August 1^st

Saint Alphonsus Liguori

The Act of Spiritual Communion by St. Alphonsus Liguori

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.

St. Alphonsus Liguori Novena

Glorious St Alphonsus,
loving Father of the poor and sick,
all your life you devoted yourself,
with a heroic charity,
to lighten their spiritual and bodily miseries.
Full of confidence in your tender pity for the sick,
since you yourself patiently borne the cross of illness,
I come to you for help in my present need…
(Share your request…)
Loving father of the suffering, St Alphonsus,
look with compassion upon me in my suffering.
Ask God to give me good health.
If it is not God’s will,
then give me the strength to bear my cross patiently
and to offer my sufferings with my crucified Saviour
and his Mother of Sorrows,
for the glory of God and the salvation of souls,
in reparation for my sins and those of others,
for the needs of this troubled world,
and the Holy Souls in purgatory. Amen.

Say: One Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be.

Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, divine Consoler, I adore You as my true God, with God the Father and God the Son. I adore You and unite myself to the adoration You receive from the angels and saints.

I give You my heart and I offer my ardent thanksgiving for all the grace which You never cease to bestow on me.

O Giver of all supernatural gifts, who filled the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with such immense favours, I beg You to visit me with Your grace and Your love and to grant me the gift of holy fear, so that it may act on me as a check to prevent me from falling back into my past sins, for which I beg pardon.

Grant me the gift of piety, so that I may serve You for the future with increased fervour, follow with more promptness Your holy inspirations, and observe your divine precepts with greater fidelity.

Grant me the gift of knowledge, so that I may know the things of God and, enlightened by Your holy teaching, may walk, without deviation, in the path of eternal salvation.

Grant me the gift of fortitude, so that I may overcome courageously all the assaults of the devil, and all the dangers of this world which threaten the salvation of my soul.

Grant me the gift of counsel, so that I may choose what is more conducive to my spiritual advancement and may discover the wiles and snares of the tempter.

Grant me the gift of understanding, so that I may apprehend the divine mysteries and by contemplation of heavenly things detach my thoughts and affections from the vain things of this miserable world.

Grant me the gift of wisdom, so that I may rightly direct all my actions, referring them to God as my last end; so that, having loved Him and served Him in this life, I may have the happiness of possessing Him eternally in the next.

Amen.

Prayer by Saint Basil

I thank You, Christ and Master our God, King of the ages and Creator of all things, for all the good gifts You have given me, and especially for the participation in Your pure and life-giving mysteries. I pray to You, therefore, good and loving Lord, keep me under Your protection and under the shadow of Your wings. Grant that to my last breath I may with a pure conscience partake worthily of Your gifts for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life. For You are the bread of life, the source of holiness, the giver of all good things, and to You we give glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

August 2^nd

Saint Eusebius of Vercelli

Prayer

Lead us, Lord God, to imitate the constancy of Saint Eusebius
in affirming the divinity of your Son,
so that, by preserving the faith he taught as your Bishop,
we may merit a share int eh very life of your Son.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer

Valiant Soldier of Jesus, Eusebius, Martyr and Pontiff, how much labour and suffering thou didst undergo for the Messias! And yet, they seemed to thee to be little in comparison with what is due to this eternal Word of the Father, who, out of His pure love, has made Himself the Servant of His own creatures, by becoming Man for them in the mystery of the Incarnation. We owe the same debt of gratitude to this divine Saviour. He was born in a stable for our sake, as He was for thine; pray, therefore, for us that we may be ever faithful to Him both in war and peace; and that we may resist our temptations and evil inclinations with that same firmness, wherewith we would confess His name before tyrants and persecutors. Obtain for the Bishops of our holy Mother the Church, such vigilance, that no false doctrines may surprise them, and such courage that no persecution may make them yield. May they be faithful imitators of the divine Pastor, who gives his life for his sheep; and may they ever feed the flock, intrusted to them, in the unity and charity of Jesus Christ.

August 2^nd

Saint Peter Julian Eymard

Peter Julian Eymard was a French Catholic priest and founder of two religious institutes: the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament for men and the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament for women. He has been referred to as “the Apostle of the Eucharist.”
Peter Julian’s road to the priesthood, as well as his life as a priest, was shadowed by the cross. Peter Julian Eymard had a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. After his mother died, young Peter entered the seminary of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate for the first time in 1829. His father protested his vocation, as Peter was his only surviving son. His first attempt to pursue the priesthood ended in serious illness. Following his father’s death, he tried once again, and in 1834, at the age of 23, he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Grenoble but later joined Marists in 1839. On Corpus Christi (25th May 1845), Father Eymard had a powerful experience that would change the course of his life. While carrying the Blessed Sacrament in procession at Saint Paul’s Church in Lyons, he felt an intense attraction to Christ in the Eucharist and resolved to “bring all the world to the knowledge and love of our Lord; to preach nothing but Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Eucharistic.” Father Eymard petitioned his superiors to form a Marist community dedicated to eucharistic adoration. When his superiors denied his request, he felt called to leave the Marists and found a new community focused on the Eucharist in 1851.
Peter Julian Eymard was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1962, one day after Vatican II’s first session ended.

Prayer to Saint Peter Julian Eymard

Gracious God of our ancestors,
you led Peter Julian Eymard,
like Jacob in times past,
on a journey of faith.
Under the guidance of your gentle Spirit,
Peter Julian discovered the gift of love in the Eucharist
which your son Jesus offered for the hungers of humanity.
Grant that we may celebrate this mystery worthily, adore it profoundly,
and proclaim it prophetically for your greater glory. Amen.
Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Apostle of the Eucharist, pray for us!

