer, unending and indispensable prayer, is fidelity to the lights that Jesus may give us whenever He wants to do so… That is what I understand by prayer, and to me it does not look difficult; it seems as easy as breathing fresh air. That is familiar to us, it is our particular grace, it was the particular grace of the Holy Family in Nazareth and Jesus in His public life. My Father never leaves me alone, because I do always the things that please Him, Jesus said. Let us then try always to please our heavenly Father so as always to enjoy His presence.” Mother Agnes of Jesus, O.C.D. (Mother Agnes was the sister of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and prioress at the Carmel of Lisieux for over 50 years.)

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Honoring the Immaculate Conception

“Would that I could fully express the thoughts that, in His goodness, God has granted to me on the subject of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, so that the true understanding that I possess of her merits and the desire that I have to render her fitting homage may remain always in my heart… The most pure body of the Blessed Virgin is a worthy dwelling place for the soul that God created for her. Both are agreeable to God because, from the moment of her Pure Conception, both have been enriched by the merits of the death of her Son. As into a very precious vessel, more and more graces have been poured into her soul and she has never failed to make good use of them. Therefore, with every good reason, she should be honored by all creatures and served in a particular way by Christians since she is the only pure creature who has always found favor in the eyes of God. This makes her the astonishment of the heavenly court and the admiration of all humanity.

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin leads us to realize and to adore the omnipotence of God because grace totally vanquished nature in her. She was saved without ever having been lost, not only through mercy but also through justice, since this was essential for the Incarnation of the Son of God in the eternal plan for the Redemption of mankind. We must, therefore, honor this Holy Conception that made her so precious in the eyes of God and believe that [we can] receive the assistance of the Blessed Virgin in all our needs. This is so because it seems to me that it would be impossible for God to refuse her anything. His divine and loving glance never left her since she always lived according to His Will. Therefore, we must be convinced that He is always ready to grant whatever she requests because she asks for nothing that is not for His glory and our good.” St. Louise de Marillac (St. Louise de Marillac (+1660) was the co-founder, with St. Vincent de Paul, of the Daughters of Charity)

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2021 Novena for Life:

The Saint Padre Pio Knights of Columbus are inviting all parishioners to join in the 2021 Novena for Life, which begins on January 21st. The Knights are firmly committed to defending the right to life of every human being – from conception to natural death. Please join us in bolstering this fundamental right through 9 days of prayer, focusing on building a culture of life in our parish, homes and community. Additional information on the Novena for Life may be found at

Daily Prayer Intentions

Day 1: May the tragic practice of abortion end.

Day 2: May all unborn children be protected in law and welcomed in love.

Day 3: May every expectant mother receive compassionate care and support as she nurtures the life in her womb.

Day 4: May expectant fathers lovingly support the mothers of their children in welcoming new life.

Day 5: May each person suffering from the loss of a child through abortion find hope and healing in Christ.

Day 6: May expectant mothers choosing adoption receive grace and support in embracing this loving option.

Day 7: May all who support or participate in abortion experience a conversion of heart to seek and receive the Lord’s boundless mercy.

Day 8: May civic leaders work for the protection of all human life, in every stage and circumstance.

Day 9: May all who defend life find strength and renewal in the Holy Spirit.

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Renewal of Baptismal Promises V. Do you reject Satan? R. I do. V. And all his works? R. I do. V. And all his empty promises? R. I do. V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth? R. I do. V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? R. I do. V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting? R. I do. V. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven all our sins. May He also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever. R. Amen.

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All For the Glory of God!

As soon as a good Christian awakens in the morning, he should… profess the Most Holy Trinity, three Persons in one sole God, which Christians alone truthfully and faithfully profess when they bless themselves with the words: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. [Then he should] profess Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, by reciting the Creed and by firmly and faithfully believing without any doubt that which contains all our Catholic Faith... True God! I freely and from my heart, as a good and faithful Christian, profess the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three Persons in one God. I firmly believe, without doubting, all that our Holy Mother the Church of Rome believes and teaches. I promise to live and die as a true Christian in the holy Catholic Faith of my Lord Jesus Christ. And if I should not be able to speak at the hour of my death, I now, for when I shall die, acknowledge with all my heart my Lord Jesus Christ as the only Son of God... I ask you, my Lord Jesus Christ, to give me the grace to keep the Ten Commandments today, during this day, and during all the time of my life. I ask you, my Lady Saint Mary, that you intercede for me with your blessed Son Jesus Christ, so that He may give me the grace today, during this day, and during all the time of my life, to keep these Ten Commandments. I ask you, my Lord Jesus Christ, to forgive me the sins which I have committed today, during this day, and during all the time of my life... I ask you my Lady Saint Mary, Queen of Angels, to obtain pardon for me from your blessed Son Jesus Christ for the sins which I have committed today, during this day, and during all the time of my life. St. Francis Xavier (St. Francis Xavier (+1552) was a great Spanish Jesuit missionary to Asia.)

