Come, Holy Spirit. V. Come Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your Divine Love.

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1 VIGIL PRAYERS Come, Holy Spirit V. Come Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your Divine Love. R. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. Let us Pray: Oh God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructed the hearts of the faithful. Grant, that by the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen. Prayer for Life O God, our Creator, all life is in your hands from conception until natural death. Help us to cherish our children and to reverence the awesome privilege of our share in creation. May all people live and die in dignity and love. Bless all those who defend the rights of the unborn, the handicapped and the aged. Enlighten and be merciful toward those who fail to love, and give them peace. Let freedom be tempered by responsibility, integrity and morality. Amen. Page 1

2 Prayer for Marriages Believers must oppose the spirit of divorce that is so prevalent in this age. There is no other alternative. Believers need to pray for marriages, especially those that are in trouble. It is our duty and our privilege to intercede for these couples. If your marriage is in trouble, you must plead with God for the marriage. If you know that a marriage is in trouble, you must stand in the gap for that marriage. It is time that the church stops giving up on marriages. It is time that the church humbles itself before God and intercedes for couples. Divorce does not have to be the norm. Broken families and lives do not have to be a daily reality. As long as God is in heaven and God's people pray, there is hope for marriages and families. God please bless marriages in warmth and strength. Give couples guidance, love, and understanding to be the best that they can be. Be with them through the difficult moments and the beautiful ones. Teach them that marriage is a loving process and a challenge. Father, we pray that You will deliver couples from self-centeredness. Grant that they will have a servant's heart. Father, in the name of Jesus, we pray that You would bind the work of Satan from marriages. He would love nothing more than to destroy them. We ask You to stop his work in couples' lives and destroy his attacks against marriages. Lord, we ask You to help couples deal with any unconfessed sin in their lives. We plead that couples will speak the truth to one another in love and to share their feelings without being arrogant or spiteful. Please create a spirit of forgiveness in marriages, and that couples will be kind to one another. Through love and honesty, enable couples to work through their differences. Father, we plead that You would bring marriages into a more intimate relationship with Yourself. Cause couples to long for You as the deer longs for water. Grant couples a hunger in their soul for You. Create within them a spirit of prayer, especially for each other. Father, we ask that You would deal with any past problems in marriages that are causing trouble now. Your Word declares that You heal the brokenhearted and that You bind up their wounds. In the name of Jesus, we ask You to be true to Your Word and heal the emotional wounds and baggage that couples have in their lives. Father, we pray that You would rekindle passion and desire between couples. We ask You to bless their relationships and cause them to rejoice in it. Lord Jesus, You have declared that what therefore God has joined together, let no man separate. You desire one man to be with one woman for life. We plead with you to save and strengthen marriages. O God, do not let sin, Satan, circumstances, or problems separate what You have joined together. Amen. Page 2

3 Prayer for the Family Pope John Paul II Lord God, from you every family in Heaven and on earth takes its name. Father, you are love and life. Through your Son, Jesus Christ, born of woman, and through the Holy Spirit, fountain of Divine Charity, grant that each family on earth may become for each successive generation a true shrine of life and love. Grant that your grace may guide the thoughts and actions of husbands and wives for the good of their families and of all the families in the world. Grant that the young may find in the family solid support for their human dignity and for their growth in truth and love. Grant that love, strengthened by the grace of the sacrament of marriage, may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass. Grant that all the families may be faithful to their day-to-day duties, to bear the cares and tribulations of life, to be open and generous to the needs of others, and fulfill with joy the plan of God in their regard. Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that the Church may fruitfully carry out her worldwide mission in the family and through the family. May each family really become a "little Church" in which the mystery of the Church of Christ is mirrored and given new life. Grant that every family may generously make its own contribution to the coming of His Kingdom in the world -- a kingdom of truth and life; a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace, Through Christ our Lord who is the Way, the Truth and the Life for ever and ever. Amen Joannes Paulus PP.II November 22, from Familiaris Consortio, Apostolic Exhortation on the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World Page 3

4 LITANY FOR PRIESTS Jesus, meek and humble of heart, give all priests Thy spirit of humility; Jesus, poor and worn out for souls. Give all priests Thy spirit of zeal; Jesus, full of patience and mercy for sinners, give all priests Thy spirit of compassion; Jesus, victim for the sins of the world, give all priests Thy spirit of sacrifice; Jesus, lover of the little and the poor, give all priests Thy spirit of charity. Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us; and obtain for us numerous and holy priests and religious. Amen. Memorare Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen. Page 4

5 The Magnificat My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His Name. And His Mercy is from generation unto generations upon them that fear Him. He hath shown might in His arm. He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our Fathers, Abraham and His seed forever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. PRAYER FOR PRIESTS Most Holy Trinity, please grant our Holy Father, Cardinals, Bishops, priests and all clergy the perseverance, fortitude, strength, wisdom, and compassion necessary to fight the forces of evil which assail them from within and without the Church. Help them to lead their flocks to full conversion, final perseverance and eternal salvation. Also please foster within young souls Holy vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We ask this through Jesus Christ who lives and reigns in heaven together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen. PRAYER FOR LEADERS/JUDGES Dear Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother, please guide the leaders of our country and our judges to make moral and just decisions and laws that are in accordance with your Holy Will. Please give them the courage and perseverance to reverse those laws that are not in accordance with your Holy Will. We praise you and thank you. Amen. PRAYER FOR OUR COUNTRY ONE NATION UNDER GOD O Merciful God, we cry to Thee for pardon and for mercy. We are an unbelieving nation and a perverse generation. We have not respected life, especially the weakest of the weak. We are disobedient, immoral, disloyal and ungrateful to Thee. We have excluded Thee from our homes, our schools, our government, and our business places. We are no longer worthy to be called Thy children. But Merciful God, please spare America! Forgive us! Save us from the scourge which we have deserved. Teach us Thy Law, restrain our vices and immorality, encourage our due respect for life, virtue and religion, and move our wills to serve Thee. Merciful god, please spare America! Page 5