NOVENA TO SAINT PETER JULIAN EYMARD

VSaint Peter Julian,
who received the great privilege
of so perfectly knowing what treasures are ours
in the Most Blessed Sacrament,
of being all afire with seraphic love for It,
and of consecrating unto It your untiring zeal
that it might be perpetually adored and glorified by all mankind,
we beg of you to obtain for us the spiritual and temporal Favors
of which we stand in need.

Obtain for us particularly to become,
in imitation of you,
faithful adorers in spirit and in truth
of the Most Blessed Sacrament,
while tending ever more toward the acquiring of Christian virtue,
above all, of sincere humility.
Thus we hope to live that life of union with Our Lord
which was the aim of your constant zeal,
as it is the principal effect on Holy Communion in our souls.

Finally, Saint Peter Julian,
obtain for us your own filial devotion
toward Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament,
that we may learn from that dear Divine Mother
how to serve and adore on earth Our Saviour hidden in His Sacrament,
and thus come to adore and glorify Him unveiled in heaven.

Amen

Say 1 Our Father…
Say 1 Hail Mary…
Say 1 Glory Be…

O Sacrament most holy,
O Sacrament divine.
All Praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine

Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament,
pray for us.

Saint Peter Julian, pray for us.

Saint Peter Julian Eymard Novena Prayer

Saint Peter Julian, who listened with such loving response to the voice of Jesus, help us also to listen and hear Him as He calls us to serve Him each in our own vocation. Help us especially during this Novena when we turn with our petitions to your powerful intercession.
(mention your intercession in the quietness of your own heart).
Lord Jesus Christ, through Your grace, St. Peter Julian understood the Eucharist to be Your Gift of Self to the world. May our prayers lead us to an ardent love of the Eucharist so that, like St. Peter Julian, we may shine in the world with the Radiance of Your Presence, a radiance that will silently say:
Jesus is there – let us go to Him!
St. Peter Julian, Apostle of the Eucharist, pray for us.

Novena Prayer in Honor of St. Peter Julian Eymard

St. Peter Julian, you were called by the grace of God to be a priest of the Eucharist. Your mission was to make the Eucharist known and loved on earth. You were to embrace selfless service and suffering you took the cross. You walked with Jesus. Your pilgrimage led you to the kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice and love, A Kingdom of Peace. St. Peter Julian, living in the fullness of Life, be aware of our needs. By your prayers before the lord, we ask you to help us especially in this need. (please mention your request) St. Peter Julian, during your life, you accepted the trials and troubles of life. You accepted with faith, hope, and love the will of the father. You said, “Your will be done.” We have our share of trials and troubles. We sometimes falter beneath the cross. By your intercession, St. Peter Julian, help us to have faith, Help us to trust in god, help us to accept his will for us. May your prayer for us be heard. May your prayer gain for us strength to follow Jesus – To love as He loved, to serve as he served, to share in the joy of His resurrection. St. Peter Julian, in your great gift of self, you never forgot those in need. Enable us to remember the needs of our brothers and sisters. You knew the needs of society. In your ministry, you did not forget the poor. You did not forget the sick and dying. Help us to recognize the poor in our midst, to remember the sick in home or hospital, the lonely and the dying those who have no one to care for them. Move us to make known the power of the Eucharist, to transform our society into paradise regained the new messianic Kingdom. A Kingdom in which no one will go hungry, no one will suffer injustice, no one will lack care in sickness, no one will die alone and unaided, it will be a Kingdom of God, in which the goodness of creation will be known again – among men and women, among brothers and sisters, among husbands and wives and children, among all nations on earth – the Kingdom where men and women will walk in harmony with God and all creation, Now and forever. Amen.
St. Peter Julian Eymard, Apostle of the Eucharist, Pray for us!

August 3^rd

Saint Nicodemus

Prayer to Saint Nicodemus

Merciful God, whose servant Nicodemus was a secret disciple of Christ, meeting him by night to avoid the wrath of the other members of the Sanhedrin, and eventually spoke out to that body to remind them that Jesus had a right to a hearing and with reverence and godly fear prepared the body of our Lord and Savior for burial, and laid it in his own tomb: Grant to us, your faithful people, grace and courage to love and serve Jesus with sincere devotion all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer of St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite for the Nativity of Christ

Jesus, Son of the Father without mother according to divinity, I glorify You the eternal one Who is above every cause and word.
Jesus, Son of a Mother without father according to humanity, I glorify You Who became man for us.
Jesus, Emmanuel unchanged, for You are the message-bearer of the great message of salvation, I thank You for Your great love for man.
Jesus, spotless Lamb of God, I ever confess You, for I am the lost sheep.
Jesus, most-compassionate Comforter, make the grace of Your Spirit to work within me.
Jesus, new Adam, remove from me the old man, and establish in me the new.
Jesus, You Who descended to earth, make me worthy to have my habitation in the heavens.
Jesus, You Who took on human nature, make me a partaker in the grace of theosis.
Jesus, my breath, come to visit me.

August 4^th

Saint John Vianney

Prayer to Saint Nicodemus

John Vianney was a French Catholic priest who is internationally known for his priestly and pastoral work in his parish in Ars, France, because of the radical spiritual transformation of the community and its surroundings.
In 1790, when the French Revolution forced priests to work in secrecy or face execution, young Vianney believed the priests were heroes. He continued to believe in the bravery of priests and received his First Communion catechism instructions in private by two nuns who lost their convents to the Revolution. He struggled mightily with all of his studies and he had a particularly difficult time with Latin. Many, including his formation directors and instructors in the seminary and his own bishop, had very serious doubts that this man who did not have strong intellectual gifts, would be suitable for the priesthood. However, John Vianney persevered and finally was ordained a priest in 1815. In 1818, as pastor of the parish at Ars, John encountered people who were indifferent and quite comfortable with their style of living. His vision led him through severe fasts and short nights of sleep. In the winter months he was to spend 11 to 12 hours daily reconciling people with God. In the summer months this time was increased to 16 hours. From 1824 he suffered attacks that he believed were caused by the Devil, who allegedly on one occasion set fire to Vianney’s bed. From 1845 until Vianney’s death, about 20,000 persons visited Ars to see Vianney and especially to make their confession to him.
He was beatified by Pope St Pius X in 1905, and canonized twenty upon years later by Pope Pius XI. In 1929, the same Pope Pius XI proclaimed him the “Heavenly Patron of all Parish Priests throughout the world.”

