Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Monthly Prayers & Prayer Request for March

Please Submit Your Prayer Request The Saint Michael Center will receive your prayer request. Please be assured that your intentions have been presented in confidence into the hands of a Holy Priest and that they will be directly offered in Holy Mass, the highest and most sublime of all prayers, united with our prayers for you at the Saint Michael Center. May The LORD bless thee, and keep thee safe and healthy May The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The LORD lift up His Countenance upon thee, and grant thee His peace prayer request The Miracle Prayer Lord Jesus, l come before You, just as I am. I am sorry for my sins, I repent of my sins, please forgive me In Your name, I forgive all others for what they have done against me. I renounce Satan, the evil spirits and all their works. l give You my entire self. Lord Jesus, now and forever, I invite You into my life Jesus, I accept You as my Lord, God and Saviour. Heal me, change me, strengthen me in body, soul and spirit. Come Lord Jesus cover me with Your precious blood, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit, I love You Lord Jesus. I praise You Jesus. I thank You Jesus. I shall follow You every day of my life. Amen. SAY “THE MIRACLE PRAYER” ! BELIEVE IN MIRACLES. GOD LOVES YOU !

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March Month Prayers

March 1st

Saint David of Wales

Collect for Saint David of Wales

Almighty God, you called your servant David to be a faithful and wise steward of your mysteries for the people of Wales: Mercifully grant that, following his purity of life and zeal for the Gospel of Christ, we may with him receive our heavenly reward; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy spirit, God, forever and ever.
Amen.

A prayer for Saint David’s Day

Almighty God, on this special day for the people of Wales,
we remember Saint David, your servant.
We give thanks for his passion for the Gospel
which helped to spread Christianity;
We give thanks for his purity and simplicity of life
which enabled his pursuit of Christian perfection;
We give thanks for his gentleness, but clear spiritual leadership.
Grant that we may learn from him
and respond to the words that are thought to be his last:
‘Be steadfast, and do the little things’;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

PRAYER TO ST DAVID

God our Father,
you gave the bishop David to the Welsh Church
to uphold the faith
and to be an example of Christian perfection.
In this changing world may he help us to hold fast to the values
which bring eternal life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

NOVENA TO SAINT DAVID OF WALES.

Blessed David, you are an apostle
and patron for the people of Wales.
Grant, I implore, that through your prayers,
your people will be enlightened
by the truth which you taught,
and they will obtain everlasting life.
Heavenly Father,
you know all things,
and nothing is hidden from you;
in your kindness come to my aid in my present distress,
and grant this my humble petition:
(Mention your need here…)
In Jesus’s name, I beg your help but may God’s will be done.
Amen.
Say 1 Our Father…
Say 1 Hail Mary…
Say 1 Glory Be…
St David of Wales, Pray for us.

Prayer for the Church

O God, who graciously bestowed on your
Bishop Saint David of Wales
the virtue of wisdom and the gift of eloquence,
and made him an example of prayer and pastoral zeal;
grant that, through his intercession,
your Church may ever prosper and render you joyful praise.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, who called your servant David
to be a faithful and wise steward of your mysteries
for the people of Wales: Mercifully grant that,
following his purity of life and zeal for the Gospel of Christ,
we may, with him, praise you both here on earth
and also, in your everlasting kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

ST DAVID, BISHOP, PATRON OF WALES

O God, who graciously bestowed on your
Bishop Saint David of Wales
the virtue of wisdom and the gift of eloquence,
and made him an example of prayer and pastoral zeal;
grant that, through his intercession,
your Church may ever prosper and render you joyful praise.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer

Saint David,
You chose to live a simple life, and helped others whose lives were
simple not through choice but circumstances. Pray that I may consider
my choices and live more simply in order to make a big difference to
others.
Show me the way to make small tasks occasions of prayer. Kindle in me
a love of God so that in everything I do, I will keep that spirit of prayer.
Amen.

March 3rd

Saint Katharine Drexel

Saint Katharine Drexel Novena

OPENING PRAYER

Ever loving God, you called Saint Katharine Drexel to teach the message of the Gospel and to bring the life of the Eucharist to the Black and Native American peoples. By her prayers and example, enable us to work for justice among the poor and oppressed. Draw us all into the Eucharistic community of your Church, that we may be one in you. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
One Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be

CLOSING PRAYER

I wish to be one who conscientiously takes part in the unfolding of God’s plans, and eventually have a glorious part in the final unfolding of time into the glory of God’s Kingdom in heaven. If we are disciples (of Jesus) we shall be happy to spend ourselves and be spent for the salvation of souls.
St. Katharine Drexel, pray for us.
Day One: EUCHARIST
The Eucharist is a never-ending sacrifice. It is the Sacrament of love, the supreme love, the act of love. Help me each moment today and always to communicate myself to You by doing Your will.
St. Katharine Drexel, lover of the Eucharist, pray for us.
Day Two: EVANGELIZATION
I looked up in wonder at God’s wonderful ways and thought how little we imagine what may be the result of listening and acting on a desire He puts into the heart. Nourish before Him great desires… May our desire be to bring Him hearts, for all are His by right, having been purchased by every drop of His blood. – St. Katharine Drexel Brief pause for reflection Brief pause for reflection.
St. Katharine Drexel, model for those who evangelize, pray for us.
Day Three: PEACE
Peacefully do at each moment what at that moment ought to be done. If we do what each moment requires, we will eventually complete God’s plan, whatever it is. We can trust God to take care of the master plan when we take care of the details.
St. Katharine Drexel, steadfast in trust, pray for us.
Day Four: SERVANT OF THE POOR
Kindness is the natural fruit of goodness of heart. He (Jesus) loved every human being as the image of God … and so all that came within range of His benevolence were treated kindly for God’s sake and their own.
St. Katharine Drexel, lover of the poor, pray for us.
Day Five: SUFFERING OF CHRIST
Often in my desire to work for others I find my hands tied, something hinders my charitable designs, some hostile influence renders me powerless. My prayers seem to avail nothing, my kind acts are rejected, I seem to do the wrong thing when I am trying to do my best. In such cases I must not grieve. I am only treading in my Master’s steps.
St. Katharine Drexel, follower of the suffering Christ, pray for us.
Day Six: THE CROSS
(Christ) may be leading me out to a cross. If so, I can have no hesitation about following Him! I must follow Him closely, so that … I shall be near Him, my Good Shepherd, Who will help me to carry it, for He still bears His Cross in each one of His children.
St. Katharine Drexel, bearer of the cross, pray for us.
Day Seven: DEVOTION TO MARY
Teach me, O my dear Mother, the lesson of sacrifice. Help me, Mother, to take from the hands of Jesus, in the spirit of humble love, devotion to my daily crosses.
St. Katharine Drexel, daughter of Mary, pray for us.
Day Eight: BUILDING FOR ETERNITY
Out of our common todays and yesterday’s we are building for eternity. No thought, no work of ours ever dies. We shall meet them all again, and in the world to come shall find our gathered harvest.
St. Katharine Drexel, woman of vision, pray for us.
Day Nine: PRAYER AND WORK
The active life to be productive must have contemplation. When it (contemplation) gets to a certain height it overflows to active life and gets help and strength from the heart of God. This is the way the saints produced so much fruit, and we’re all called to be saints.
St. Katharine Drexel, model for the union of prayer and work, pray for us.