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Prayer for the New Year

Dear Lord Jesus, Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that this New Year will bring us closer to You. May we take the time to get to know You. Help us to truly celebrate the gifts You have graciously given us and use them to serve You and spread Your word. May we also see and love you in all the people we meet, so that in turn, they can see You in us. We know that all human relationships take time if they are to become stronger. This is also true of our relationship with You, the Father and the Holy Spirit, which You desire to have grow throughout our lives. In this new year, grant us the grace to realize that every action of ours, no matter how small or great enables us to grow in friendship with You. Help us accept You into our lives, as the Way, that shows we loyal friends to You; as the Truth, to be courageously shared; as the Life, to be lived as a sign to the world; as the Light, to expel the darkness of our world; as the Love, to open the hearts of others; as the Joy, that consoles and strengthens our souls; as the Peace, that the world cannot give and only You can; as the Sacrifice, to be offered our of love for You, our relatives, friends, neighbors and all people. Amen.

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Your Soul: Designed To Be A Temple for Prayer

“Besides the material temple where the Lord wants to receive the homage of our prayers, Jesus has another spiritual temple, where He wants to be honored, and this is our heart… It must be the sanctuary of the Lord. There, His praises must resound, and fervent acts of love and constant prayer must rise to Heaven like perfumed incense. Woe to us if we dare to profane it… Might not our heart become a den of thieves, if we let worldly and natural affections, attachments to worldly vanities and things enter, while, as true Temples of God, we should only let in holy thoughts and affections and let Jesus reign as absolute master, while throwing out all those who would want to come in and take control? If you sometimes find yourself so troubled and disturbed that you cannot find peace, turn immediately to prayer and persevere in it, in imitation of Jesus Christ our Lord, who prayed three times in the garden, to show us that prayer must always be our recourse and refuge. Thus as much as you feel saddened and faint-hearted, you must not distance yourself from prayer, until your will is conformed to God’s, and, consequently, is fervent and peaceful and at the same time entirely quickened and undaunted in order to accept and embrace what you formerly feared and abhorred. Unite your prayer to that of Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament and offer God the action of your Divine Spouse Jesus, to make reparation for every defect and loss of time that you have committed; unite your praise to that of Jesus and, uniting yourself to His Holy Intentions, offer them to the Divine Father in place of your own.” Blessed Clelia Merloni - Blessed Clelia Merloni († 1930) founded the Congregation of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart.
 

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Rejoice in this Grace – From a Sermon by St. Augustine

“Awake, mankind! For your sake God has become man. Awake, you who sleep, rise up from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you. I tell you again: for your sake, God became man. You would have suffered eternal death, had He not been born in time. Never would you have been freed from sinful flesh, had He not taken on Himself the likeness of sinful flesh. You would have suffered everlasting unhappiness, had it not been for this Mercy. You would never have returned to life, had He not shared your death. You would have been lost if He had not hastened to your aid. You would have perished, had He not come. Let us then joyfully celebrate the coming of our salvation and redemption. Let us celebrate the festive day on which He who is the great and eternal Day came from the great and endless Day of eternity into our own short day of time. He has become our justice, our sanctification, our redemption, so that, as it is written: Let him who glories glory in the Lord. Let us then rejoice in this Grace, so that our glorying may bear witness to our good conscience by which we glory, not in ourselves, but in the Lord. That is why Scripture says: He is my glory, the One who lifts up my head. For what greater Grace could God have made to dawn on us than to make His only Son become the son of man, so that a son of man might in his turn become son of God? Ask if this were merited; ask for its reason, for its justification, and see whether you will find any other answer but sheer Grace.”