6 THE SAINT BRIDGET PRAYERS The 21 Promises of the St. Bridget Prayers For a long time, St. Bridget wanted to know the number of wounds Our Lord received during His Passion. He one day appeared to her and said, I received 5480 blows on My Body. If you wish to honor them in some way, say 15 Our Fathers and 15 Hail Marys with the following Prayers (which He taught her) for a whole year. When the year is up, you will have honored each one of My Wounds. Our Lord made the following promises to anyone who recited the 15 St. Bridget Prayers for a whole year: 1: I will deliver 15 souls of his lineage from Purgatory. 2: 15 souls of his lineage will be confirmed and preserved in Grace. 3: 15 sinners of his lineage will be converted. 4: Whoever recites these Prayers will attain the first degree of perfection. 5: 15 days before his death, I will give him My Precious Body in order that he may escape eternal starvation; I will give him My Precious Blood to drink lest he thirst eternally. 6: 15 days before his death he will feel a deep contrition for all his sins and will have a perfect knowledge of them. 7: I will place before him the Sign of My Victorious Cross for his help and defense against the attack of his enemies. 8: Before his death, I shall come with My Dearest Beloved Mother. 9: I shall graciously receive his soul and will lead it into Eternal Joys. 10: And having led it there I shall give him a special draught from the Fountain of My Deity, something I will not do for those who have not recited My Prayers. 11: Let it be known that whoever may have been living in a state of mortal sin for 30 years, but who will recite devoutly, or have the intention to recite these Prayers, The Lord will forgive him all his sins. 12: I shall protect him from strong temptations. 13: I shall preserve and guard his 5 senses. 14: I shall preserve him from a sudden death. 15: His soul will be delivered from eternal death. 16: He will obtain all he asks for from God and the Blessed Virgin. 17: If he has lived all his life doing his own will and he is to die the next day, his life will be prolonged. 18: Every time one recites these Prayers he gains 100 days indulgence. 19: He is assured of being joined to the Supreme Choir of Angels. 20: Whoever teaches these Prayers to another will have continuous joy and merit which will endure eternally. 21: Where these Prayers are being said or will be said in the future, God is present with His Grace. Page 6

7 First Prayer One Our Father...One Hail Mary. O Jesus Christ! Eternal Sweetness to those who love Thee. Joy surpassing all joy and all desire. Salvation and Hope of all sinners. Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desire than to be among men, even assuming human nature at the fullness of time for the love of men, recall all the sufferings Thou hast endured from the instant of Thy Conception and especially during Thy Passion, as it was decreed and ordained from all Eternity in the Divine Plan. Remember, O Lord, that during the Last Supper with Thy disciples, having washed their feet, Thou gavest them Thy Most Precious Body and Blood and while at the same time Thou didst sweetly console them, Thou didst foretell them Thy coming Passion. Remember the sadness and bitterness which Thou didst experience in Thy Soul as Thou Thyself bore witness saying, My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Remember the fear, anguish and pain that Thou didst suffer in Thy Delicate Body before the torment of the Crucifixion, when, after having prayed three times, bathed in a sweat of blood. Thou was betrayed by Judas, Thy disciple. Arrested by the people of a nation Thou had chosen and elevated. Accused by false witnesses. Unjustly judged by three judges during the Flower of Thy Youth and during the Solemn Paschal Season. Remember that Thou was despoiled of Thy Garments and clothed in those of derision. That Thy Face and Eyes were veiled. That Thou was buffeted, crowned with thorns and a reed placed in Thy Hands. That Thou was crushed with blows and overwhelmed with affronts and outrages. In memory of all these pains and sufferings which Thou didst endure before Thy Passion on the Cross, grant me before my death, true contrition, a sincere and entire confession worthy satisfaction and the remission of all my sins. Amen. Second Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! True Liberty of Angels, Paradise of Delights, remember the horror and sadness which Thou didst endure when Thy enemies, like furious lions, surrounded Thee and by thousands of insults, spits, blows, lacerations and other unheard of cruelties, tormented Thee at will. In consideration of these torments and insulting words, I beseech Thee, O My Savior, to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible and to bring me under Thy Protection to the perfection of Eternal Salvation. Amen. Third Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth. Whom nothing can encompass or limit. Thou who dost enfold and hold all under Thy Loving Power, remember the very bitter pain Thou didst suffer when the Jews nailed Thy Sacred Hands and Feet to the Cross by blow after blow with big blunt nails and not finding Thee in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their rage, they enlarged Thy Wounds and added pain to pain and with indescribable cruelty, stretched Thy Body on the Cross, pulled Thee from all sides thus dislocating Thy Limbs. I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most Loving Suffering of the Cross, to grant me the Grace to fear Thee and to love Thee. Amen. Page 7

8 Fourth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine. Remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that never was there pain like unto Thine. From the Crown of Thy Head to the Souls of Thy Feet, there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment and yet, forgetting all Thy Sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemies saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Through this Great Mercy and in memory of this suffering, grant that the remembrance of Thy Most Bitter Passion may effect in us, a perfect contrition and the remission of all our sins. Amen. Fifth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Mirror of Eternal Splendor, remember the sadness which Thou experienced when contemplating in the Light of Thy Divinity, the predestination of those who would be saved by the Merits of Thy Sacred Passion, Thou didst see at the same time, the great multitude of reprobates who would be damned for their sins and Thou didst complain bitterly of those hopeless lost and unfortunate sinners. Through this Abyss of Compassion and Pity, and especially through the Goodness which Thou displayed to the good thief when Thou didst say to him, This day, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise. I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wilt show me Mercy. Amen. Sixth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus. Beloved and Most Desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou was fastened and raised on the Cross. When all Thy friends abandoned Thee, except Thy Beloved Mother, who remained close to Thee during Thy Agony and whom Thou didst entrust to Thy faithful disciple when Thou said to Mary, Woman, behold thy son! and to St. John, Son, behold thy Mother! I beg of Thee, O My Savior, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of Thy Holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my trials and tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist me in all my trials, and especially at the hour of my death. Amen Seventh Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of Compassion. Who by a profound gesture of Love, said from the Cross, I thirst! Suffered from the thirst for the salvation of the human race. I beg of Thee, O My Savior, to inflame in our hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts and to extinguish in us the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardor of worldly desires. Amen. Page 8