Novena Prayer To Saint Katharine Drexel

All praise and thanks to the Most Blessed Trinity,
the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.
We honor you when we acclaim all those
who share your life in eternal glory,
our Mother Mary, all the angels and saints.
We come before you, Father, in your Holy Spirit,
as we follow the way of your Son, Jesus,
to ask the heavenly aid of Saint Katharine Drexel.
Her sacred relics in this Mother Church
remind us that she is numbered among the Saints in heaven.
Your divine grace led Saint Katharine Drexel
to give herself completely over to your service in the Church
in imitation of the poor Savior, attending to the least,
as a virgin foundress and a laborer for the justice of the Gospel.
Her strength, virtue and fortitude came from her unwavering devotion
to the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament.
Hear us now, we pray, as we bring to you our many prayers, petitions and intentions
through the intercession of Saint Katharine Drexel.
Pause for the silent mention of prayers, petitions and intentions.
O holy and Triune God,
our faith fills us with confidence as we bring our many needs to you,
trusting in the unfailing assistance of those in your everlasting company,
most especially our Philadelphia Saint.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

March 4th

Saint Casimir

The Marian Prayer of Saint Casimir of Poland

Every day, O my soul, pay your respects to Mary,
Make her feasts solemn and celebrate her brilliant virtues;
Contemplate and admire her elevation;
Proclaim her blessedness both as Mother and Virgin;
Honor her so that she delivers you from the weight of your sins;
Invoke her so as not to be driven by the torrent of passion;
I do know if anybody can honor Our Lady worthily
Yet he who keeps silent in her praises is senseless;
Everyone should exalt and love her in a special way,
And never cease to cherish and pray to her;
O Mary, the honor and glory of all women,
You who God has raised above all creatures;
O Virgin of Mercy, hear the prayers of those who never stop praising you;
Purify those who are guilty and make them worthy of heaven;
Hail, O holy Virgin, through whom the gates of heaven were opened to undeserving souls
You, who, the old serpent’s snares never managed to seduce;
You repair and console despairing souls
Preserve us from the evils that will fall on the wicked;
Obtain perpetual peace for me,
And save me from the misfortune of the flames of Gehenna;
Obtain for me to be chaste and modest, gentle, kind, sober, pious, prudent, upright and the enemy of all falsehood;
Grant me meekness, love of harmony and purity;
Make me strong and constant on the path of righteousness.

Novena Prayer to St. Casimir

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and all the Saints intercede with God for us. The Lord hath made His Saints wonderful. And heard them when they cried unto Him.

LET US PRAY

Preserve us, we beseech Thee, O Lord,
from all dangers to soul and body,
and by the intercession of the Blessed
and Glorious Mary ever Virgin, Mother of God,
of St. Joseph, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul,
of St. Casimir and all the Saints,
in Thy mercy, grant us health and peace,
that after all adversity and error is removed,
Thy Church may serve Thee in freedom and safety,
through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord,
Who liveth and reigneth with Thee
in the union of the Holy Ghost
world without end.
Amen.
St. Casimir pray for us.

Say 3 Our Father...
Say 3 Hail Mary…
Say 3 Glory Be…

Prayer to Saint Casimir # 1

O God, who didst preserve thy servant Casimir
constant and faithful in thy service amidst the delights of a court,
and the attractive allurements of the world,
grant, we beseech thee, that by his intercession
thy people may despise the transitory things of the world
and eagerly pursue things which are eternal:
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer to Saint Casimir # 2

Enjoy thy well-earned rest in heaven, O Casimir!
Neither the world with all its riches,
nor the court with all its pleasures,
could distract thy heart from the eternal joys
it alone coveted and loved.
Thy life was short, but full of merit.
The remembrance of heaven made thee forget the earth.
God yielded to the impatience of thy desire to be with him,
and took thee speedily from among men.
Thy life, though most innocent, was one of penance,
for knowing the evil tendencies of corrupt nature,
thou hadst a dread of a life of comfort.
When shall we be made to understand
that penance is a debt we owe to God,
a debt of expiation for the sins we have committed against him?
Thou didst prefer death to sin;
get us a fear of sin,
that greatest of all the evils that can befall us,
because it is an evil which strikes at God himself.
Pray for us during this holy Season,
which is granted us that we may do penance.
The Christian world is honoring thee today;
repay its homage by thy blessing.
Poland, thy fatherland, is in mourning; comfort her.
She was once the bulwark of the Church,
and kept back the invasion of schism,
heresy, and infidelity;
and now she is crushed by tyrants,
who seek to rob her of her faith;
pray for her that she may be freed from her oppressors,
and, by regaining her ancient zeal for the faith,
be preserved from the apostacy
into which her enemies are seeking to drive her.

PRAYER TO ST CASIMIR

All-powerful God,
to serve you is to reign:
by the prayers of Saint Casimir,
help us to serve you in holiness and justice.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer in Honor of St. Casimir

Good and loving Father, in the youthful Saint Casimir, you have given us an example of faithfulness to the gospel and model of true discipleship. In his gentleness and compassion, we see true strength. In the strength and firmness of his convictions we see true gentleness. United in the name of Jesus and with the powerful support of our brother, St. Casimir, May we continue to be the visible sign of your loving presence among us.
Amen.

March 5th

Saint John Joseph of the Cross

Saint John Joseph of the Cross Prayer

O Divine Lord, the holiness of Saint John Joseph of the Cross revealed itself in the gifts of prophecy, healing, ecstasies, levitating in prayer, and bi-location. Because of his reputation, his superiors put him in charge of establishing a new friary even before he was ordained. In awe of this responsibility, he humbly joined the labor crew and worked hard. I give to You my desire to be holy. Do not let me seek holiness for the sake of outstanding gifts, but help me to imitate Saint John Joseph’s example of service, cheerfully working hard to complete whatever responsibilities are assigned to me.
Saint John Joseph of the Cross, pray for me.
Amen.

St. John of the Cross Novena

Almighty Father, you endowed John of the Cross with a spirit of self-denial and a love of the Cross. By following his example, may we come to the eternal vision of your glory.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen
(Mention your request here…)
St. John of the Cross, pray for us.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…

Prayer

Father, You raised Your servant Saint John Joseph of the Cross through the rugged way of poverty, humility and patience to heavenly glory. Grant us the grace to follow his example so as to share in eternal joy.
Amen.