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From a reflection by Father Jean du Caeur de Jesus d’Elbee

We have a tendency to become obsessed by the faults of those around us. That is understandable: it is their faults which make us suffer and this suffering in turn reminds us of them continually… Faults are ugly. Why not look at the virtues which are beautiful?... The good inten-tions of others so often escape our notice. Do not judge intentions. I assure you, it has happened to me that, having ascribed a bad inten-tion to someone, I have later had proof, neat and clear, that I was wrong, that he had something completely different in mind than what I thought. What a lesson! As much as you can, ascribe good intentions to your neighbor. (I say “as much as you can,” because at times, of course, the contrary is as plain as daylight.)… Little St. Therese wrote, “When I want to increase in myself my love of neighbor, especially when the devil tries to put before the eyes of my soul the faults of this or that sister who is less appealing to me, I hasten to seek out her virtues, her good desires. I tell myself that if I have seen her fall one time, she may well have undergone a great many victories that she hides through humility, and that even what appears as a fault to me could very well be an act of virtue because of the intention. Ah, I understand now that perfect charity consists of enduring the faults of others, of not being at all astonished at their weaknesses, of being edified by the smallest acts of virtue which on sees them practice.”… Obviously you are not expected to experience the same feelings in your heart toward a friend and toward someone who wishes you evil… There are even holy kinds of anger. But always remember that nothing troubles hearts, nothing troubles Jesus in us like dissen-sion and discord. Nothing is more directly opposed to Him… No one is completely in control of his first reactions, but you must rec-ollect yourselves very quickly. “To pardon an injustice received is to heal the wound in your own heart,” said Saint Vincent de Paul.

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From the writings of St. Margaret Mary Alocoque

“It seems to me that our Lord’s earnest desire to have His Sacred Heart honored in a special way is directed towards renewing the effects of redemption in our souls. For the Sacred Heart is an inex-haustible fountain and Its sole desire is to pour itself out into the hearts of the humble so as to free them and prepare them to lead lives according to His good pleasure. From this Divine Heart three streams flow endlessly. The first is the stream of mercy for sinners; It pours into their hearts sentiments of contrition and repentance. The second is the stream of charity which helps all in need and especially aids those seeking perfection to find the means of surmounting their difficulties. From the third stream flow love and light for the benefit of His friends who have attained perfection; these He wishes to unite to Himself so that they may share His knowledge and commandments and, in their individ-ual ways, devote themselves wholly to advancing His glory. This Divine Heart is an abyss of all blessings, and into it the poor should submerge all their needs. It is an abyss of joy in which all of us can immerse our sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counter-act our foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to meet our every need. Therefore, you must unite yourselves to the Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, both at the beginning of your conversion in order to obtain proper dispositions, and at its end in order to make reparation. Are you making no progress in prayer? Then you need only offer God the prayers which the Savior has poured out for us in the Sacrament of the Altar. Offer God His fervent love in reparation for your slug-gishness. In the course of every activity pray as follows: “My God, I do this or I endure that in the Heart of your Son and according to His holy counsels. I offer it to You in reparation for anything blameworthy or imperfect in my actions.” Continue to do this in every circumstance of life. And every time that some punishment, affliction or injustice comes your way, say to yourself: “Accept this as sent to you by the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ in order to unite yourself to Him.” But above all preserve peace of heart. This is more valuable than any treasure. In order to preserve it there is nothing more useful than renouncing your own will and substituting for it the Will of the Divine Heart. In this way His Will can carry out for us whatever contributes to His glory, and we will be happy to be His subjects and to trust entirely in Him.”

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Prayer to the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary

O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and tender Mother of all people, I consecrate myself to your Immaculate Heart, and recommend to you my family, my country, and the whole human race. Please accept my consecration, dearest Mother, and use me as you wish, to accomplish your designs upon the world. O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Heaven and earth, rule over me, and teach me how to allow the Heart of Jesus to rule and triumph in me and around me, as It has ruled and triumphed in you. Amen.

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From an instruction by St. Jane Frances de Chantal: 

In prayer we should freely unburden ourselves to God, telling Him, our Lord and Master, in the most familiar and confidential way everything, great and small, of Heaven or of earth, much or little. Opening our heart and pouring it all out to Him without reserve, recounting its burdens, its sins, its aspirations. Revealing our whole self, seeking repose in His company as with a friend on whom one relies and to whom one makes known alike the good and the bad. This is what Holy Scripture calls pouring out his heart like water in the Divine Presence, manifesting not only what is of importance but the least thing.