9 Eighth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Sweetness of Hearts, Delight of The Spirit, by the bitterness of the vinegar and gall which Thou didst taste on the Cross for Love of us, grant us the grace to receive worthily, Thy Precious Body and Blood during our life and at the hour of our death, that They may serve as a remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen. Ninth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Royal Virtue, Joy of the Mind, recall the pain Thou didst endure when, plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of death, insulted, outraged by the Jews, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that Thou was abandoned by Thy Father, saying, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? Through this anguish, I beg of Thee, O My Savior, not to abandon me in the terrors and pains of my death. Amen. Tenth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue, remember that for our sakes, Thou was plunged in an abyss of suffering from the Soles of Thy Feet to the Crown of Thy Head. In consideration of the enormity of Thy Wounds, teach me to keep, through pure love, Thy Commandments, whose way is wide and easy for those who love Thee. Amen. Eleventh Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Deep Abyss of Mercy. I beg of Thee, in memory of Thy Wounds which penetrated to the very Marrow of Thy Bones and to the Depth of Thy Being, to draw me, a miserable sinner, overwhelmed by my offenses, away from sin and to hide me in Thy Wounds until Thy anger and just indignation shall have passed away. Amen. Twelfth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Mirror of Truth, Symbol of Unity, Link of Charity, remember the multitude of wounds with which Thou was covered from head to foot, torn and reddened by the spilling of Thy Adorable Blood. O Great and Universal Pain which Thou didst suffer in Thy Virginal Flesh for the love of us! Sweetest Jesus! What is there that Thou couldst have done for us that Thou hast not done?! May the Fruit of Thy Sufferings be renewed in my soul by the faithful remembrance of Thy Passion, and may Thy Love increase in my heart each day until I see Thee in Eternity. Thou who art the treasury of every real good and every joy, which I beg Thee to grant me, O Sweetest Jesus, in Heaven. Amen. Page 9

10 Thirteenth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Strong Lion, Immortal and Invincible King, remember the pain which Thou didst endure when all Thy Strength both moral and physical, was entirely exhausted, Thou didst bow Thy Head saying, It is consummated! Through this anguish and grief, I beg of Thee Lord Jesus, to have mercy on me at the hour of my death when my mind will be greatly troubled and my soul will be in anguish. Amen. Fourteenth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! Only Son of the Father, Splendor and Figure of His Substance, remember the simple and humble recommendation Thou didst make of Thy Soul to Thy Heavenly Father saying, Father, into Thy Hands, I commend My Spirit! And with Thy Body all torn, Thy Heart broken and the Bowels of Thy Mercy open to redeem us, Thou didst expire. By this Precious Death, I beg of Thee, O King of Saints, comfort me and help me to resist the devil, the flesh and the world, so that being dead to the world, I may live for Thee alone. I beg of Thee, at the hour of my death, to receive me, a pilgrim and an exile returning to Thee. Amen. Fifteenth Prayer Our Father...Hail Mary. O Jesus! True and Fruitful Vine, remember the abundant outpouring of Blood which Thou didst so generously shed from Thy Sacred Body as juice from grapes in a wine press. From Thy Side, pierced with a lance by a soldier, Blood and Water issued forth until there was not left in Thy Body a single drop and finally, like a bundle of myrrh, lifted to the top of the Cross, Thy Delicate Flesh was destroyed, the very Substance of Thy Body withered and the Marrow of Thy Bones dried up. Through this bitter Passion and through the outpouring of Thy Precious Blood, I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, to receive my soul when I am in my death agony. Amen. Conclusion O Sweet Jesus! Pierce my heart so that my tears of penitence will be my bread day and night. May I be converted entirely to Thee. May my heart be Thy perpetual habitation. May my conversation be pleasing to Thee and may the end of my life be so praiseworthy, that I may merit Heaven and there with Thy saints, praise Thee forever. Amen. Page 10

11 Prayer to St. Michael / Oratio ad Sanctum Michael St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in Battle; Be our protection against the malice and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke Him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who prowl about the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. Jesus Good Sheppard, NOVENA FOR PRIESTS You sent the Holy Spirit to guide Your Church and lead her faithful to you through the ministry of her priests. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, grant to your priests wisdom in leading, faithfulness in teaching, and holiness in guarding your sacred Mysteries. As they cry out with all the faithful, Abba, Father! may your priests be ever more closely identified with You in Your divine Sonship and offer their own lives with You, the one saving Victim. Make them helpful brothers of one another, and understanding fathers of all Your people. Renew in Your priests deeper faith, greater trust in You, childlike reliance on your Mother Mary, and unwavering fidelity to the Holy Father and his bishops. Holy Mary, intercede for your priests. St. Joseph, protect them. St. Michael, defend them. St. John Vianney, pray for them. The priesthood is the supreme particular calling to share in the name of Christ, a calling which confers the sublime possibility of speaking and acting in His name. Every time we receive the Eucharist, this possibility too becomes reality. We act in persona Christi when at that moment of the consecration, we say the words: This is my body which will be given up for you This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me. We do this precisely with deep humility and profound love. This exalted yet simple action of our daily mission as priests opens up humanity, so to speak, to its forth limits Pope John Paul II March 13, 19?? Page 11

12 How to Pray the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy (On ordinary rosary beads) (Diary, 476) Opening Prayer You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You! (three times). The Our Father Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. The Hail Mary Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The Apostles' Creed (Text from official approved translation. See Holy Saturday Liturgy in the Roman Missal.) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He arose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I 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. Amen. On the Large Bead before Each Decade: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. On the 10 Small Beads of Each Decade: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Concluding Doxology: (after five decades) Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world. (Three times) Closing Prayer Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless, and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us, and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments, we might not despair, nor become despondent, but with great confidence, submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy Itself. Amen. Page 12

13 Prayer for Priests often recited by St. Therese of Lisieux O Eternal Father, may our earth be impregnated by that ocean of love gushing forth from the opened side of Your Jesus that it may bring forth holy priests, priests who like John, the Beloved Disciple, will gather up the Precious Blood in their chalices on the altars. Send us priests who will give You to souls with that plenitude of love which the Apostle John received as a pledge of tenderness at the foot of the Cross. May your priests protect with jealous love Your Bride, the Church, just as St. John protected Mary, Your Mother, and took her unto his own. Instructed by this tender Mother of Sorrows on Calvary, may these priests watch over Your children with the exquisite tenderness and care of a Mother. May they lead souls on to intimate union with You through Mary who, as the Gate of Heaven, is the sole dispenser of the treasures hidden in your Adorable Heart. O Mary transfixed beneath the Cross by the sword which pierced the Heart of Your Divine Son, teach us how to please Jesus; let us run with you to His assistance when we hear His cry I thirst that cry which you heard at the foot of the Cross as He was expiring. Oh! Give us priests, on fire with zeal, true children of Mary, who will give Jesus to souls with the same tender care with which you carried the Infant Jesus of Bethlehem. Mother of Sorrows! Give us a generation of priests formed at your school and imbued with the tenderness of your virginal heart. Prayer for Vocations We turn to you, Lord, in trust! Son of God, sent by the Father to the men and women of every time and of every part of the earth! We call upon you through Mary, your Mother and ours: may the Church not lack in vocations, especially those dedicated in a special way to your kingdom. Jesus, only Savior of mankind! We pray to you for our brothers and sisters who have answered yes to your call to the priesthood, to the consecrated life and to the missions. May their lives be renewed day by day, to become a living Gospel. Merciful and holy Lord, continue to send new laborers into the harvest of your kingdom! Assist those whom you call to follow you in our day; contemplating your face, may they respond with joy to the wondrous mission that you entrust to them for the good of your People and of all men and women. - John Paul II from the Vatican, 12 November 2003 O Holy Spirit, Spirit of Wisdom and divine love, impart Your knowledge, understanding, and counsel to youth that they may know the vocation wherein they can best serve God. Give them courage and strength to follow God s holy will. Guide their uncertain steps, strengthen their resolutions, shield their chastity, fashion their minds, conquer their hearts, and lead them to the vineyards where they will labor in God s holy service. EWTN You who are God and live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. Page 13