March 6th

Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes

NOVENA TO SAINT MARIANA DE JESÚS DE PAREDES

My Sweet Jesus,
as You rested among the lilies in your celestial garden,
You turned Your eyes from Eternity
to the most fragrant Lily of Quito.
From the moment of her creation,
you provided her with all of the sweet blessings
that you bestow upon souls
which are to be placed before Your throne;
I now prostrate myself before Your Divine Majesty
imploring Your Divine mercy
through the merits of Your faithful servant
and affectionate spouse St. Mariana de Jesus.
Grant me, Lord, by the imitation of St. Mariana’s heroic virtues,
a soul that will emit the fragrance of virtue as hers did,
for the glorification of Your most Holy Name.
Amen.
My God of Infinite Holiness,
One in Being and three in Person,
I thank you for the innumerable graces
with which you have bestowed
upon your most affectionate servant,
St. Mariana de Jesus,
demonstrated through her example and holy life.
O Lord, by the singular benefits
that you grant to those who invoke her,
with a lively faith in any tribulation,
especially in times of plagues and earthquakes,
continue to give to all devotees who appeal to you
through St Mariana’s intercession the necessary graces.
Do not deny the request I ask of You in this novena,
if it will assist me to gain eternal salvation.
Amen.
V. Pray for us, St. Mariana de Jesus.
R. So that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

Oh God, who desired to have bloom in this age,
Saint Mariana in virginal chastity and perpetual penance
as a lily among thorns;
I pray that through her merits and intercession
I may deter my inclination to sin and vice
and continue to follow on the road to perfection
through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer on the 9th Day

Blessed Mariana de Jesus,
who appreciated the inestimable gift of the faith
which you received in holy baptism,
being solidly taught the Divine mysteries and truths of the Faith,
and conformed all your works to the Catholic beliefs,
from childhood on, you endeavored to increase your faith through meritorious acts.
Despite the fact that you were only a delicate young girl of ten years old,
you attempted to leave home with your childhood companions,
to become a missionary to pagans,
even prepared to give up your life for this cause if need be.
Intercede for me with your celestial Spouse,
and attain for me from His Divine Mercy
a faith which intensifies so that I am not ashamed
to confess my Faith in word or work,
nor should I be fearful of those who kill the body
but cannot kill the soul.
Rather may I gain a holy fear of the Lord
who is the Divine Judge who will decide my fate.
May I grow in faith so that by not refusing to lose my temporal life,
I may gain eternal life.
Amen.
Now make your request to the Holy Trinity
for the special grace which you wish to receive
through the merits of Saint Mariana de Jesus.
Say 3 Our Father…
Say 3 Hail Mary…
Say 3 Glory Be…

March 7th

Saints Perpetua and Felicity

Sts Perpetua and Felicity Prayer

“Heavenly Father,
your love enabled the saints Perpetua and Felicity
courage to endure a cruel martyrdom.
By their prayers, help us to develop in love of you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.”
“Blessed Saints Perpetua and Felicity, please watch over all mothers and children who are separated from each other because of war or persecution. Give special attention to mothers who are imprisoned and guide them to follow your example of faith and courage.
Amen.”

NOVENA PRAYER

Saints Felicity and Perpetua, your martyrdom was an act of bravery, which moved the Christians of your age and continues to move us today. Give all who invoke your names similar courage, fortitude, and faith to overcome timidity in witnessing to Christ in difficult circumstances.
Amen
(Mention your request here…)
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

Prayer from The Roman Missal

O God, at the urging of whose love
the Martyrs Saints Perpetua and Felicity
defied their persecutors and overcame the torment of death,
grant, we ask, by their prayers, that we may ever grow in your love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

March 8th

Saint John of God

NOVENA PRAYER

Saint John of God, heavenly Patron of the Sick, I come to you in prayer to seek your help in my present sickness. Through the love which Jesus had for you in choosing you for the sublime vocation of serving the sick, and through the tender affection with which the Blessed Virgin Mary placed upon your head a crown of thorns as a symbol of the sufferings you would undergo in the service of the sick to attain to your crown of glory, I beg you to intercede for me to Jesus and Mary that They may grant me a cure, if this should be according to the Will of God. How patiently you bore the sufferings of your own disease! Teach me to carry with cheerful resignation the cross that God has given me. Let me never complain or lose courage. Help me to understand that suffering is a very important means of sanctifying my soul, of atoning for my many sins, and of reaping a plentiful harvest of merit for Heaven. I trust in your great love for the sick and in the power of your intercession to help them.
Help me, good St. John, and beg the God whose name you bear to touch me as He touched the sick while on earth, that through His almighty power health may return to my body. And as you derived strength in your own sufferings from the crucifix, so may I be able to say what you did to Jesus Crucified: “Lord, Thy thorns are my roses and Thy sufferings my paradise.” Good Saint John, lover of those who suffer and special Patron of the Sick, I confidently place before you my earnest petition.
(Mention your request here…)
I beg you to recommend my request to Mary, the Mother of Sorrows and Health of the Sick, that both Mary and you may present it to Jesus, the Divine Physician. Saint John of God, patron of the Sick and beloved of Jesus and Mary, pray to Them for me and obtain my request.
(Three times.)
Saint John of God, Patron of the Sick, pray for us.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

Prayer to St. John of God

Saint John of God,
I honor you as the Patron of the Sick,
especially of those who are afflicted by heart disease.
I choose you to be my patron and protector in my
present illness.
To you I entrust my soul, my body, all my spiritual
and temporal interests, as well as those of the
sick throughout the world.
To you I consecrate my mind,
that in all things it may be enlightened by faith
above all in accepting my Cross as a blessing
from God; my heart, that you keep it pure and
fill it with the love for Jesus and Mary that
burned in your heart; my will, like yours,
it may always be one with the Will of God.
Amen.

PRAYER TO ST. JOHN OF GOD – 01:

St. John of God,
patron of the sick and compassionate Brother
to all who suffer or are troubled in any way,
I turn to you with great confidence in my time of need.
I ask you John to speak to Jesus on my behalf.
He will listen to you because you tried to be like Him
in the compassion and love you had for people in need.
I know only Jesus can really help me,
but I also know that He can be influenced by someone close to Him,
I plead with you Brother John
to present this special intention of mine to Jesus
so that He may grant it, according to His will ……
(Mention the intention)
Help me John to strengthen my faith, my hope and love
for Jesus and our Mother Mary
for whom you had such a special love.
All glory to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

PRAYER TO ST. JOHN OF GOD – 02:

O glorious Saint,
full of tenderness and compassion for the afflicted,
who, as a reward for your charity
merited to minister to Jesus Christ under the appearance of a patient,
obtain for us the grace to ever see Jesus Christ Himself
in the person of our neighbor,
so that we may be found worthy
to receive the eternal bliss promised
to those who serve the Divine Master
in the person of the sick, the poor and the needy.
Amen.

March 9th

Saint Frances of Rome

PRAYER TO SAINT FRANCES OF ROME

Merciful Father,
in Frances of Rome
you have given us
a unique example of love in marriage
as well as in religious life.
Keep us faithful in your service,
and help us to see and follow you
in all the aspects of life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

PRAYER

O God, who have given us in Saint Frances of Rome a singular model of both married and monastic life, grant us perseverance in your service, that in every circumstance of life we may see and follow you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Frances of Rome (Can be said as a Novena for 9 Consecutive Days)

Bright jewel of the Order of Saint Benedict, illustrious Saint Frances of Rome, thou who wast led by divine Providence through various stations in life, that thou mightest be a pattern of every virtue, to maidens, to matrons and to widows, pray for us to our divine Savior that we may be detached from the vanities of the world and may be able, under the guiding hand of our Guardian Angel, to grow daily in the love of God, of His Church and of our neighbor, and finally to be made partakers in heaven of the Felicity.
Amen.