Seeing that Divine Providence governs all and that we can do nothing without Its aid, it is wise to confer with God, for whatever good comes to us in any way it comes from Him. Let there be no timidity in our supplications. He does not like it….

The hour of prayer having come, the soul who with holy impatience awaits that happy moment ought straightaway to answer the signal and hasten to receive the honor about to be conferred on her. She should then invoke the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Virgin, her good angel and such saints as she may choose to help her in her prayer and to remain with her while she is before God. She should gather together all her powers and say to herself: My soul, you are about to appear before God to hold converse with Him, a truce to all else.

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A Prayer for Trust and Confidence in God’s Mercy by St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Feast day on Sept. 23)

O Lord, we ask for a boundless confidence and trust in Your Divine Mercy, and the courage to accept the crosses and sufferings which bring immense goodness to our souls and that of Your Church. Help us to love You with a pure and contrite heart, and to humble ourselves beneath Your Cross, as we climb the mountain of holiness, carrying our Cross that leads to Heavenly Glory. May we receive You with great Faith and Love in Holy Communion, and allow You to act in us as You desire for your greater Glory. O Jesus, most adorable Heart and eternal fountain of Divine Love, may our prayer find favor before the Divine Majesty of Your heavenly Father.

 

 

Reflection from a Spiritual Conference by St. Thomas Aquinas

The Cross exemplifies every virtue

Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? There

was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold

way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an

example of how to act.

It is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on

account of our sins, we have found relief through the Passion of

Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the Passion of Christ completely

suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly

should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the

Cross and desire what He desired, for the Cross exemplifies every

virtue.

If you seek the example of love: “Greater love than this no man

has, than to lay down his life for his friends.” Such a man was

Christ on the Cross. And if He gave His Life for us, then it should

not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for His sake.

If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the

Cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently

suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to

avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the Cross,

and did so patiently, because when He suffered He did not threaten;

He was led like a sheep to the slaughter and He did not open

His mouth. Therefore Christ’s patience on the Cross was great. In

patience let us run for the prize set before us, looking upon Jesus,

the Author and Perfecter of our Faith who, for the joy set before

Him, bore His Cross and despised the shame.

If you seek an example of humility, look upon the Crucified One,

for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.

If you seek an example of obedience, follow Him who became obedient

to the Father even unto death. For just as by the disobedience

of one man, namely, Adam, many were made sinners, so by the

obedience of one Man, many were made righteous.

If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow Him who

is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in Whom are hidden all

the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge. Upon the Cross He was

stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given

only vinegar and gall to drink.

Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because “they

divided My garments among themselves.” Nor to honors, for He

experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank,

for “weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on My head.” Nor to

anything delightful, for “in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to

drink.”

 

 

 

Reflection from a homily by St. Gregory the Great, Pope

It is our holy Church that is compared to a net. The Church has been entrusted to fishermen, and draws all people out of the turbulent waters of the present age to the eternal Kingdom lest we drown in the depths of endless death. It gathers all kinds of fish because it calls to the forgiveness of sins the wise and foolish, free and slave, rich and poor, strong and weak. The psalmist says to God, every human being will come to You!... Twice in the Gospel we read that the Lord told His disciples to let down their nets while they were fishing, once before His Passion, and once after His Resurrection. Before our Redeemer suffered and rose, He ordered them to let down their net, but did not say whether they were to cast it on the right side of the boat or on the left. When He appeared to His disciples after His Resurrection, He ordered them to let down their net on the right side. In the earlier catch they took so many fish that their net was torn, but in the later, even though they took an enormous number of fish, the net was not broken…

The first catch of fish, in which no directions were given regarding where the net should be cast, represents the Church in this present age. The Church encompasses both the good and the bad… The later catch, however, coming after the Lord’s Resurrection, takes place only on the right side of the boat, because [it is] the gathering of the Chosen at the end of time, when they behold God’s Glory… In the first catch, the net was broken because of the huge number of fish it took in. In the present age the ranks of the unjust coexist side by side with the virtuous in professing the Faith… We live, so to speak, in the middle, in the midst of people belonging to both. The Church admits us all now, without distinguishing us, but she will separate us later when we leave this life… Flowers spring up amidst briars. A fragrant rose growsalongside a piercing thorn… My friends, before your time on earth is over, recall these examples.