Prayer of Love by St. John Vianney

I love You, O my God, and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life.
I love You, O my infinitely lovable God, and I would rather die loving You, than live without loving You.
I love You, Lord and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally…
My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath.

Prayer:

Saint John Vianney, we pray you to bless and help our pastor so that he may love dearly in this life and be richly rewarded in the next. Obtain for him the grace always to be kind and generous, self-sacrificing and zealous. Watch over the people of our parish, and keep them free from all evils. Help them to be loyal and generous in the support of our pastor.
Help us particularly always to give him the respect and honour due him as a priest. Except for him we should not have the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, or Your presence among us, or the other sacraments that we so dearly love and need. From his anointed hands we receive the food of our souls, the most precious Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ From his lips we hear the word of God. By the power given to him our sins are forgiven, and we are given all blessings And it is he who will anoint us when we are dying, and will offer the Holy Sacrifice for us when we are dead. Help us, dear Saint, to see Christ in him, and to cooperate with him in all his work for the good of our souls. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR OUR PRIESTS

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry. Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill them with the sure knowledge of your love. Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit. Lead them to greater union with your Son. Increase their faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us. Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of St. Jean Vianney, grant that your priests will be inspired to strive for holiness by the power of his example. As men of prayer, may they ponder your word, follow your will and faithfully lead the flocks you have entrusted to their care. St. Jean Vianney, obtain for the Church an abundance of vocations to the holy priesthood. Through your intercession, may many faithful men hear Christ’s call, and respond with courage and generosity. Mary our Mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones. Intercede for our priests, so that by offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
St. Jean Vianney, patron of parish priests, pray for us!

Prayer for Priests by Saint John Vianney

God please give your Church today many more priests after your own heart. May they be worthy representatives of Christ the Good Shepherd. May they wholeheartedly devote themselves to prayer and penance; Being examples of humility and poverty; Shining models of holiness; Tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God; Zealous dispensers of your grace in the sacraments. May their loving devotion to your Son Jesus in the Eucharist and to Mary his Mother Be the twin fountains of fruitfulness for their ministry. Amen

Prayer for Priests through the Intercession of Saint John Marie Vianney

Most gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for our faithful priests and bishops, whose spiritual fatherhood and example of fidelity, self-sacrifice, and devotion is so vital to the faith of your people. May our spiritual fathers be guided by the example of St. John Vianney. Give them valiant faith in the face of confusion and conflict, hope in time of trouble and sorrow, and steadfast love for you, their families, and for all your people throughout the world. May the light of your Truth shine through their lives and their good works. Assist all spiritual fathers, that through your Grace they may steadily grow in holiness and in knowledge and understanding of your Truth. May they generously impart this knowledge to those who rely on them. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

August 5^th

Dedication of Saint Mary Major Basilica

COLLECT

Pardon the faults of your servants, we pray, O Lord,
that we, who cannot please you by our own deeds,
may be saved through the intercession of the Mother
of your Son and our Lord.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary Queen of Heaven:

O Maria, transform my heart unto thine.
Place around it a wreath of purity, adorned in virtue.
Take my heart, dear Mother, consecrated as your own.
Present it to God the Father as an offering from me to you.
Help me O Maria in each day to make your heart more known. Amen.
Glory be to the…

August 6^th

Transfiguration of the Lord

The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event where Jesus Christ took three of his disciples, Peter, James and John, upon Mount Tabor, where Moses and Elijah appeared and Jesus was transfigured, his face and clothes becoming dazzlingly bright. The festival celebrates the revelation of the eternal glory of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. Jesus is then called “Son” by the voice of God the Father, as in the Baptism of Jesus.
A church first raised at Mount Tabor in the fourth century was dedicated on August 6. The Feast of Transfiguration was fixed as August 6 by Pope Calixtus III in 1457 as a thank offering for the victory over the Turks at Belgrade on that day in 1456.

Transfiguration prayer

On the mountain you were transfigured, O Christ God,
And your disciples beheld your glory as far as they were able
So that when they would behold You crucified,
They would understand that Your suffering was voluntary,
And would proclaim to the world,
That You are truly the radiance of the Father.

Collect

Father in heaven,
whose Son Jesus Christ was wonderfully transfigured
before chosen witnesses upon the holy mountain,
and spoke of the exodus he would accomplish at Jerusalem:
give us strength so to hear his voice and bear our cross
that in the world to come we may see him as he is;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Prayer for the feast of the Transfiguration

You were transfigured on the Mountain, O Christ God, showing Your Disciples as much of Your glory as they could hold. Let Your eternal light shine also upon us sinners, through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Giver of Light, glory to You.

Prayers for the Transfiguration of the Lord

Living Word and shining Sun of God,
in your presence we see the face of holiness.
Overshadow us with your power and grace,
so that we may keep your commandments
and speak your truth with courage and love;
all for the dazzling glory of your holy name.
Amen.

Prayers for the Transfiguration of the Lord

Great God of dazzling beauty
and overshadowing majesty,
in Jesus Christ, your beloved Son,
we glimpse the image of your glory.
Teach us to listen to him
so that we may hear your voice
and follow your holy way;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

August 7^th

Saint Sixtus, Pope and Companions

Prayer

Pope Saint Sixtus II, you were a servant and a leader, a confident shepherd to a frightened flock, a central actor, not a bystander; a witness to truth, not an outside observer; a light generating others’ shadows. You are known because you were courageous. Make us faithful like you.