Prayer

O Frances! sublime model of every virtue! thou wast the glory of Christian Rome, and the ornament of thy sex. How insignificant are the pagan heroines of old compared with thee! Thy fidelity to the duties of thy state, and all thy saintly actions, had God for their one single end and motive. The world looked on thee with amazement, as though heaven had lent one of its Angels to this earth. Humility and penance put such energy into thy soul, that every trial was met and mastered. Thy love for those whom God Himself had given thee, thy calm resignation and interior joy under tribulation, thy simple and generous charity, to every neighbour,–all was evidence of God’s dwelling within thy soul. Thy seeing and conversing with thy Angel Guardian, and the wonderful revelations granted thee of the secrets of the other world, –how much these Favours tell us of thy merits? Nature suspended her laws at thy bidding; she was subservient to thee, as to one that was already face to face with the Sovereign Master, and had the power to command. We admire these privileges and gifts granted thee by our Lord; and now beseech thee to have pity on us, who are so far from being in that path, in which thou didst so perseveringly walk.
Pray for us, that we may be Christians, practically and earnestly; that we may cease to love the world and its vanities; that we may courageously take up the yoke of our Lord, and do penance; that we may give up our pride; that we may be patient and firm under temptation. Such was thy influence with our Heavenly Father, that thou hadst but to pray, and a vine produced the richest clusters of fruit, even in the midst of winter. Our Jesus calls Himself the True Vine; ask Him to give us of the wine of His divine love, which His Cross has so richly prepared for us. When we remember how frequently thou didst ask Him to let thee suffer, and accept thy sufferings for poor sinners, we feel encouraged to ask thee to offer thy merits to Him for us. Pray, too, for Rome, thy native city, that her people may be staunch to the faith, edifying by holiness of life, and loyal to the Church. May thy powerful intercession bring blessings on the Faithful throughout the world, add to their number, and make them fervent as were our fathers of old.

March 11th

Saint John Ogilvie

Novena Prayer in Honor of St.John Ogilvie

God our Father, fountain of all blessing, We thank you for the countless graces that come to us in answer to the prayers of your saints. With great confidence we ask you in the name of your Son and through the prayers of St John Ogilvie to help us in all our needs.
Lord Jesus, you chose your servant St John Ogilvie to be your faithful witness to the spiritual authority of the chief shepherd of your flock. Keep your people always one in mind and heart, In communion with Benedict our Pope, and all the bishops of your Church.
Holy Spirit, you gave St John Ogilvie light to know your truth, wisdom to defend it, and courage to die for it. Through his prayers and example bring our country into the unity and peace of Christ’s kingdom.
Amen.

PRAYER TO ST JOHN OGILVIE

Almighty and eternal God,
you gave to St John Ogilvie
wisdom in defending the Catholic faith
and courage in facing a martyr’s death:
listen to our prayers,
and send us an ever-greater harvest
of faith, hope and love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

PRAYER

Lord, teach me to look for you
and when I look show yourself to me.
Without your help I will falter through life,
blind to the many things you do for me,
missing out on the opportunities you lay before me.
Like St. John Ogilvie who did not falter as he went to his death,
Grant me the confidence and courage
To stand up for what I believe in
And the compassion to forgive those who hurt me.
Saint John Ogilvie, pray for us.

Prayer to St. John Ogilvie

God we thank You for all Your gifts to us.
Especially for the precious gift of our Catholic faith.
Grant that our country may be united once again
in the unity of the Catholic Church.
May the prayers of St John Ogilvie
obtain for us the blessings
that we ask through Christ our Lord.
Saint John Ogilvie, pray for us

Prayer over the gifts

Lord, you fill our hearts with love as we recall the suffering and death of Saint John, your martyr. Grant that there may be in us the mind that was in Christ Jesus, so that in this sacrifice we may worthily proclaim the death of your only Son, who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.

March 13th

Saint Leander of Seville

PRAYER

Almighty God, we believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are consubstantial, three Person’s in one Essence, one Divinity. This is the one, true faith, which is prophetic, evangelical and apostolic.
Saint Leander of Seville maintained this Creed, introducing it as the Nicene Creed to reinforce the faith of his people, and as an antidote against the heresy of the Arians who denied this Divinity.
Help us to propagate this Truth, just as your saint Leander of Seville did. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Prayer to St. Leander of Seville

Lord God, who graciously imbued blessed Leander with heavenly doctrine, grant, through his intercession, that we may keep that same teaching faithfully and express it in what we do. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

March 15th

Saint Louise de Marillac

St. Louise Prayer

Loving and compassionate God, we celebrate with great joy the faith and works of our patroness St. Louise de Marillac. Instill in us the fire of her love, the tenacity of her belief, and the tenderness of her care for the most abandoned. Draw us together into the light of your presence and help us to trust in the power of your Spirit, leading us to ever closer to you, who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.

PRAYER

O God, through Louise, you taught us a deeper love and respect for those whom the world oppresses and so we pray: -help us to serve them with respect and dignity.
Christ Jesus, you inspired the daughters of Louise to be women of compassion and empathy in their service to the poor;
-help us to grow in mercy and understanding.
Loving Creator, we thank you for the example of untiring collaboration of Louise in giving flesh to the works of charity we aspire to emulate today;
-may we follow her example in our service to the Church and the world.
Louise transformed adversity into positive energy for the service of the poor.
-help us to see with the eyes of faith and the mind of Jesus.
Loving God, through the intercession of Louise, inspire more laborers to come to the vineyard to mirror the gospel values of justice and love that Louise mirrored in her life;
-may our lives and our service give you glory and praise.
May the God of Louise de Marillac be with us more and more each day, drawing us into ever deep union with the Holy One, quickening our hearts’ desire for love and sharpening our awareness of all that the world suffers. As the Charity of Christ impelled her, may we be moved with urgency to be women of the charism— witness and vision, justice and truth, passion and peace. May our response to the challenges our God and our world place before us reflect Louise’s vision of loving service and may the Charity of Christ impel us. May the blessing of Louise be upon us!
Amen.

NOVENA TO SAINT LOUISE DE MARILLAC

NOVENA TO SAINT LOUISE DE MARILLAC
O Gracious God,
Saint Louise devoted her life
to helping Saint Vincent de Paul
serve the needs of the poor.
She often taught:
“Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor,
honor them, as you would honor Christ Himself.”
I lift up to You the programs in my church
and community that help the needy,
and the people who do the work.
Multiply the donations.
Teach me how to think generously.
Give me a heart that desires to care for the poor
as if I were serving Jesus directly,
and help me to see Jesus in each person
that begs on the street corner or church door.
Saint Louise, pray for us.
Amen.
[Mention your request here…]
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

March 16th

Prayer for Preservation of the Catholic Faith of St. Clement Hofbauer

O My Redeemer, will that terrible moment ever come when but few shall be left who are inspired by the Spirit of Faith, that moment when Thine indignation shall be provoked and Thy protection shall be taken from us? Have our vices and our evil lives irrevocably moved Thy justice to take vengeance, perhaps this very day, upon Thy children?
We beg Thee, the Beginning and the End of faith, with contrite hearts, not to let the light of faith be extinguished in souls. Remember Thy mercies of old, turn Thine eyes in compassion upon the vineyard planted by Thine own right hand, and watered by the tears of the Apostles, by the precious blood of countless martyrs, and made fruitful by the prayers of so many Confessors and innocent Virgins. O Divine Mediator, look upon those zealous souls who raise their hearts to Thee and pray without ceasing for the maintenance of that most precious gift of Thee, the True Faith.
Keep us safe in the True Catholic and Roman Faith. Preserve us in Thy Holy Faith, for if we are rich with this precious gift, we shall gladly endure every sorrow and nothing shall ever be able to change our happiness. Without this great treasure of faith, our unhappiness would be unspeakable and without limit.
O Good Jesus, Author of our faith, preserve it pure within us; keep us safe in the barque of Peter, faithful and obedient to his successor, and Thy Vicar here on earth, so that the unity of the Holy Church may be maintained, holiness fostered, the Holy See protected in freedom, and the Church universal extended to the benefit of souls.
O Jesus, Author of our faith, humble and convert the enemies of Thy Church; grant true peace and concord to all believers; strengthen and preserve us in Thy holy service to the end, that we may live with Thee and die in Thee. O Jesus, Author of our faith, let me live for Thee and die for Thee.
Amen.