 

 

From a treatise on the admirable Heart of Jesus by St. John Eudes, priest (Feast: August 19)

“I ask you to consider that our Lord Jesus Christ is your true Head and that you are a member of His Body. He belongs to you as the head belongs to the body. All that is His is yours: Breath, Heart, Body, Soul and all His Faculties. All of these you must use as if they belonged to you, so that in serving Him you may give Him praise, love and glory. You belong to Him as a member belongs to the head. This is why He earnestly desires you to serve and glorify the Father by using all your faculties as if they were His. He belongs to you, but more than that, He longs to be in you, living and ruling in you, as the head lives and rules in the body. He desires that whatever is in Him may live and rule in you: His Breath in your breath, His Heart in your heart, all the Faculties of His Soul in the faculties of your soul, so that these words may be fulfilled in you: Glorify God and bear Him in your body, that the Life of Jesus may be made manifest in you.

You belong to the Son of God, but more than that, you ought to be in Him as the members are in the head. All that is in you must be incor-porated into Him. You must receive Life from Him and be ruled by Him. There will be no true life for you except in Him, for He is the one source of true Life. Apart from Him you will find only death and destruction. Let Him be the only source of your movements, of the actions and the strength of your life. He must be both the source and the purpose of your life, so that you may fulfill these words: None of us lives as his own master and none of us dies as his own mas-ter. While we live, we are responsible to the Lord, and when we die, we die as His servants. Both in life and death we are the Lord’s. That is why Christ died and came to life again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Finally, you are one with Jesus as the body is one with the head. You must, then, have one breath with Him, one soul, one life, one will, one mind, one heart. And He must be your breath, heart, love, life, your all. These great gifts in the follower of Christ originate from Baptism. They are increased and strengthened through Confirmation and by making good use of other graces that are given by God. Through the holy Eucharist they are brought to perfection.”

 

Prayer to Mary, our Immaculate Queen

O Mary Immaculate Queen, look down upon this dis-tressed and suffering world. Thou knowest our misery and our weakness. O Thou who art our Mother, saving us in the hour of peril, have compassion on us in these days of great and heavy trial. Jesus has confided to thee the treasure of His Grace, and through Thee He wills to grant us pardon and mercy. In these hours of anguish, therefore, thy chil-dren come to Thee as their hope. We recognize thy Queenship and ardently desire thy triumph. We need a Mother and a Mother's Heart. Thou art for us the luminous dawn which dissipates our darkness and points out the way to life. In thy clemency obtain for us the courage and the confidence of which we have such need. Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, Thou Who didst crown with glory in Heaven the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, grant that all her children on earth may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen, that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognize her rights as Mother and as Queen. Amen.

 

 

Prayer to the Virgin Mary: My Queen, my Mother, I give myself entirely to you, and to show my devotion to you, I consecrate to you this day my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my entire self without reserve. As I am your own, my good Mother, guard me and defend me as your property and possession. Amen.

 

 

A Prayer for the Transfiguration of our Lord

At the Transfiguration, Father, You showed Jesus in glory, a glimpse of what His disciples would see in His risen life. Bless us in our humanity, with an awareness of Your presence, leading us to share in Your Divine Life even in our daily struggle. Help us to deepen our knowledge of the Law and the Prophets, channels of Your grace throughout history, and signposts for our journey. Amen.

 

Reflection from the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

(Feast: July 31) from his own words by Luis Gonzalez

Ignatius was passionately fond of reading worldly books of fiction

and tales of knight-errantry. When he felt he was getting better,

he asked for some of these books to pass the time. But no

book of that sort could be found in the house; instead they gave

him a life of Christ and a collection of the lives of saints written

in Spanish.

By constantly reading these books he began to be attracted to

what he found narrated there. Sometimes in the midst of his reading

he would reflect on what he had read. Yet at other times he

would dwell on many of the things which he had been accustomed

to dwell on previously. But at this point our Lord came to

his assistance, insuring that these thoughts were followed by others

which arose from his current reading.

While reading the life of Christ our Lord or the lives of the saints,

he would reflect and reason with himself: “What if I should do

what Saint Francis or Saint Dominic did?” In this way he let his

mind dwell on many thoughts; they lasted a while until other

things took their place. Then those vain and worldly images

would come into his mind and remain a long time. This sequence

of thoughts persisted with him for a long time.