PRAYER:

Father,
by the power of the Holy Spirit
you enabled Saint Sixtus and his companions to lay down their lives
for your word in witness to Jesus.
Give us the grace to believe in you
and the courage to profess our faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

COLLECT PRAYER

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray, almighty God, make us docile in believing the faith and courageous in confessing it, just as you granted Saint Sixtus and his companions that they might lay down their lives for the sake of your word and in witness to Jesus. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

COLLECT:

By the power of the Holy Spirit make us, we pray, Almighty God, docile in believing the faith and courageous in confessing it, just as you granted Saint Sixtus and his companions that they might lay down their lives for the sake of your word and in witness to Jesus. Who lives and reigns with you.

August 7^th

Saint Cajetan

St. Cajetan Novena – Patron of the Unemployed

Glorious Saint Cajetan, acclaimed by all people to be the father of providence because you provide miraculous aid to all who come to you in need, I stand here before you today humbly asking that you present to the Lord the requests that I confidently deposit in your hands.

May these graces that I now request help me to always seek the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, knowing that God Who dresses with beauty the flowers of the field and abundantly feeds the birds of the sky will grant me all other things. Amen. Saint Cajetan, pray for us!

(Mention your request here…)

Say 1: Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…

August 8^th

Saint Dominic

St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers (commonly called the Dominicans) is the saint to whom Our Lady famously appeared and gave the devotion of the Holy Rosary to assist him in combating the Albigensian heresy then wreaking havoc in the Church.
Dominic Guzman traveled into France preaching against the Albigensian heresy, he was largely unsuccessful and pleaded for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After three days of prayer and fasting, three angels appeared in the sky along with a ball of fire. When they disappeared, Mary appeared to St. Dominic and told him to use the Marian Psalter while preaching the Gospel.The Marian Psalter was a prayer developed by the Cistercians, which involved praying 150 Hail Mary’s divided into groups of 10 by Our Fathers. Prayer beads were used to keep track of the Hail Mary’s. Mary revealed to St. Dominic which mysteries should be preached to correspond to the Psalter prayers. St. Dominic was the first to see the benefits reaped from meditation upon its mysteries.
In 1213, Catholic forces under the joint command of Count Simon de Montfort and St. Dominic were set to fight the Albigensian in Muret, a small town near Toulouse, France. The Catholics had only 1500 men, while their foe had 30,000. Confident of their upcoming success, the Albigensian spent the night before the battle celebrating in drunkenness and debauchery. The Catholics, on the other hand, spent their night praying the Rosary. After the battle, every Catholic in the area attributed the victory to the Rosary.
A Dominican pope, St. Pius V, promoted the Rosary and instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory in 1571. It was later renamed as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary in 1573 by Pope Gregory XIII.

Novena Prayer to St. Dominic (to be said for nine consecutive days)

O glorious Saint Dominic, thou who wast a model of mortification and purity, by punishing thy innocent body with scourges, with fasting’s and with watching’s, and by keeping inviolate the lily of thy virginity, obtain for us the grace to practice penance with a generous heart and to keep unspotted the purity of our bodies and our hearts.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.)

O great Saint, who, inflamed with divine love, didst find thy delight in prayer and intimate union with God; obtain for us to be faithful in our daily prayers, to love our Lord ardently, and to observe His commandments with ever increasing fidelity.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.)

O glorious Saint Dominic, who, being filled with zeal for the salvation of souls, didst preach the Gospel in season and out of season and didst establish the Order of Friars Preachers to labor for the conversion of heretics and poor sinners, pray thou to God for us, that He may grant us to love all our brethren sincerely and to cooperate always, by our prayers and good works, in their sanctification and eternal salvation.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.)

V. Pray for us, Saint Dominic,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the burden of our sins may be raised up by the patronage of blessed Dominic Thy Confessor. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer in Honor of St. Dominic

My Lord Jesus Christ, who didst found Thy Church with Thy Most Precious Blood and, by the preaching of the Apostles, didst establish it, propagate it and extend it throughout the whole world; and after them didst send the holy Patriarch Dominic to adorn it, enlighten it and defend it by the splendor of his merits and doctrine; vouchsafe to hear the prayers incessantly offered by that apostolic man for the increase of the spiritual goods and the temporal welfare of the same Thy Church.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.)

Most merciful Redeemer, who didst choose Saint Dominic to labor with Thee in the saving of souls, and he, by his zeal and Thy grace, won over to the Church so many heretics who were separated from her, and so many sinners who had grieved her by their evil lives; O my God, do thou send new laborers always into Thy vineyard to work for Thy glory and to gather in the fruits of everlasting life.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.)

O good Jesus, who didst delight to see Saint Dominic kneeling every night before Thine altar, adoring Thee hidden in the Blessed Sacrament with lively faith and offering in turn groans, prayers and penances in behalf of the Church, at that time persecuted by her enemies and profaned by her own children; defend this Thy Spouse through the intercession of Saint Dominic from the insults and the plots of the infernal enemy of mankind.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.)

V. Pray for us, Saint Dominic,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the burden of our sins, may be raised up by the patronage of blessed Dominic Thy Confessor. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Feast of St. Dominic

May God the Father, who made us, bless us. May God the Son, who redeemed us, send healing into our midst.
May God the Holy Spirit, who gives us life, move within us.

May God give us eyes to see to God, ears to hear God, and hands to bring God’s work into the world.

May we walk with God and preach the word of God to all.
May the angel of peace watch over us and lead us at last by God’s grace to the eternal Kingdom.