PRAYERS IN HONOR OF SAINT CLEMENT MARIA HOFBAUER

I. O Saint Clement, most faithful disciple of Jesus, our Redeemer, from thy tenderest infancy thou didst regard only holy Catholic Faith as thy only treasure, and wast solicitous to strengthen it in the hearts of the faithful with wonderful zeal, and to make it known among men. Obtain for us the grace to imitate thy example and to learn to esteem the precious gift of the true Faith above every other gift. Teach us to conform our actions to its holy maxims, so that, placing in the practice of Faith all our glory, we may exultingly repeat thy own words;
We confess, we are sinners, and devoid of every virtue, but we glory in the fact that we are children of Holy Catholic Church”.
II. O Saint Clement, most constant disciple of Jesus, our Redeemer, mistrusting thyself and placing no reliance in the aid and counsels of men, thou didst repose all thy confidence in God alone. Strengthened by this firm hope, thou didst despite all the goods, pleasures and honors of the world, fixing thy eyes on Heaven, where joys are eternal and goods are imperishable. Obtain for us the grace to follow thy example by detaching ourselves from the things of this earth. Teach us to direct all our affections towards Heaven, confidently hoping from God, by means of holy prayer, the assistance necessary to effect this; mindful of the grand maxim which thou didst repeat from thy earliest years;
“We must devote to prayer the time that remains after the discharge of the duties of our state of life.”
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
III. Saint Clement, most loving disciple of Jesus, our Redeemer, animated by the most ardent charity, thou didst live for God alone, and didst make thyself all to all to gain all for Jesus Christ. Persecutions and dangers, temptations and sufferings, were not able to diminish thy charity. Obtain for us, we implore thee, at least a spark of thy most burning love for God and our neighbor. Aid us by thy prayers to be so united in harmony and charity that we may always love our most loving Redeemer, Jesus Christ and His Immaculate Mother, follow Him steadfastly until death, and finally praise and bless Him all eternity.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc.
V. Pray for us, O Saint Clement.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
(Prayer of the Church.)
O God, Who didst adorn the Blessed Clement with wonderful strength of faith and with the virtue of constancy, through his merits and example, make us, we beseech Thee, so steadfast in faith and burning with charity, that we may obtain the eternal rewards. Through Christ, our Lord,
Amen.

PRAYER TO SAINT CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER

Gracious God,
our God of care and compassion for humanity,
you filled St. Clement Mary Hofbauer
with a special zeal for the well-being of people,
especially those who are poor or troubled in spirit.
In St. Clement you revealed the richness
of your loving kindness and mercy.
Through his intercession,
help us to remain true to the Catholic faith,
which he so nobly taught.
Let us walk in the path that
St. Clement marked out by his own life.
Hear and answer us, God,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

NOVENA TO SAINT CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER

Repeat the following Novena prayers every day for 9 consecutive days.
Holy Clement Mary Hofbauer,
you who can be called patron of hopeless cases,
because all your life
you had to fight the most difficult situations
and you know by experience
what it means to be sorely tried here on earth.
I beseech you,
help us by your mighty power with God
in these difficult circumstances
that
(name or circumstance)
may be helped.
Answer us speedily if this is good for our salvation.
Amen.
Say 3 Hail Mary…

March 17th

Saint Patrick

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
[Note that people sometimes pray a shorter version of this prayer just with these 15 lines about Christ above. The conclusion follows below.]
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

St Patrick’s Breastplate

Christ be with me, Christ within me
Christ behind me, Christ before me
Christ beside me, Christ to win me
Christ to comfort me and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger
Christ in hearts of all that love me
Christ in mouth of friend or stranger.

St. Patrick’s Prayer

May the Strength of God pilot us.
May the Power of God preserve us.
May the Wisdom of God instruct us.
May the Hand of God protect us.
May the Way of God direct us.
May the Shield of God defend us.
May the Host of God guard us
Against the snares of the evil ones,
Against temptations of the world.
May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us,
Christ be over all!
May Thy Salvation, Lord,
Always be ours,
This day, O Lord, and evermore.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland

Dear St. Patrick,
in your humility, you called yourself a sinner,
but you became a most successful missionary
and prompted countless pagans
to follow the Savior.
Many of their descendants in turn
spread the Good News in numerous foreign lands.
Through your powerful intercession with God,
obtain the missionaries we need
to continue the work you began.
Amen.

Hail, Glorious St. Patrick

Hail, glorious St. Patrick!
we, honor your name,
Tho’ Erin may claim you,
the world knows your fame.
The faith of our fathers is our
treasure too,
How holy the thought,
that they learned it from you.
Thru crosses and trials its fires
burn bright,
They show us the way,
and the truth, and the light,
Great Saint!
Intercede, that we always may be
devoted and loyal,
true children of yours.
Our love and devotion
be ever like yours,
Our thought be of Jesus,
our heart be His shrine.
And when to the end of life’s path
we have trod,
Be near us great Bishop,
Anointed of God.

An Irish Blessing

May the road
rise to meet
you, May the
wind be always at
your back, May the
sun shine warm upon
your face, the rains
fall soft upon your
fields and, until we
meet again may
God hold you in the
palm of his hand.

Prayer to Saint Patrick

O great Apostle of Ireland, glorious
St. Patrick, to whom under God, so
many are indebted for the most
precious of all treasures, the great gift
of Faith, receive our fervent thanks
for the zeal and charity which have
been to thousands the source of
blessings so invaluable. Ask for all
who dwell in this land and the land of
thy labors, the precious light of Faith,
and beg for us on whom its glorious
rays have long since beamed, the grace
to regulate our lives by its sacred maxims.
Amen.

March 18th

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

Prayer to St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Father through Cyril of Jerusalem
You led Your Church to a deeper understanding
of the mysteries of salvation
Let his prayers help us to know Your Son better
and to have eternal life in all its fullness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit
on God forever and ever.
Amen.