But there was a difference. When Ignatius reflected on worldly

thoughts, he felt intense pleasure; but when he gave them up out

of weariness, he felt dry and depressed. Yet when he thought of

living the rigorous sort of life he knew the saints had lived, he not

only experienced pleasure when he actually thought about it, but

even after he dismissed these thoughts, he still experienced great

joy. Yet he did not pay attention to this, nor did he appreciate it

until one day, in a moment of insight, he began to marvel at the

difference. Then he understood his experience: thoughts of one

kind left him sad, the others full of joy. And this was the first

time he applied a process of reasoning to his religious experience.

Later on, when he began to formulate his spiritual exercises, he

used this experience as an illustration to explain the doctrine he

taught his disciples on the discernment of spirits.

 

HOLY FAMILY PRAYER

Heavenly Father, you have given us the model of family life in the Holy Family of Nazareth. Help us, O Loving Father, to make our family another Nazareth where love, peace and joy reign. May it be deeply contemplative, intensely Eucharistic and full of joy. Help us to live united in joy and sorrow through fami-ly prayer. Teach us to see Jesus in the members of our family, especially in His distressing disguise hidden in suffering and rejection. May the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus make our hearts humble like His and help us to carry out our family duties in a holy way. May we love one another as God loves each one of us, more and more each day, and forgive each other's faults as You forgive our sins. Help us, O Loving Father, to accept whatever you give and let go of whatever you take with a big smile.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. Holy Guardian Angels, be always with us, guide and protect us. Amen.

 

 

Prayer for Priests : by St. Therese of Lisieux, Carmelite

O Jesus, eternal Priest, keep you priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Your Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with Your Precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the Priesthood. Let Your holy Love surround them and shield them from the world’s contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in Heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen

 

 

Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Devotion for the month of August

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Heavenly beauty and splendor of the Father, You are the most valued Heavenly treasure. New Eve, immaculate in soul, spirit and body. Created of the godly seed by the Spirit of God, you are the spiritual Mother of mankind. Pure Virgin, full of grace then and now, your whole being was raised Heavenly in full glory, to be elevated above all the hosts within the Kingdom of God. O Heavenly Mother, Queen of Heaven and earth, I recognize the glory of your highest title,

The Immaculate Heart of Mary! Loving Mother, dispenser of endless blessings, you who continuously intercede on our behalf, please present my need before your loving Son Jesus. (make your request here) O Immaculate Heart of Mary, I know that you are now presenting my need before Jesus, for you have never turned away those in dire need. Mother dearest, I await your favorable answer, submitting myself to the Divine Will of the Lord, for all glories are His forever and ever. Amen.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

 

 

Prayer for Priests : by St. Therese of Lisieux, Carmelite

O Jesus, eternal Priest, keep you priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Your Sacred Body. Keep unsul-lied their lips, daily purpled with Your Precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the Priest-hood. Let Your holy Love surround them and shield them from the world’s contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in Heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen

 

 

 

Prayer to Our Lady Mount Carmel (Feast: July 16)

O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine; splendor

of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin,

assist me in this my necessity (name intention). O star of

the sea, help me and show me herein you are my Mother.

O holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth,

I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to aid me in my need;

there are none that can withstand your power.

O show me herein you are my Mother.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. (3x)

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (3x)

 

Prayer for Priests

by St. Therese of Lisieux, Carmelite

O Jesus, eternal Priest, keep you priests within the shelter of Your

Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their

anointed hands, which daily touch Your Sacred Body. Keep unsullied

their lips, daily purpled with Your Precious Blood. Keep pure

and unearthly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the Priesthood.

Let Your holy Love surround them and shield them from the

world’s contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit and may

the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and

in Heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen

 

 

Prayer for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, apostles June 29th )

God, who on the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul give us the noble and holy joy of this day, grant, we pray, that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion. 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.https://prayers4reparation.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/prayer-for-the-solemnity-of-saints-peter-and-paul/

 

Prayer for Priests by St. Therese of Lisieux, Carmelite

O Jesus, eternal Priest, keep you priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Your Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with Your Precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the Priesthood. Let Your holy Love surround them and shield them from the world’s contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in Heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen

 

Prayer for Vocations: 

Oh God, we earnestly beseech Thee to bless this Archdiocese with many priests, brothers, and sisters who will love Thee with their whole strength and gladly spend their entire lives to serve Thy Church and to make Thee known and loved. Bless our families. Bless our children. Choose from our homes those who are needed for Thy work. Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us. Pray for our priests and religious. Obtain for us many more. Amen

 