14 Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary Litany of Loreto This litany to the Blessed Virgin Mary was composed during the Middle Ages. The place of honor it now holds in the life of the Church is due to its faithful use at the shrine of the Holy House at Loreto. It was definitely approved by Sixtus V in 1587, and all other Marian litanies were suppressed, at least for public use. Its titles and invocations set before us Mary's exalted privileges, her holiness of life, her amiability and power, her motherly spirit and queenly majesty. The principle that has been followed in their interpretation is the one enunciated by the same Pius IX: "God enriched her so wonderfully from the treasury of His divinity, far beyond all angels and saints with the abundance of all heavenly gifts, that she...should show forth such fullness of innocence and holiness, than which a greater under God is unthinkable and which, beside God, no one can even conceive in thought." Hence, whatever virtue and holiness is found in angels and saints must be present in Mary in an immeasurably higher degree. Reflection on the titles of the litany will unfold before us the grand picture of our heavenly Mother, even though we know only little about her life. We will also come to see why Mary's example, guidance, and help is the need of the hour. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us. Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us. Mother of Christ, pray for us. Mother of divine grace, pray for us. Mother most pure, pray for us. Mother most chaste, pray for us. Mother inviolate, pray for us. Mother undefiled, pray for us. Mother most amiable, pray for us. Mother most admirable, pray for us. Mother of good counsel, pray for us. Mother of our Creator, pray for us. Mother of our Savior, pray for us. Virgin most prudent, pray for us. Page 14

15 Virgin most venerable, pray for us. Virgin most renouned, pray for us. Virgin most powerful, pray for us. Virgin most merciful, pray for us. Virgin most faithful, pray for us. Mirror of justice, pray for us. Seat of wisdom, pray for us. Cause of our joy, pray for us. Spiritual vessel, pray for us. Vessel of honor, pray for us. Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us. Mystical rose, pray for us. Tower of David, pray for us. Tower of ivory, pray for us. House of gold, pray for us. Ark of the covenant, pray for us. Gate of heaven, pray for us. Morning star, pray for us. Health of the sick, pray for us. Refuge of sinners, pray for us. Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us. Help of Christians, pray for us. Queen of Angels, pray for us. Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us. Queen of Prophets, pray for us. Queen of Apostles, pray for us. Queen of Martyrs, pray for us. Queen of Confessors, pray for us. Queen of Virgins, pray for us. Queen of all Saints, pray for us. Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us. Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us. Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us. Queen of Peace, pray for us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us O Lord Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. LET US PRAY Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto us Thy servants, that we may rejoice in continual health of mind and body; and, by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness, and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Page 15

16 Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God, the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us. God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, formed in the womb of the Virgin Mother by the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, united substantially with the word of God, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Divinity, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, rich to all who invoke Thee, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, saturated with revilings, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, crushed for our iniquities, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, made obedient unto death, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us. Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord, Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart. R. Make our hearts like unto Thine. Page 16

17 Let us pray Almighty and everlasting God, look upon the Heart of Thy well-beloved Son and upon the acts of praise and satisfaction which He renders unto Thee in the name of sinners; and do Thou, in Thy great goodness, grant pardon to them who seek Thy mercy, in the name of the same Son, Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, world without end. Amen. Page 17

18 Stations of the Cross for the Victims of Abortion By Rev. Cletus Healy, S.J. Foreward Let all be convinced that human life and its transmission are realities whose meaning is not limited by the horizons of this life only; their true evaluation and full meaning can only be understood in reference to man s eternal destiny. Gaudium et spes, n. 51. Reflection on this passage from the decree of Vatican II on The Church in the Modern World, puts the abortion issue in proper perspective. We are dealing heat with eternal realities. Once called into being, each human being is destined for eternity. Abortion at any stage deprives a little human being of all opportunity, even of the opportunity of baptism. We know that God wishes all men to be saved (I Tim 2:4). We can hope and pray that, some way, He who loves these little divine images more than anyone else, has an unrevealed dispensation by which these little ones, may some way achieve an eternal beatific destiny. But the infants are not the only tragedies in this world-wide drama. Innumerable mothers, who, regardless of any other progeny, will always remain such, are fortunately haunted by the realization of the awfulness of their sin. Fortunate, for their pain can lead to repentance. Tormented though they are, they need to realize that God is infinitely merciful and loves them with an everlasting love. Lack of repentance is the only thing that stands between them and forgiveness and His loving embrace. To take this gigantic, trustful step, they need our prayers. Other actors in the tragedy, the fathers, other relatives who misled, misguided, or even pressured the mother, are also in need of conversion and repentance, as are, of course, the professionals who, for mercenary or even ideological considerations, actively participate in the misfortune. They all need our prayers. Politics or amendments to the Constitution may help, but they won t solve the problem. Our country and the whole world will ultimately get the government it deserves. We need a national change of heart. In fact, we need Christ! Legal protections for the unborn and for the long-ago born without that change of heart will either prove inadequate or are in danger of being completely dismantled. It was not an innocent people who accepted Roe vs. Wade without vigorous protest. May our prayerful association with Christ, the Incarnate Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, in His Sacred Passion help us all to grow in appreciation of the awfulness of sin, which required such an atonement. May it help us realize His great love for sinners, all of us. May it inspire us to pray for the victims of abortion, and in a special way for the perpetrators who, unrepentant, remain the primary victims. Inspired by our association with Christ in His Sacred Passion, may we through our prayers overcome this evil afflicting our Nation and the culture of death that burdens us. With God s grace may we eliminate this serious obstacle to the culture of life and to the coming of the Civilization of Love to which followers of Christ are called to contribute. Page 18