NOVENA PRAYER

Strengthen, O God, your Church in the sacraments of your grace, that we, in union with the teaching and prayers of your servant Cyril of Jerusalem, may enter more fully into your Paschal mystery, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen
(Mention your request here…)
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, pray for us
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…

March 20th

Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary

Novena Prayer to St Joseph

O St Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong,
so prompt before the throne of God,
I place in you all my interests and desires.
O St Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession,
and obtain for me from your divine Son
all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power,
I may offer my thanksgiving and homage
to the most Loving of Fathers.
O St Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you,
and Jesus asleep in your arms;
I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart.
Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me
and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath.
St Joseph, Patron of departed souls, pray for me.

Memorare to St. Joseph

Remember, O most pure spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, my great protector, Saint Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection, or implored your aid without obtaining relief. Confiding therefore in your goodness, I come before you. Do not turn down my petitions, foster father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them.
Amen.

Prayer to St Joseph – the worker by Pope St Pius X

Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labour,
obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins;
to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations;
to gratefully and joyously deem it an honour to employ and to develop by labour the gifts I have received from God,
to work methodically, peacefully,
and in moderation and patience,
without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty to work;
above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness,
having unceasingly before my eyes death
and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused,
good not done, and vain complacency in success,
so baneful to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O patriarch St. Joseph!
This shall be my motto for life and eternity.

Prayer to St Joseph for a Happy Death

O Blessed Joseph,
you gave your last breath
in the loving embrace of Jesus and Mary.
When the seal of death shall close my life,
come with Jesus and Mary to aid me.
Obtain for me this solace for that hour
to die with their holy arms around me.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I commend my soul,
living and dying, into your sacred arms.
Amen.

Prayer to Saint Joseph

Blessed Joseph, husband of Mary,
be with us this day.
You protected and cherished the Virgin;
loving the Child Jesus as your Son,
you rescued Him from the danger of death.
Defend the Church,
the household of God,
purchased by the Blood of Christ.
Guardian of the Holy Family,
be with us in our trials.
May your prayers obtain for us
the strength to flee from error
and wrestle with the powers of corruption
so that in life we may grow in holiness
and in death rejoice in the crown of victory.
Amen.

Prayer to St Joseph for our family

Gracious St Joseph, protect my family and all other families from danger, as you did protect the baby Jesus and His mother from the wrath of king Herod.
Pray for us, that we respect, love and care for each other in our family as you were with Mary and Jesus. Help us to be understanding and forgiving towards each other.
Most of all St Joseph, bring us closer to Jesus. St Joseph, please pray for our family. Amen.

Litany of Saint Joseph

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 Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Illustrious son of David, pray for us.
Light of the patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Watchful defender of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most valiant, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of Patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of workmen, pray for us.
Glory of domestic life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Solace of the afflicted, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church, 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.
He made him the lord of His household, And prince of all His possessions.
Let Us Pray
O God, in your ineffable providence you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most Holy Mother, grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom, on earth, we venerate as our protector: You who live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.
Saint Joseph, Pray for Us!

March 21st

Blessed John of Parma

Let us pray

Lord God, one of our most powerful tools of evangelization and peacebuilding in our world is our language. Finding a way to foster reconciliation
and not alienation, finding a way for acceptance and not rejection, finding a
way to offer an invitation and not an act of exclusion, these are our
commitments. Through the intercession of Blessed John of Parma may we be
blessed with words of reconciliation, acceptance and invitation. We ask this
through Christ, the Word made flesh, who lives with you and Spirit, God
forever and ever.
Amen.
Blessed John of Parma is a Friend of God we welcome today.

March 22nd

Saint Nicholas Owen

A Prayer of Impetration to Saint Nicholas

Glorious St. Nicholas, my special patron, from thy throne in glory, where thou dost enjoy the presence of God, turn thine eyes in pity upon me and obtain for me from our Lord the graces and helps that I need in my spiritual and temporal necessities (and especially this favor
[mention your request]
provided that it be profitable to my salvation). Be mindful, likewise, O glorious and saintly Bishop, of our Sovereign Pontiff, of Holy Church, and of all Christian people. Bring back to the right way of salvation all those who are living steeped in sin and blinded by the darkness of ignorance, error, and heresy. Comfort the afflicted, provide for the needy, strengthen the fearful, defend the oppressed, give health to the infirm; cause all men to experience the effects of thy powerful intercession with the supreme Giver of every good and perfect gift.
Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be
V. Pray for us, O blessed Nicholas.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
O God, who has glorified blessed Nicholas, Thine illustrious Confessor and Bishop, by means of countless signs and wonders, and who dost not cease daily so to glorify him; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, being assisted by his merits and prayers, may be delivered from the fires of hell and from all dangers. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

March 23rd

Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo

NOVENA TO SAINT TURIBIUS DE MOGROVEJO

O God, who gave increase to Your Church
through the apostolic labours and zeal for truth
of the Bishop Saint Turibius,
grant that the people consecrated to You
may always receive new growth
in faith and holiness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
[Mention your intention here…]
Say 1 Our Father…
Say 1 Hail Mary…
Say 1 Glory Be…
Saint Turibius that we will use our abilities fully, to share the teachings of Jesus with others., pray for us
Saint Turibius, Pray for us.
Saint Turibius, Pray for us.

COLLECT PRAYER

Lord, though the apostolic work of St. Turibius and his unwavering love of truth, you helped your Church to grow. May your chosen people continue to grow in faith and holiness. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Amen.

March 24th

Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero

A PRAYER OF OSCAR ROMERO

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is a way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church’s mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything,
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders;
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future that is not our own.
Amen.

Novena to Blessed Romero

ACT OF LOVE TO GOD
I believe faithfully and truly in the Mystery of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons and one true God, in whom I firmly trust to obtain the perfection of the pain of having offended His Most Holy Majesty, through the merits of My Lord Jesus Christ, those of His Blessed Mother and those of my glorious advocate Blessed Oscar Romero; I entreat the Lord to always preserve in me this living faith, to grant me the forgiveness of my sins, provide for my needs, and for what I ask in this Novena, if it is for His honor and for the good of my soul. If not, may I live obediently in His holy will, as that which suits me best.
Amen.
PREPARATORY PRAYER FOR EACH DAY
Glorious Blessed Oscar Romero, we turn to you, confident of your intercession. We are drawn to you with a special devotion and we know that our supplications will be more pleasing to God our Lord, if you, who are so beloved of Him, present them to Him. Your charity, an admirable reflection of God’s own, compels you to succor all misery, to console all sorrow and to gratify all desires and needs, if it is to be of benefit to our souls. Look, then, upon our miseries and sorrows, our labors and needs, our good desires, and help us to assure ourselves more and more of our eternal salvation with the practice of good works and the imitation of your virtues. And, in particular, we ask you to obtain for us from God the special grace that, by this devout Novena, we confidently hope to attain. Amen.
FINAL PRAYER FOR EACH DAY
God the Father of all men and women, who has given us in your Martyr Bishop Oscar Romero, a faithful and zealous Pastor, demonstrating a fervent love of your Church and in her in a special way, the poor and the needy, grant that we may know how to live according to the Gospel. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