Prayer to the Mother of our Lord for all mothers

Dear Mary, on this day when we honor all mothers, we 

turn to you. We thank our Lord, whom you serve, for the

great gift of motherhood. We place our trust in you:

never has it been known that anyone who sought your

intercession was left unaided by grace. Dear Mother,

thank you for your ‘Yes’ to the invitation of the angel which brought

Heaven to earth and changed human history. You opened yourself to

God’s word and the Word, Jesus Christ, was made flesh and dwelt

among us. Dear Mother, intercede for all of our mothers. Ask your

Divine Son to give them the grace of surrendered love so that they

can join with you in giving their own ‘Fiat’. May they daily find

strength to say yes to the call to give themselves in sacrificial lovethe

very heart of the vocation of motherhood. May their love

and witness be a source of great inspiration for all who are called to

follow your Son. On this Mothers day, Mother of the Word

Incarnate, pray for us who have recourse to you! Amen.

 

Prayer in honor of St. Gianna

God our Father we praise You and we bless You because in Saint Gianna, You have given us one who witnessed to the Gospel as a young woman, as a wife, as a mother, and as a doctor. We thank You because through the gift of her life we can learn to welcome and honor every human person. You, Lord Jesus, were for St. Gianna a splendid example. She learned to recognize You in the beauty of nature. As she was questioning her choice of vocation she went in search of You and the best way to serve You. Through her married love she became a sign of Your love for the Church and for humanity. Like You, the Good Samaritan, she cared for everyone who was sick, small or weak. Following Your example, out of love she gave herself entirely, generating new life.

Holy Spirit, Source of every perfection, give us wisdom, intelligence, and courage so that, following the example of St. Gianna and through her intercession, we may know how to place ourselves at the service

of each person we meet in our personal, family and professional lives, and thus grow in love and holiness. Amen.

 

Prayer to our Blessed Mother:

My Queen, my Mother, I give myself

entirely to you, and to show my devotion to you, I consecrate to

you this day my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my entire self

without reserve. As I am your own, my good Mother, guard me and

defend me as your property and possession. Amen.

 

PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE MOST HOLY AND ADORABLE NAME OF JESUS

JESUS! O Name of Jesus! Sweet Name! Delightful Name! Consoling Name!

For what else is Jesus than Savior! Therefore, O Jesus, for Thy sweet Name's sake,

be to me a Jesus, and save me. Suffer me not to be eternally lost. O good Jesus!

Let not my iniquities destroy me, whom Thy bounty made. O sweet Jesus!

Recognize in me what is Thine, and efface all that is not Thine.

O sweet Jesus! Show mercy now in the time of mercy, and condemn me not in the day of justice.

What profit to Thy Precious Blood, or what honor will my destruction give Thy Holy Name, O Jesus!

"The dead shall not praise Thee, O Lord Jesus! Nor all they that go down to Hell."

Most amiable Jesus! Most meek, most loving Jesus! O Jesus, Jesus,

Jesus!

Admit me to the number of Thy elect.

O Jesus, salvation of those who believe in Thee! Comfort of those who fly to Thee!

O Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary! Give me grace, wisdom, charity,

purity, and humility, that I may love Thee perfectly, praise Thee, enjoy Thee, serve Thee, and be glorified in Thee, with all those who call upon Thy Name,

Thy Holy Name, Thy Sweet name-----Jesus. Amen.

 

Prayer for Vocations:

Oh God, we earnestly beseech Thee to bless this Archdiocese with many priests, brothers, and sisters who will love Thee with their whole strength and gladly spend their entire lives to serve Thy Church and to make Thee known and loved. Bless our families. Bless our children. Choose from our homes those who are needed for Thy work. Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us. Pray for our priests and religious. Obtain for us many more. Amen.

 

 

"We are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the "culture of death" and the "culture of life." We find ourselves not only "faced with" but necessarily "in the midst of" this conflict: we are all involved and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life." (#28)

 

“The blood of Christ, while it reveals the grandeur of the Father’s love, shows how precious man is in God’s eyes and how priceless the value of his life. . . . Furthermore, Christ’s blood reveals to us that his greatness, and therefore his vocation, consists in the sincere gift of self... Whoever in the Sacrament of the Eucharist drinks this blood and abides in Jesus (cf. Jn 6:56) is drawn into the dynamism of his love and gift of life, in order to bring to its fullness the original vocation to love which belongs to everyone.” (cf. Gen 1:27; 2:18-24) (#25)