August 9^th

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Prayers of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)

O Prince of Peace, to all who receive You, You bright light and peace. Help me to live in daily contact with You, listening to the words You have spoken and obeying them. O Divine Child, I place my hands in Yours; I shall follow You. Oh, let Your divine life flow into me.
I will go unto the altar of God. It is not myself and my tiny little affairs that matter here, but the great sacrifice of atonement. I surrender myself entirely to Your divine will, O Lord. Make my heart grow greater and wider, out of itself into the Divine Life.
O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived where the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me and I shall met with peace.
How wondrous are the marvels of your love, We are amazed, we stammer and grow dumb, for word and spirit fail us.

Prayer:

Dear Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, child of the Day of Atonement – Yom Kippur, daughter of Abraham, bride of Christ, seeker of truth, scholar of the Church, handmaid of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, servant of the Suffering Servant, presence of mercy, victim of victimiser, embracer of the Cross of Christ-like love, Martyr of Auschwitz, imitator of Jesus, conquerer of evil, friend of God, Edith, please pray for me. Please intercede for this petition of mine. (Mention your petition.) Amen.
St Edith Stein, Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us.

August 10^th

Saint Lawrence

Prayer to St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr

O Generous patron of the Church’s poor, St. Lawrence, pray to the One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit that all the poor of the Church in need in every corner of the world may feel the effect of the love of their brothers and sisters who seek to help them.

Deliver the Church from the greed and envy of the powerful and protect her rights and property so that she may serve the needy in freedom, giving them good things for soul and body.
May we come some day with all those whom we helped on earth to the bright mansions of heaven where we will enjoy the riches of God’s house and the company of the Saviour who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.

St. Lawrence Novena

Glorious St Lawrence, model of Christian fortitude, I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God.To you I have recourse in the problems that daily surround me. Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and my neighbor. Inspire me to imitate your Christian virtues. May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in others and work for His Kingdom.Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries and afflictions in life, particularly…

(Mention your request here…)

Help me, dear St Lawrence, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the sweetness of His loving will and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven.

Amen
St. Lawrence, pray for us.

Say : 1 Our Father… Say 1: Hail Mary… Say 1: Glory Be…

August 11^th

Saint Clare of Assisi

Clare of Assisi was an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition, and wrote their Rule of Life. Following her death, the order she founded was renamed in her honour as the Order of Saint Clare, commonly referred to today as the Poor Clares (Clarissines).

Having refused to marry at 15, Clare was moved by the dynamic preaching of Francis. He became her lifelong friend and spiritual guide. On Palm Sunday in 1212, Clare left her father’s home and went to the chapel of the Porziuncula to meet with Francis. While there, Clare’s hair was cut off and she was given a plain robe and veil in exchange for her rich gown. On March 18, 1212, Francis received her vows, and thus began the Second Order of St. Francis. Many joined Clare, including her sister Agnes of Assisi. They lived a simple life of great poverty, austerity, and complete seclusion from the world, according to a Rule which Francis gave them as a Second Order. The Poor Ladies went barefoot, slept on the ground, ate no meat, and observed almost complete silence. Their lives consisted of manual labor and prayer. Yet, they were very happy, because Our Lord was close to them all the time. In 1216, Francis obliged Clare to accept the office of abbess. She suffered serious illness for the last 27 years of her life. Her influence was such that popes, cardinals, and bishops often came to consult her.

In 1224, an army of rough soldiers from Frederick II came to attack Assisi. Although very sick, Clare went out to meet them with the Blessed Sacrament on her hands. She had the Blessed Sacrament placed at the wall where the enemies could see it. Then on her knees, she begged God to save the Sisters. A voice seemed to answer: “I will keep them always in My care.” In that moment, a sudden fright struck the attackers and they fled as fast as they could without harming anyone in Assisi.

She was canonized in1255, by Pope Alexander IV. St. Clare was designated as the patron saint of television in 1958 by Pope Pius XII, because when St. Clare was very ill, she could not attend mass and was reportedly able to see and hear it on the wall in her room. She is also the patroness of eye disease, goldsmiths, and laundry.

Powerful Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi

O glorious Saint Clare!
God has given you the power of working miracles continually,
and the favor of answering the prayers of those who invoke your assistance in misfortune, anxiety, and distress;
we beseech you, obtain for us from Jesus, through Mary, His Blessed Mother,
what we beg of you so fervently and hopefully,
if it be for the greater honour and glory of God and for the good of our souls. Amen.

Saint Clare of Assisi, Pray For Us

POWERFUL PRAYER TO SAINT CLARE OF ASSISI

O Blessed Saint Clare, your life shines like a beacon and cast its light down the ages of the Church to guide the way of Christ.

Look with compassion on the poor and humble who call on you for help. As you bow before your Eucharistic Lord in Heaven, speak to Him of my afflicted body and my broken spirit. Ask Him to heal me and to wash away my sins in His precious Blood.

Great Servant of Christ, remember the needs of my family and all those I pray for. Defend us from everything that would threaten our Holy Catholic faith.

Hear the cry of the poor and make it a song of intercession, rising from your poor heart to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, our Healer, our Savior, and our Lord. Amen.

Prayer:

I look up and I behold the Lord,
Clare says to me, “Gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him,
I put this more simply:
behold, hold, enfold.

I behold the Lord
I see His outstretched hands
I see the blood from His wounds.
I see the love in the eyes of Jesus.
I see His gracious acceptance of me.

Jesus has come out of the tomb –
He still has the scars, but now they are glorious, with the glory of heaven.
Still looking at the Lord, I reach out and touch Him.
I hold the Lord – and I am held in His love.

Love enfolds
It is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me.
I am secure in the Lord.
I can look out, now, through the Lord’s eyes.
I can see the world as He created it, in His mercy,
I can see my sisters and brothers with His love,
and I can worship the Father through the eyes of the Son
in the Love of the Holy Spirit.