FIRST DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
By the generosity with which your Bishop Oscar Romero responded to God’s call, recognizing the will of God with living faith always and in everything, I entreat you, in addition to the particular grace of this Novena, to grant me to be always faithful to your commands with a readiness and generosity similar to his, so that the faith received at Baptism will continuously grow and mature in my soul. Amen.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day.
SECOND DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
O Lord, who always hears the pleas of your saints; today we address you through the Glorious Martyr Oscar Romero to ask you with faith and confidence for all the needs of Our Mother Church, that she may ever hold fast in the fulfillment of your will. Also, Lord, we pray for the sick who invoke in faith the name of your Glorious Martyr Oscar Romero.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day.
THIRD DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
By the unyielding hope that your Martyr Bishop Oscar Romero persevered in throughout his life, trusting fully in your paternal providence, I humbly implore you, in addition to the particular grace of this Novena, to grant me never to lose heart before the adversities of life, but rather, animated by the hope of Heaven, to live always confident of your merciful love. Amen.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day.
FOURTH DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
By the burning charity that your Martyr Bishop Oscar Romero felt toward the poorest of the poor, I beseech you grant me the particular grace of this Novena, and that my heart may be inflamed, more and more every day, by the divine love that burns in you, and in which you long to see all men and women consumed and purified.
Amen.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day.
FIFTH DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
By that inextinguishable zeal that consumed the soul of your Martyr Bishop Oscar Romero in favor of the spiritual and temporal good of his beloved flock, to the point of sacrificing his life for them, I humbly pray that in addition to the particular grace of this Novena, you grant that I be more concerned for my spiritual welfare and the salvation of others.
Amen.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day.
SIXTH DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
By the love of work that characterized your Martyr Bishop Oscar Romero in all his tasks, however ordinary and tedious they might be, I humbly beg you, Lord, that besides the particular grace of this Novena, that you grant me a great spirit of faith, to see in the use of the present moment the most effective means of seeking the glory of God, the salvation of souls and my own sanctification.
Amen.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day.
SEVENTH DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
By the admirable faithfulness and strength with which your Martyr Bishop Oscar Romero bore, first vicariously through the others and then in his own body, the horrible contempt of his own kind, in addition to the suffering of isolation and impotence to overcome the evil around him, I beg you humbly that in addition to the particular grace of this Novena, you may grant me to accept with my eyes fixed on you, my God, the sorrows and troubles of life.
Amen.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day.
EIGHTH DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
By that pious devotion that your Martyr Bishop Oscar Romero always professed to the Blessed Virgin, I ardently beseech you that besides the particular grace of this Novena, you may grant me to conduct myself, always and in everything, as your loving son, in order to merit one day the joy one day of being presented by Her in your Celestial Court, to enjoy your company forever in Heaven. Amen.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day.
NINTH DAY
Begin with the preparatory prayer for each day.
By that fervent love that your Martyr Bishop Oscar Romero professed for the Holy Eucharist, as the nourishment of his soul in his Masses and Communions, and as the solace of his spirit in his fervent adorations before the Sacred Tabernacle, I beg you, in addition to the special grace of this Novena, grant me that may I grow more and more devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, and to prepare my heart every day to better receive it as to gain the maximum profit.
Amen.
Speak your petition(s) …
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory.
Conclude with the final prayer for each day

NOVENA TO SAINT OSCAR ROMERO (Bishop & Martyr)

Lord Jesus Christ, we come to you
through the intercession of your Saint and Martyr, Oscar Romero.
Your grace has made him a living example
of your justice and compassion.
He came to know that to all who come to you for your help,
you show your compassion and healing power.
You are closest to us when we are weakest
and most in need of your help.
You ask us to be close to each other,
especially the poorest, as Oscar was.
I ask you now to listen to my prayer during this Novena,
and grant what I ask.
(short period of silence to present your Novena intention, said inwardly to Jesus…)
If what I ask is not for my own or others’ good,
grant me always what is best,
that I may build your kingdom of love in our world.
Blessed Oscar, pray for us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Saint Oscar Romero, pray for us

O Lord Father of Mercy, who through Jesus Christ and the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, and the action of the Holy Spirit, has bestowed on Saint Oscar Romero the grace of being an exemplary shepherd at the service of the Church, especially giving preference to the poor and needy.
Grant, Lord, that I may also learn to live according to the gospel of your Son, glorify your Saint Oscar Romero and concede, through his intercession, the favour I ask of you…
Amen.
Say the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be…

March 25th

Annunciation of the Lord

Prayers for the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Collect for the Annunciation

We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts: that, as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an Angel; so by his Cross and Passion we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end.
Amen.

Prayer to Our Lady on the Annunciation

O Virgin Mother of God, whence the Light Eternal hath deigned to dawn upon us: regard, we pray thee, the pleading of thy humble servants, that by thy holy intercessions we may merit to obtain the mansions eternal.
Amen.
The Angelus
V. The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
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.
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord:
R. Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
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.
V. And the Word was made Flesh:
R. And dwelt among us.
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.
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
R. that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen.

Novena Prayer

O Mary, Blessed Mother of God, when the angel greeted you you were surprised and fearful; yet, in wonder you listened and opened your heart to the divine message.
Your life had been ordinary like so many of Adam’s children, but your “yes” changed your life and led to the salvation of us all, because you invited Christ Our Lord to grow inside of you.
Mother of Our Saviour, help me to open my heart to the Father’s will in my life. Pray for me to the Lord God as I pray to Him,
O God, prepare my heart for it is hard for me to trust in your will. Give me clarity of vision, that I may see your way.
Open my ears, that I may hear your words. Place your hand on my shoulder, that I may feel your guidance. Enlighten the darkness of my soul, that I may be filled with your light.
Grant me wisdom as I ask
(mention your requests here).
Generous and loving God, like your daughter Mary, help me to know and do your will in this life and in the next.
Grant me a grateful heart and help me to always pray as Mary prayed:
The Magnificat of Mary
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
He has mercy on those who fear Him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of His arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Amen.

Prayer on the Feast of the Annunciation

Holy Spirit, You spoke to Mary through an angel to invite her to participate in the plan of salvation. Tough she questioned how it was possible for her to become the mother of the Messiah, and she knew she faced rejection from Joseph and others, she gave You her yes, With the help of her prayers, I want to become fully willing to say yes to my part in giving Christ to the world. Encourage me when I don’t understand what You’re asking. Bless me with the grace of hearing the call and the courage to trust in Your plan. Let it be done unto me according to Your will.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for me.
Amen.

Annunciation Novena

I greet you, Ever-blessed Virgin, Mother of God, Throne of Grace, miracle of Almighty Power! I greet you, Sanctuary of the Most Holy Trinity and Queen of the Universe, Mother of Mercy and refube of sinners!
Most loving Mother, attracted by your beauty and sweetness, and by your tender compassion, I confidently turn to you, miserable as I am, and beg of you to obtain for me from your dear Son the favor I request in this novena:
(mention your request)
Obtain for me also, Queen of heaven, the most lively contrition for my many sins and the grace to imitate closely those virtues which you practiced so faithfully, especially humility, purity and obedience. Above all, I beg you to be my Mother and Protectress, to receive me into the number of your devoted children, and to guide me from your high throne of glory.
Do not regect my petitions, Mother of Mercy! Have pity on me, and do not abandon me during life or at the moment of my death.
Amen.