19 Prayer Before the Way of the Cross In profound humility I adore You, my Lord and my God. I believe in You, I hope in You, and I love You above all things. I am heartily sorry that I have ever offended You, great and lovable above all beings. I will make this Way of the Cross for Your greater glory and for the salvation of souls. First Station Jesus is Condemned to death We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: See our innocent Savior standing before His worldly judge. Pilate knows that Jesus is innocent. He even knows that Jesus stands accused before him only because of the envy of the hypocritical scribes, Pharisees, and other religious leaders of the Jews. Be he tries to act as though it were not so! He tries to compromise with the truth. He seeks peace at the price of injustice. He finds only enduring wretchedness and anguish of the soul. PRAYER: My innocent Jesus, often, rather than offend men, I have forsaken You. And yet, in spite of this, You have taken upon Yourself the sentence of death that You might be restored to life. My God and my Savior! As long as I try to please men I am in danger of forsaking You. Give me the grace and the courage to be willing to displease men, even the entire world, rather than to offend You. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. second Station Jesus receives his cross We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: When Jesus sees the Holy Cross, willingly, eagerly He embraces it. For those who give it to Him the Cross is an instrument of torture, but for Him it is an instrument of my salvation. Page 19

20 It is by enduring the Cross that He is able at last, once and for all, to atone to His Heavenly Father for the sins of the centuries, for my sins. Therefore, He embraces it eagerly. PRAYER: O Jesus, by bearing Your Cross You atoned for my sins and gained the graces necessary for my salvation. And it is by bearing my cross after You that I can best make sure that the sacrifices You made for me were not in vain. Whatever little worry, or trouble, or trial, or responsibility You will send me, I shall bear each generously for love of You, Who bore Your Cross so generously for love of me. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on the little ones who this very day must receive the cross of rejection and pain in the secrecy of their own mother s womb. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. third Station Jesus falls the first time We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Although weakened by the loss of blood and broken hearted because of my infidelities, Jesus strains to bear the heavy weight of my sins. But they are too much for Him! With His unaided human strength, and unaided human strength is all He permits Himself to use, He is simply unable to bear up under the oppressive burden. He stumbles and falls. But, impelled by love for me, He strains to rise again and carry on. However much I deserve to be forsaken, He will not forsake me. PRAYER: My Jesus, if ever I should have the misfortune of falling into sin again, I shall take courage from Your example. I promise, with the help of Your grace to rise again and to follow faithfully Your footsteps, even if they do lead to Calvary. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on mothers who, overcome with confusion and anxiety, have caved in to the temptation to try to solve their problems by secretly destroying their own baby, that they may have the grace of Page 20

21 conversion and repentance, and reverse their decision. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. fourth Station Jesus meets his blessed mother We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Imagine Mary, Mother of Sorrows, meeting her beloved Son carrying the Cross. Think of the deep sorrow that fills her heart. She wished to die either for Jesus or together with Him. But her cross was to live! It was by sharing so intimately in the Passion of her Divine Son that she brought me forth into supernatural life and merited to be called my mother. As a worthy child of so glorious a Mother, I must strive in her great and intense sorrow that I might not only console her, but also by suffering with her, learn to hate sin which caused her such great anguish. PRAYER: O Mary, my Mother, by the merits of your intense grief, obtain for me the great grace of realizing that God chastises those He loves. Following your graceful example, let me be reconciled to the fact that suffering and sorrow and the cross must be my lot in this valley of tears. In your motherly solicitude, strengthen me that I might bear my cross well, as He would have me. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on all pregnant mothers who are overwhelmed by anxieties over their pregnancy; may they, through the example and prayers of our Blessed Mother, have the grace and courage to accept crucifixion with their baby rather than try to escape the cross by aborting their baby. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. fifth Station Simon of cyrene helps jesus carry the cross Page 21

22 We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Simon of Cyrene is compelled to help Jesus carry the Cross. How he recoiled at the embarrassment of helping a condemned criminal! How he preferred, as I often prefer, to carry the cross of his own choice instead of the cross Jesus would have him bear. Let me be ashamed that, like Simon, I so frequently carry the cross only on compulsion, that I so reluctantly help Jesus bear the heavy burden of atonement for sins. PRAYER: My Jesus, whoever does not carry the Cross and follow You is not worthy of You. I will help You carry the Cross; I will be Your companion. Do help me realize, as St. Paul realized, the great privilege I have in being able to make up in my body what is lacking in Your sufferings for the salvation of souls, that I am able, by carrying the Cross with You, to share in Your work of saving souls. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on all pregnant mothers who are overwhelmed by anxieties over their pregnancy; may they, through the example and prayers of our Blessed Mother, have the grace and courage to accept crucifixion with their baby rather than try to escape the cross by aborting their baby. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. sixth Station veronica wipes the face of Jesus We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Veronica, out of devotion and compassion for Jesus, approaches Him and wipes His blood-stained countenance with a cloth. Brave woman! Long ago she had learned the vanity of human praise and emptiness of human contempt. Scorning the jeering multitude, she befriends the friendless Jesus and offers Him her comfort and sympathy. Jesus imprints on her veil the image of His Holy Face. A little service brings a great reward. God will not be outdone in generosity. PRAYER: O Jesus, grant me the courage to befriend You in the company of the scornful. Let me learn from those who ridiculed and condemned You the insignificance of human contempt. Give me the Page 22

23 courage to stand alone, if need be, in witness to what is true and in defense of what is right. Let me fear only Your adverse judgment. Behold I offer You my heart; seal it as Your very own. Imprint upon it the image of Your countenance, and may that image never be effaced there from. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on the many women who, dreading the loss of reputation their pregnancy brings, are tempted to avoid the embarrassment by aborting their babies. May they valiantly resist the temptation and refuse to mar the image of God they bear in their womb. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. seventh Station jesus falls the second time We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Again, weakened by suffering and overcome by fatigue, Jesus falls. Though utterly exhausted, He will not give up. He will not surrender to death until atonement is made and my salvation is accomplished. PRAYER: O Jesus, help me bear with perseverance and ever greater generosity the cross of fidelity to Your commandments and of docility to Your inspirations. But if I should ever again have the misfortune of sinning, let me, encouraged by the example of Your zeal to atone, have the honesty to acknowledge my guilt, the humility to confess my failure, the courage to atone for my sin, and the strength to rise again. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on all those guilty of second abortion, that they might not only come to an acute realization of the awfulness of their sin but also to a firm conviction of the infinite mercy of God and of His love for the repentant sinner. Have mercy on them. Page 23