August 11^th

Saint Philomena

Novena to St. Philomena

We beseech Thee, O Lord, to grant us the pardon of our sins by the intercession of Saint Philomena, virgin and martyr, who was always pleasing in Thy sight by her eminent chastity and by the profession of every virtue. Amen.
Illustrious virgin and martyr, Saint Philomena, behold me prostrate before the throne whereupon it has pleased the Most Holy Trinity to place thee. Full of confidence in thy protection, I entreat thee to intercede for me with God, from the heights of Heaven deign to cast a glance upon thy humble client! Spouse of Christ, sustain me in suffering, fortify me in temptation, protect me in the dangers surrounding me, obtain for me the graces necessary to me, and in particular(Here specify your petition).
Above all, assist me at the hour of my death. Saint Philomena, powerful with God, pray for us. Amen.
O God, Most Holy Trinity, we thank Thee for the graces Thou didst bestow upon the Blessed Virgin Mary, and upon Thy handmaid Philomena, through whose intercession we implore Thy Mercy. Amen.

Litany of St. Philomena

Composed by St. John Vianney

Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, 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, Queen of Virgins, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, filled with abundant graces from your birth, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, faithful imitator of Mary, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, model of virginity, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, inflamed with zeal for the glory of God, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, victim of love for Jesus, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, example of strength and perseverance, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, invincible champion of chastity, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, mirror of most heroic virtue, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, firm and intrepid in the face of torments, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, scourged like your Divine Spouse, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, pierced by a rain of arrows, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, consoled in chains by the Mother of God, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, miraculously healed in prison, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, comforted by the angels in your torments, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, who preferred torments, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, who converted witnesses by your martyrdom, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, who wore out the fury of your tormentors, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, protectress of the innocent, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, patroness of youth, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, refuge of the unfortunate, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, health of the sick and infirm, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, new light of the Church Militant, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, who confounds the impiety of the world, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, who rejuvenates the faith and courage of the faithful, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, whose name is glorious in Heaven and feared in hell, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, made illustrious by the most splendid miracles, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, powerful with God, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, who reigns in glory, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O Worker of Wonders, Saint Philomena,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. O Lord, through the intercession of Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, whose eminent purity and practice of every virtue was most pleasing to you, pardon our sins and grant us the grace of (add your special intention), through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

St. Philomena Novena

Prayer to Saint Philomena for a Favor (KNOWN TO BE A VERY POWERFUL PRAYER)
O faithful Virgin and glorious Martyr, St. Philomena, who works so many miracles on behalf of the poor and sorrowing, have pity on me.
You know the multitude and diversity of my needs. Behold me at your feet, full of misery, but full of hope. I entreat your charity, O great saint! Graciously hear me and obtain from God a favorable answer to the request which I now humbly lay before you (mention your petitions here).
I am firmly convinced that through your merits, through the scorn, the sufferings and the death you endured, united to the merits of the Passion and death of Jesus, your Spouse, I shall obtain what I ask of you, and in the joy of my heart I will bless God, who is admirable in his Saints. Amen.
(From the “Novena to St. Philomena” by The Society of St. Paul)

PRAYER TO SAINT PHILOMENA FOR A SPECIAL FAVOR

Illustrious Virgin and Martyr, St. Philomena, behold me prostrate before the throne whereupon it has pleased the Most Holy Trinity to place you. Full of confidence in your protection, I entreat you to intercede for me with God, from the heights of Heaven deign to cast a glance upon your humble client! Spouse of Christ, sustain me in suffering, fortify me in temptation, protect me in the dangers surrounding me, and obtain for me the graces necessary to me. Above all, assist me at the hour of my death. St. Philomena, powerful with God, pray for us. Amen.

PRAYER TO ST. PHILOMENA FOR PURITY

O most pure Virgin, glorious Martyr, St. Philomena, whom God in His eternal power has revealed to the world in these unhappy days in order to revive the faith, sustain the hope and enkindle the charity of Christian souls, behold me prostate at thy feet. Deign, O Virgin, full of goodness and kindness, to receive my humble prayers and to obtain for me that purity for which thou didst sacrifice the most alluring pleasures of the world, that strength of soul which made thee resist the most terrible attacks and that ardent love for our Lord Jesus Christ, which the most frightful torments could not extinguish in thee. So, that wearing thy holy cord and imitating thee in this life, I may one day be crowned with thee in Heaven. Amen.

PRAYER IN HONOR OF SAINT PHILOMENA

Hail, O innocent Philomena, who, for love of Jesus, preserved the lily of thy virginity in all its brightness. Hail, O illustrious Philomena, who shed thy blood so courageously for Jesus Christ.
I bless the Lord for all the graces He granted thee during thy lifetime, and most especially at the hour of thy death. I praise Him and glorify Him for the honor and power with which He has crowned thee, and I beseech thee to obtain for me from God the graces I request through thy intercession.

The Litany of St. Philomena

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.
St. Philomena child of benediction, Pray for us.
St. Philomena the daughter of light, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, who from infancy chose Jesus Christ for your spouse, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, who despised with heroic courage the greatest honors, in order to remain faithful to Christ, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, whose faith and love for Jesus Christ could not be shaken, either by promises or threats, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, whose constancy could not be diminished, either by the supplications of a father, or the tenderness of a mother, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, who by your love of sufferings, merited to be consoled by Jesus, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, whose ardor to endure new torments augmented every day, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, whom God confided to the care of Angels, and who by their assistance defeated the rage of your persecutors, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, whose glory God was pleased to manifest by continual wonders, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, who endured several kinds of martyrdom from the different punishments you suffered, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, who, by your example, drew many souls to Faith, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, bound to a pillar and struck with reeds, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, perfect model of Christian virgins, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, special protectress of those who honor you, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, whom the Church honors and reveres as an illustrious virgin and martyr of Jesus Christ, Pray for us.
St. Philomena, now in possession of immortal honor, Pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, Who takest 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, St. Philomena!
R. That we may, like you, consecrate our entire lives to the love of Jesus.