March 26th

Saint Catherine of Genoa

PRAYER (traditional language)

Gracious God, reveal to thy church the depths of thy love; that, like thy servant Catherine of Genoa, we might give ourselves in loving service, knowing that we have been perfectly loved by thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
PRAYER
(Contemporary language)
Gracious God, reveal to your church the depths of your love; that, like your servant Catherine of Genoa, we might give ourselves in loving service, knowing that we have been perfectly loved by you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

A Prayer by Saint Catherine

Lord, I make you a present of myself.
I do not know what to do with myself.
So let me make this exchange:
I will place myself entirely in your hands,
if you will cover my ugliness with your beauty,
and tame my unruliness with your love.
Put out the flames of false passion in my heart,
since these flames destroy all that is true within me.
Make me always busy in your service.
Lord, I want no special signs from you,
nor am I looking for intense emotions in response to your love.
I would rather be free of all emotion,
than to run the danger of falling victim once again to false passion.
Let my love for you be naked, without any emotional clothing.
Saint Catherine of Genoa

March 27th

Saint Gregory of Narek

Cries From the Heart Prayer

By your noble and glorious blood,
offered unceasingly to please God who sent you,
may the dangers be lifted from me,
may my transgressions be forgiven,
may my vices be pardoned,
may my shamelessness be forgotten,
may my sentence be commuted,
may the worms shrivel,
may the wailing stop,
and the gnashing of teeth fall silent.
Let the laments lessen and tears dry.
Let mourning end and darkness be banished.
May the vengeful fire be stamped out
and torments of every kind exiled. …
May you who grant life to all be compassionate now.
Let your light dawn,
your salvation be swift,
your help arrive in time,
and the hour of your arrival be at hand.
Amen

Marian Prayer of St. Gregory of Narek

Assist me by the wings of your prayers,
O you who are called the mother of the living,
so that on my exit from this valley of tears
I may be able to advance without torment
to the dwelling of life
that has been prepared for us
to lighten the end of a life burdened by my iniquity.
Healer of the sorrows of Eve,
change my day of anguish into a feast of gladness.
Be my Advocate,
ask and supplicate.
For as I believe in your inexpressible purity,
so do I also believe in
the good reception that is given to your word.
O you who are blessed among women,
help me with your tears
for I am in danger.
Bend the knee to obtain my reconciliation,
O Mother of God.
Be solicitous for me for I am miserable,
O Tabernacle of the Most High.
Hold out your hand to me as I fall,
O heavenly Temple.
Glorify your Son in you:
may he be pleased to operate Divinely in me
the miracle of forgiveness and mercy.
Handmaid and Mother of God,
may your honour be exalted by me,
and may my salvation be manifested through you.
Amen.

March 28th

Saint Catharine of Bologna

St. Catherine of Bologna Prayer

I adore Thee, Lord and creator, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament. I adore Thee for all the works of Thy hands, that reveal to me so much wisdom, goodness and mercy, O Lord.
Thou hast spread so much beauty over the earth, and it tells me about Thy beauty, even though these beautiful things are but a faint reflection of Thine Incomprehensible Beauty.
And although Thy hast hidden Thyself and concealed Thy Beauty, my eye, enlightened by faith, reaches Thee, and my soul recognizes its Creator, its Highest Good; and my heart is completely immersed in prayer of adoration.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Catherine of Bologna

Dear saintly Poor Clare, so rich in love for Jesus and Mary, you were endowed with greatly talents by God and you left us most inspiring writings and paintings of wondrous beauty. You were chosen Abbess in the monastery of Poor Clares at Bologna. You did all for God’s greater glory, and in this you are a model for all. Make artists learn lessons from you, and use their talents to the full.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Catherine of Bologna

Oh, Holy St Catherine of Bologna, / you who in wisdom and humility. / Was dedicated to prayer/ but was always ready to serve;/ generous in sacrifice but full of joy/ in welcoming Christ with the Cross. Help us by your prayers always to be careful and diligent in striving to do good./ Help us to believe that, alone we will never be able to do something truly good/ but we must strive to always trust in God and, for love of him./ May we never fear in the battle against evil,/ either in the world or within ourselves./ May we never shrink with fear, but in the Holy Name of Christ and in Faith be brave to defeat the evils the surrounds us./ Help us to meditate often on the events and words of the life of Jesus,/ and especially on his Passion and his death./ And to always be grateful for this wonderful and immense goodness of God/ in order to save our very self./ Pray for us always to remember that we must die;/ to focus our minds firmly on memory of the goods of Heaven./ Help us to be familiar with Sacred Scripture,/ always cherishing it in our hearts/ so that it may give direction to all our thoughts and all our actions. / Thus, establishing God’s reign in our hearts and in the hearts of others.
St. Catherine, may we always use our youthful days as you did,/ in the service of God./ May we never grow weary on consecrating our life for his glory/ and for the good of our souls./ Oh holy abbess of bologna, Sweet St. Catherine, / as you became an instrument of charity in your earthly life./ We do believe that your Love is now more strong than ever./ That you can not resist the prayers of us who still journey in this earthly life./ Along with all the grace, and weapons we are asking,/ may you grant us this request. (Mention your request). Present this prayer to the throne of your Divine Spouse,/ may he answer these necessities according to what will give glory to Him,/ and to what will benefit us the most.
Amen

March 29th

Saint Ludovico of Casoria

March 30th

Saint Peter Regalado

Prayer

Jesus,
You are the Word– to be spoken;
The Truth– to be told;
The Way– to be walked;
The Light– to be shone;
The Joy– to be shared;
The Bread of Life– to be given;
The Hungry– to be fed;
The Naked– to be clothed;
The Homeless– to be taken in;
The Sick– to be healed;
The Lonely– to be loved;
The Unwanted– to be wanted;
The Little One– to be embraced.
Lord Jesus, you are with the poor and needy around us.
Help us to be your hands, feet, and voice to them.
Amen.

PRAYER

God our Father, you gave your saints Peter Regalado a disposition of great patience. He was an effective leader of the friars because he did not become ensnared in anger over the sins of others. He helped sinning friars rearrange the priorities in their lives and dedicate themselves to living the gospel as they had vowed.
May we inculcate such a virtue of patient correction as an act of charity towards our suffering fellowmen, so as to make them turn in sincere devotions to you, in Jesus’ Name.
Amen

March 31th

Saint Stephen of Mar Saba

PRAYER

Dear God, Almighty Father, you have created us in your image and all who live edifying your creation are worthy of sainthood. Whatever help, spiritual or material, Saint Stephen of Mar Saba, who lived a life in Christ Jesus, was asked to give, he gave. He received and honored all with the same kindness.
He possessed nothing and lacked nothing. Yet, even in total poverty, living according to your Will, he possessed all things. Help us to imitate and emulate Saint Stephen, to spread peace in the world, through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Novena to St. Stephen

O glorious St. Stephen, first Martyr for the Faith, filled with compassion for those who invoke you, with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles. I kneel at your feet and humbly beg you to take my present need under your special protection …
(Mention your request here…)
Vouchsafe to recommend it to our Lord Jesus. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all, obtain for me the grace to one day meet God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the angels and saints praise Him through all eternity. O most powerful Saint Stephen, Deacon and martyr, do not let me lose my soul, but obtain for me the grace of winning my way to heaven, forever and ever.
Saint Stephen, pray for us.
Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…

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