24 May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. eighth Station jesus meets the women of jerusalem We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: The pious women of Jerusalem weep for our suffering Savior. He turns to them and says, Weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. Compassion is good and we should compassionate Our Lord, but He wishes us to understand that it is better to be sorry for our sins. He also wants us to realize that we, too, might be asked to bear such sufferings as His. We must be prepared for it. PRAYER: O Jesus, grant me, like the women of Jerusalem, a compassionate heart, a heart ever sensitive to the sufferings of others and ever eager to help them in their trials. Grant me especially a heart acutely sensitive to the malice of sin. But also, dear Lord, help me to realize that I, like You, may be required to bear my cross down the gauntlet of ridicule and scorn. Please strengthen me for any trials You have in store for me. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on all lonely mothers who having been deceived into aborting their baby are now abandoned to bear alone the burden of a tortured conscience, may they realize that in spite of their sin they are still objects of God s overwhelming and merciful love. With tears of repentance may they quickly return to their Father s loving embrace. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. ninth Station jesus falls the third time We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Page 24

25 Because by you Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: As Jesus approaches Calvary, He falls again, the third time. I must realize how very real was the suffering, the heartache, the fatigue of my beloved Savior; and therefore, how great and how genuine was His love for me in bearing the Cross. From this third fall I must realize especially that, regardless of how many times I fall, I must acknowledge my failure, repent of my fault, and rise again. PRAYER: O Jesus, grant me the grace of immunity from despair. Imprint indelibly on my soul the realization of Your great love for me and of Your infinite patience and forgiveness. Instill in me a firm determination never to allow unrepented sins to keep me from you. Make me firm in my resolve ever to be honest in admitting my guilt; make me ever ready to endure any embarrassment, to tolerate any consequences, rather than rail to confess and atone for my sins. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on the professional abortionists, the mothers who have had multiple abortions, the abortionists and their assistants. With a keen realization of the awfulness of their sin, may they, with sincere repentance, strive to atone for their sin by helping others avoid the trap they have fallen into. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. tenth Station jesus is stripped of his garments We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Behold our Blessed Savior as He is stripped of His garments. Even in His Sacred Passion He teaches me detachment from things of this world. He divests Himself of the last vestiges of the things of this world, His own garments. He reminds me that in my final agony I must relinquish all, that nothing on earth can serve as my support. Riches, honors, reputation, are of no avail. Even friends must pass me by, helpless to come to my aid. I must, therefore, seek above all, the kingdom of God and His friendship. With these I am rich and secure; with anything else, I am poor and wretched. PRAYER: O Jesus, let me, like You, be detached from the things of this world. Help me to realize that Page 25

26 things of this earth can never bring me final happiness, nor ever support me in my critical trials. Grant me the grace to see that attachment of things that cannot bring happiness is not wisdom, that dependence on things that cannot save is folly. Grant me the grace of being poor in spirit; that I might have one consuming ambition: to amass merit in Heaven; and that I might have one consuming passion: to do always Your Holy Will. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on those who are at this hour being prepared for an abortion. With a keen awareness of the sin they are about to commit, may they, even at this last moment, have the grace and courage to reverse their decision, and spare their child. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. eleventh Station jesus is nailed to the cross We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Contemplate our Divine Savior as He suffers the pain of being nailed to the cross. By His anguish He atones for our sins of sensuality. Hear the dull thud of the hammer. Feel the piercing pain as each blow strikes. How intolerable is the aching agony that follows as each hand and each foot is fastened to the Cross. Reflect on the fact that this is my Savior; and that He endures all this for my sins of self-indulgence. By His anguish He atones for my repeated folly of seeking happiness where it cannot be found, in forbidden pleasures of sense. PRAYER: O Jesus, my Savior, by the merits You gained for me by Your Sacred Passion, grant me an abiding realization that genuine happiness does not consist in pleasures of the senses. Make me vigilant in guarding against the approaches of sin, whether its attraction springs from the lure of passion or a deceit of Satan. Make me prompt and generous in my determination to resist all temptations. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on the little ones who, this day, are being nailed to their cross of pain in their mother s Page 26

27 womb. Some way, in God s Divine Providence, may their pain, united with that of Christ, effect not only their own redemption, but gain the grace of repentance for those who inflict this pain upon them. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. twelfth Station jesus dies on the cross We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Contemplate our Divine Savior as He hangs for three agonizing hours upon the Cross. This is He in whom the Father is well pleased. And yet how abandoned, how forsaken is He. He is paying the price of sin, rejection by God. His whole body is racked with pain. His sacred features are distorted with anguish. He is overwhelmed with weakness. His Sacred Heart is utterly broken with grief. With His own unaided human powers, He forces Himself to bear the agony of approaching death, and this without consolation, with nothing but loneliness as His companion. Finally, obedient unto death, when His Heavenly Father would have Him do so, He dismisses His weary Soul. He dies that I might have life. PRAYER: O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, wounded that I might be healed, even today You still make of Yourself a victim of Love upon our altars. What do You desire and what do You seek but victims to continue in them Your sacrifice? Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary and in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, accept my sacrifices in atonement for sin and for the salvation of souls. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on all those mothers, fathers, abortionists and staff who have committed abortions. May they all have the honesty and the integrity to admit the awfulness of their sin, the grace to repent, and the determination to atone by helping others avoid the fatal folly they have been made guilty. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. Page 27

28 thirteenth Station jesus is taken down from the cross We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Only after He is dead does our Divine Savior condescend to come down from the cross. He wished to give me an example and to teach me a lesson. Although desolation still envelopes the land, although failure seems to fill the air, His life has been a tremendous success. Things are not what they seem. With God, failures are often successes; and successes, failures. The folly of fidelity to God is the highest wisdom. His Passion is over; mine is yet to be endured. He wants me to realize that although God may at times appear to abandon me, He does not. Although my cross may at times seem unbearable, it is not. Although all may at times seem to be lost, the victory is really won. He won it. My only possible failure is to fail to persevere in bearing my cross as He would have me bear it. PRAYER: O Holy Mary, Mother of God and my Mother, teach me to follow your example of fidelity and fortitude. As you mothered me, giving me life, as you have so solicitously cared for me throughout all the days of my life, do now in your motherly solicitude continue to care for me. Teach me to bear my cross generously as a child of yours should; and do comfort and strengthen me in the hours of my greatest trials, especially at the hour of my death. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on all those who, guilty of the sin of abortion, are tempted to despair of ever being forgiven. May they come to a keen realization that the atonement of the crucified Son of God is so great that ONLY their refusal to confess their sin and repent their fault can render them unqualified for their Savior s loving embrace. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. fourteenth Station jesus is laid in the sepulcher We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You; Page 28