Let us pray:
O Glorious virgin and martyr, whose glory God has been pleased to manifest by shining miracles! we address ourselves to you with entire confidence. Obtain for us, that, following your example, we may generously combat all that opposes the reign of Jesus Christ in our hearts, that He may ornament them with thy virtues, with that angelic purity of which you are so perfect a model; it order that, enkindled with a love for Jesus, we may walk constantly in the way He has pointed out to us, and partake one day of your eternal felicity. Amen.

NOVENA TO ST. PHILOMENA 3 —– TRADITIONAL

O great St. Philomena, glorious Virgin and Martyr, wonder-worker of our age, I return most fervent thanks to God for the miraculous gifts bestowed on thee, and beseech thee to impart to me a share in the graces and blessings of which thou hast been the channel to so many souls. Through the heroic fortitude with which thou didst confront the fury of tyrants and brave the frowns of the mighty rather than swerve from thy allegiance to the King of Heaven, obtain for me purity of body and soul, purity of heart and desire, purity of thought and affection. Through thy patience under multiplied sufferings, obtain for me a submissive acceptance of all the afflictions it may please God to send me and as thou didst miraculously escape unhurt from the waters of the Tiber, into which thou wert cast by order of thy persecutor, so may I pass through the waters of tribulation without detriment to my soul. In addition to these favours, obtain for me, O faithful spouse of Jesus, the particular intention I earnestly recommend to thee at this moment. O pure Virgin and holy Martyr, deign to cast a look of pity from Heaven on thy devoted servant, comfort me in affliction, assist me in danger, above all come to my aid in the hour of death. Watch over the interests of the Church of God, pray for its exaltation and prosperity, the extension of the faith, for the Sovereign Pontiff, for the clergy, for the perseverance of the just, the conversion of sinners, and the relief of the Souls in Purgatory, especially those dear to me., and those most forgotten. O great Saint, whose triumph we celebrate on earth, intercede for me, that I may one day behold the crown of glory bestowed on thee in Heaven, and eternally bless Him who so liberally rewards for all eternity the sufferings endured for His love during this short life. Amen.

August 12^th

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal

Novena and Prayers to St. Jane Frances de Chantal

O Glorious Saint, Blessed Jane Frances, who by thy fervent prayer, attention to the divine Presence, and purity of intention in thy actions, didst attain on earth an intimate union withGod, be now our advocate, our mother, our guide in the path of virtue and perfection. Plead our cause near Jesus, Mary and Joseph, to whom thou wast so tenderly devoted, and whose holy virtues thou didst so closely imitate. Obtain for us, O amiable and compassionate saint the virtues thou seest most necessary for us; an ardent love of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament, a tender and filial confidence in His blessed Mother, and like thee, a constant remembrance of His sacred passion and death. Obtain also, we pray thee, that our particular intention in this novena may be fulfilled.

V. Pray for us, O holy St. Jane Frances.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
O Almighty and merciful God, who didst grant blessed Saint Jane Frances, so inflamed with the love of Thee, a wonderful degree of fortitude through all the paths of life, and wast pleased through her to adorn Thy Church with a new Religious order; grant, by her merits and prayers, that we, who sensible of our weakness confide in Thy strength, may overcome all adversities with the help of Thy heavenly grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Abandonment by St Jane Frances de Chantal

O sovereign goodness
of the sovereign Providence of my God!
I abandon myself forever to Thy arms.
Whether gentle or severe,
lead me henceforth whither Thou will.
I will not regard the way
through which Thou will have me pass
but keep my eyes fixed upon Thee,
my God, who guides me.
My soul finds no rest without the arms
and the bosom of this heavenly Providence,
my true Mother, my strength and my rampart.
Therefore I resolve with Thy Divine assistance,
0 my Saviour,
to follow Thy desires and Thy ordinances,
without regarding or examining
why Thou does this rather than that
but I will blindly follow Thee,
according to Thy Divine will,
without seeking my own inclinations.
Hence I am determined to leave all to Thee,
taking no part therein,
save by keeping myself in peace in Thy arms,
desiring nothing, except as Thou incites me to desire,
to will, to wish.
I offer Thee this desire, 0 my God,
beseeching Thee to bless it.
I undertake all it includes,
relying on Thy goodness,
liberality and mercy,
with entire confidence in Thee,
distrust of myself,
and knowledge of my infinite misery and infirmity.
Amen.

August 13^th

Blessed Michael J. McGivney

Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Michael McGivney

God, our Father, protector of the poor and defender of the widow and orphan, you called your priest, Blessed Michael McGivney, to be an apostle of Christian family life and to lead the young to the generous service of their neighbour. Through the example of his life and virtue, may we follow your Son, Jesus Christ, more closely, fulfilling his commandment of charity and building up his Body which is the Church. Let the inspiration of your servant prompt us to greater confidence in your love so that we may continue his work of caring for the needy and the outcast. We humbly ask that you glorify Blessed Michael McGivney on earth according to the design of your holy will. Through his intercession, grant the Favor I now present (here make your request).
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to Father Michael J. McGivney

O great and glorious God,
you imbued your holy priest,
Father Michael J. McGivney,
with deep priestly virtue and especially
with pastoral concern for the poor,
the orphan, the widow,
for the Christian education of youth,
for the protection of the faith
of the working man of his day.

Now that his priestly ministry continues
to spread to countless millions
throughout the world through the efforts
and influence of the Order
of the Knights of Columbus,
which Father McGivney founded,
we beseech you,
Heavenly Father,
to raise your faithful servant, Michael,
to the honours of the altar.
We ask this favour
through our Lord Jesus Christ
and His holy mother,
Mary and our mother.

Amen.

August 14^th

Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe

Saint Maximilian Kolbe, was a Polish Catholic priest who volunteered to die in place of a man in the German death camp of Auschwitz, during World War II. He had been active in promoting the veneration of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and founding or running several other organizations and publications. Due to Kolbe’s efforts to promote consecration and entrustment to Mary, he is known as the Apostle of Consecration to Mary.