29 Because by your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. REFLECTION: Contemplate our Divine Savior as He is laid in the sepulcher. How proper it was that He should have so suffered and thus should have entered into His glory. And how proper it is, if I am to reign with Him, that I too should follow His bloody footsteps, that my entire life should be a life of atonement for sin and pleas for grace, that I should make up in my body for sufferings that are wanting to His for the salvation of souls! PRAYER: O Christ Jesus, I acknowledge You King of the Universe. All that has been created has been made for You. Exercise upon me all Your rights. I renew my baptismal promises renouncing Satan and all his works and pomps. I promise to live a good Christian life and to do all in my power to procure the triumph of the rights of God and Your church. Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You my poor actions in order to obtain that all hearts may acknowledge Your Sacred Royalty and that thus the reign of Your peace may be established throughout the universe. Amen. Have mercy on us, O Lord. Have mercy on us. And have mercy on all those supporting the abortion industry; the abortionists, politicians, lawyers, journalists, and ordinary citizens, that they might have the grace to realize the awfulness of the sin they promote, repent their fault, and do what they can to stop abortion, in our country and in the whole world. Have mercy on them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. Closing Prayer Look down with favor, O Lord, we beseech You, on this, Your assembly, for which Our Lord Jesus Christ did not hesitate to be delivered into the hands of wicked men and suffer the torment of the cross; Who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen. Copyright 1995 The Truth, Inc., All rights reserved. Page 29

30 AN AMERICAN PRAYER TO MARY O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, at this most critical time, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care. Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim this land for the glory of your Son. Overwhelmed with the burden of the sins of our nation, we cry to you from the depths of our hearts and seek refuge in your motherly protection. Look down with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people. Open our minds to the great worth of human life and to the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Free us from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion and threaten the sanctity of family life. Grant our country the wisdom to proclaim that God s law is the foundation on which this nation was founded, and that He alone is the True Source of our cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. O Merciful Mother, give us the courage to reject the culture of death and the strength to build a new Culture of Life. Page 30

31 Prayer to End Abortion Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life, And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the Resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part in ending abortion. Today I commit myself Never to be silent, Never to be passive, Never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, And never to stop defending life Until all my brothers and sisters are protected, And our nation once again becomes A nation with liberty and justice Not just for some, but for all, Through Christ our Lord. Amen! Fr. Frank Pavone National Director, Priests for Life Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe to End Abortion Rosary Crusade Under the Banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe For the Defeat of Abortion O Blessed Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of Mercy, unworthy though we are, we beseech you to hear our prayers of mercy for and end of all abortion throughout the world and especially in America in accordance with God s Will. Beloved Queen and Mother, bring to all true peace which comes from your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Page 31

32 EUCHARISTIC EXPOSITION AND BENEDICTION Exposition While the celebrant is bringing the Eucharist to the altar the following or other suitable hymn may be sung by the congregation. O saving Victim, open wide The gate of heaven to us below. Our foes press on from every side; Your aid supply, your strength bestow. To your great name be endless praise, Immortal Godhead, One in Three; O grant us endless length of days In our true native land to be. Amen. O salutatis Hostia Quae caeli pandis ostium; Bella premunt hostilla, Da robur, fer auxillium. Uni trinoque Domino Sit sempiterna gloria, Qui vitam sine termino Nobis donet in patria. Amen. Adoration During this period there should be appropriate prayers, songs, readings from scripture, and a brief homily to help the congregation focus its attention to the worship of the Lord. It is important to remember that the Eucharist is the "Real Presence" of Jesus Christ. Benediction After a period of meditation and reflection the celebrant goes to the altar, genuflects, and kneels. The following or another suitable Eucharistic hymn is sung. Down in adoration falling, This great Sacrament we hail; Over ancient forms of worship Newer rites of grace prevail; Faith will tell us Christ is present, When our human senses fail. To the everlasting Father, And the Son who made us free, And the Spirit, God proceeding From them Each eternally, Be salvation, honor, blessing, Might and endless majesty. Amen. Tantum ergo Sacramentum Veneremur cernul, Et antiquum documentum Novo cedat ritul; Praestet fides supplementum Sensuum defectful. Genitori Gentioque Laus et jubilatio, Salus, honor, virtus quoque Sit et benedictio; Procedenti ab utroque Compar sit laudatio. Amen. Priest/Deacon: You have given them Bread from heaven (P.T. Alleluia) ALL: Having all sweetness with it (P.T. Alleluia) Priest/Deacon: Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the memorial of your suffering and death. May our worship of this sacrament of your body and blood, help us to experience the salvation won for us and the peace of the kingdom, where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. ALL: Amen. Page 32

33 The celebrant will then bless all present with the Eucharist. Reposition When the priest or deacon has blessed everyone he then replaces the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle and genuflects. The following acclamation may be said at this time. This acclamation is called the Divine Praises. Blessed be God. Blessed be his holy name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man. Blessed be the name of Jesus. Blessed be his most Sacred Heart. Blessed be his most Precious Blood. Blessed be Jesus in the most holy sacrament of the altar. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her glorious Assumption. Blessed be the name of Mary, virgin and Mother. Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints. Amen. As the celebrant is leaving the following or another suitable hymn may be sung. Holy God, we praise thy name; Lord of all, we bow before thee; All on earth thy scepter claim; All in heaven above adore thee. Infinite thy vast domain, Everlasting is thy reign! Hark, the loud celestial hymn; Angel choirs above are raising; Cherubim and Seraphim, In unceasing chorus praising, Fill the heavens with sweet accord: Holy, holy, holy, Lord! Page 33

34 Four Pillar Prayer O God, our Creator, all LIFE is in your hands from conception until natural death. You alone are the giver and the taker of life. We pray for an end to all actions against life. Blessed Mother, please intercede for us and help us to cherish our children and all life, and to reverence the awesome privilege of our share in creation as you did so perfectly. Father, please bless marriages in warmth and strength and give couples the grace to combat any difficulties they face. Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Your Mother, help us to preserve the sanctity of MARRIAGE according to God s plan as a permanent covenant between one man and one woman committed to each other for life, that is chaste and open to life. Jesus, You have declared that what therefore God has joined together let nobody or anything separate. Dear Jesus, Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, you showed us the perfect example of a holy family. We pray for loving and holy FAMILIES, little domestic Churches, which are wholesome environments for the nurturing of fruitful religious vocations and the establishment of other holy families. O Jesus, Good Shepherd, give us holy PRIESTS and RELIGIOUS. O Holy Spirit, increase faith, hope, and charity in them. Help them to grow in the four cardinal virtues, Your seven gifts, and Your twelve fruits. Consecrate them in the Truth, give them a zeal for souls, a spirit of sacrifice and a love for the cross. May they be faithful to their vows and to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Finally, increase VOCATIONS to the priesthood and religious life, laborers for Your harvest. We offer to you these intentions as an act of Merciful Love, and we thank you Jesus, who lives and reigns in heaven together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. AMEN. Holy Mary, intercede for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. Nancy E. Martin October 15, 2005 Page 34

35 Vigil of Love Prayer V. Dear God, we abandon ourselves to you with LOVE as our motive. We offer these intentions for Life, Marriage, Family, and Priests/Religious with LOVE as our motive. We offer this sacrifice of participating in this Vigil as an act of Merciful Love to you. For the very existence of this Vigil and other Vigils of Love, we offer as an act of Merciful Love to you O Lord. For we know that to Love is the greatest weapon of all, and actions done out of Love for our God elevates those actions to such a higher degree and offers a great force to combat the great evils of our day. Dearest Jesus, you were the Victim of Love on the cross which brought about the Redemption of mankind. You continue to be a Victim of Love everyday during the holy sacrifice of the Mass. We, therefore, imitate your acts of LOVE with our oblation of Love to you, Our Lord. However, since our oblation is tarnished by our sinfulness, we don t lose confidence in our offering as we have recourse to Our Lady, and ask her to purify this offering and make it pleasing and acceptable to you. R. All for Thee, my Lord. We Love you, Our Father. Amen. Nancy E. Martin October 24, 2005 Page 35

36 THE HOLY ROSARY 1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the "Apostles' Creed." 2. Say the "Our Father." 3. Say three "Hail Marys." 4. Say the "Glory be to the Father." 5. Announce the First Mystery; then say the "Our Father." 6. Say ten "Hail Marys," while meditating on the Mystery. 7. Say the "Glory be to the Father." 8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the "Our Father." Repeat 6 and 7 and continue with Third, Fourth and Fifth Mysteries in the same manner. The Apostles' Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I 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. Amen. Our Father Our father, who art in heaven; hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen. Hail Mary Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Page 36

37 Glory be to the Father Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. After the Rosary: HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. O GOD, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. After each decade say the following prayer requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima: "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy." As suggested by the Holy Father the Joyful mysteries are said on Monday and Saturday, the Luminous on Thursday, the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, and the Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday (with this exception: Sundays of Christmas season - The Joyful; Sundays of Lent - Sorrowful) The First Joyful Mystery THE ANNUNCIATION Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. (Luke 1:26-38) Spiritual Fruit: Humility Page 37

38 The Second Joyful Mystery THE VISITATION When Elizabeth heard Mary s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. (Luke 1:39-45) Spiritual Fruit: Love of Neighbor The Third Joyful Mystery THE NATIVITY The time came for her to have a child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7) Spiritual Fruit: Poverty of Spirit The Fourth Joyful Mystery THE PRESENTATION Simeon took the child in his arms and said, Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all the peoples. (Luke 2:22-38) Spiritual Fruit: Purity of mind and body Page 38

39 The Fifth Joyful Mystery THE FINDING OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE When his parents saw him, they were astonished. And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father s house? (Luke 2:41-51) Spiritual Fruit: Obedience The First Luminous Mystery THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD After Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. And a voice came from heaven. You are my beloved son; with whom I am well pleased. (Mathew 3:13-17) Spiritual Fruit: Gratitude for the gift of Faith The Second Luminous Mystery THE WEDDING OF CANA When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. Jesus did this first of his signs in Cana of Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him. (John 2:1-12) Spiritual Fruit: Fidelity Page 39

40 The Third Luminous Mystery THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every illness and every disease. Jesus sent them out to make this proclamation, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 10:1-15) Spiritual Fruit: Desire for Holiness The Fourth Luminous Mystery THE TRANSFIGURATION Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. (Matthew 17:1-8) Spiritual Fruit: Spiritual Courage The Fifth Luminous Mystery THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, Take and eat. This is my body. Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, This is my blood. (Matthew 26:26-29) Spiritual Fruit: Love of our Eucharistic Lord Page 40

41 . The First Sorrowful Mystery THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN Then he said to them, My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Remain here and keep watch with me. My father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will. (Matthew 26:36-46) Spiritual Fruit: God's Will be done The Second Sorrowful Mystery THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. (John 19:1) Spiritual Fruit: Mortification of the senses The Third Sorrowful Mystery THE CROWNING WITH THORNS Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying Hail, King of the Jews! (Matthew 27:27-31) Spiritual Fruit: Reign of Christ in our heart Page 41

42 The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and handed Jesus over to be crucified. (Mark 15:6-15) Spiritual Fruit: Patient bearing of trials The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery THE CRUCIFIXION Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Father, into your hands I commend my spirit ; and when he had said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23:44-47) Spiritual Fruit: Pardoning of Injuries The First Glorious Mystery THE RESURRECTION Then the angel said to the women, Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. (Matthew 28:1-10) Spiritual Fruit: Faith Page 42

43 The Second Glorious Mystery THE ASCENSION When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. (Acts 1:6-12) Spiritual Fruit: Christian Hope The Third Glorious Mystery THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each of them. (Acts 2:1-6) Spiritual Fruit: Gifts of the Holy Spirit The Fourth Glorious Mystery THE ASSUMPTION May you be blessed, my daughter, by God most high, beyond all women on earth; and may the Lord God be blessed, the creator of heaven and earth. (Judith 13:18) Spiritual Fruit: To Jesus through Mary Page 43

44 The Fifth Glorious Mystery THE CORONATION A great sign appeared in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Revelation 12:1) Spiritual Fruit: Grace of Final Perseverance Page 44