In 1906 young Kolbe had a vision of the Virgin Mary in which she offered him a white crown and a red crown and asked which he would accept. Understanding the white to represent a life of purity and the red to represent martyrdom, he said he would accept them both. The vision deeply affected him, and the following year he and his elder brother joined the Franciscan Conventuals. He became a novice at 16 and ordained at 24. Maximilian later achieved doctorates in philosophy and theology.

In 1939, the Nazi panzers overran Poland with deadly speed. Niepokalanow, a religious centre founded by Kolbe was severely bombed. Kolbe and his friars were arrested, then released in less than three months, on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.In 1941, Fr. Kolbe was arrested again. The Nazis’ purpose was to liquidate the select ones, the leaders. Following a prisoner’s escape, 10 men were randomly selected to die as punishment, and Kolbe volunteered his life in the place of Franciszek Gajowniczek, who was married with young children. Kolbe and the other nine prisoners were starved for weeks until he and the few others who were still alive were finally injected with carbolic acid and cremated.

Fr. Kolbe was beatified by Pope Paul VI in 1971. In 1982 Pope John Paul II canonized him, proclaiming that he was to be venerated as a martyr. Gajowniczek survived Auschwitz and attended both the beatification and canonization ceremonies. The Catholic Church venerates him as the patron saint of amateur radio operators, drug addicts, political prisoners, families, journalists, and prisoners. John Paul II declared him “The Patron Saint of Our Difficult Century.”

Prisoner’s Prayer To Saint Maximilian Kolbe

Introduce me to Mary, the Immaculata, Mother of God.
She prayed for Jesus in a Jerusalem jail.
She prayed for you in a Nazi prison camp. Ask her to comfort me
in my confinement. May she teach me always to be good.

If I am lonely, may she say, “God is here.”
If I feel hate, may she say, “God is love.”
If I am tempted, may she say, “God is pure.”
If I sin, may she say, “God is mercy.”
If I am in darkness, may she say, “God is light.”
If I am unjustly condemned, may she say, “God is truth.”
If I have pain in soul or body, may she say, “God is peace.”
If I lose hope, may she say: “God is with you all days, and so am I.”
Amen.

Novena Prayers to Saint Maximilian Kolbe

O Lord Jesus Christ who said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose life illustrated such love, we beseech You to grant us our petitions.

(Mention here the requests you have.)

Through the Knights of the Immaculata movement, which Maximilian founded, he spread a fervent devotion to Our Lady throughout the world. He gave up his life for a total stranger and loved his persecutors, giving us an example of unselfish love for all men – a love which was inspired by true devotion to Mary.

Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we, too, may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant, St. Maximilian Kolbe. Amen.

(Say 3 Hail Marys and a Glory Be)

“LOVE ALONE CREATE” PRAYER

St. Maximilian, amidst the hate and lonely misery of Auschwitz, you brought love into the lives of fellow captives, and sowed the seeds of hope amidst despair. You bore witness to the world, by word and deed, that only “Love alone creates.”
Help me to become more like yourself. With you and Mary and the Church, may I proclaim that only “Love alone creates.” To the hungry and oppressed, the naked and homeless, the scorned and hated, the lonely and despairing, may I proclaim the power of Christ’s love, which endures forever and ever. Amen.

August 15^th

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Catholicism celebrates her dogmas like a country celebrates its Independence Day or its military victories. Assumption Day commemorates the belief that when Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, died, her body was “assumed” into heaven to be reunited with her soul, instead of going through the natural process of physical decay upon death.
On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Assumption of Mary to be a dogma of faith: “We proclaim and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever-Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.” What the pope solemnly declared was already a common belief in the Catholic Church.
Although the bodily assumption of Mary is not explicitly recorded in Scripture, Catholic tradition identifies her with the “woman clothed with the sun” who is described in the 12th chapter of the Book of Revelation. The passage calls that woman’s appearance “a great sign” which “appeared in heaven,” indicating that she is the mother of the Jewish Messiah and has “the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” Accordingly, Catholic iconography of the Western tradition often depicts the Virgin Mary’s assumption into heaven in this manner.

Prayer for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Almighty and everlasting God,
You have taken up body and soul
into the heavenly glory the Immaculate Virgin Mary,
Mother of Your Son: Grant, we beseech You,
that, ever intent upon heavenly things,
we may be worthy to be partakers of her glory.
Through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer for the Assumption of Mary

Father in heaven,
all creation rightly gives you praise,
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom
she who bore the Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer To The Blessed Virgin Assumed Into Heaven By Pope Pius XII

O, Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and Mother of Men,
we believe with all the fervour of our faith in thy triumphant Assumption,
body and soul, into Heaven,
where thou art acclaimed as Queen by all the Choirs of Angels
and by all the Legions of Saints.
We unite with them to praise and bless the Lord
Who halls exalted thee above all other pure creatures
and to offer to thee the fervour of our devotion and our love.

We know that thine eyes,
which caressed maternally the humble
and suffering humanity of Jesus on earth,
are now filled with the vision of the glorified humanity of the incarnate Wisdom,
and that the joy of thy soul contemplating face to face the adorable Trinity.
makes thy heart beat with beatifying tenderness.
And we, poor sinners. whose bodies burden the flight of the soul,
we beseech thee to purify our senses so that we may learn,
while yet here below, to enjoy God and God alone in the charm of His creatures.

We are confident that thine eyes of mercy look down upon our miseries,
our sorrows, our struggles, and our weaknesses,
and smile upon our joys and our victories,
and that thou hearest the voice of Jesus saying to each one of us,
just as He said of His beloved disciple. ” Behold thy son.”
and we invoke thee, our Mother,
and like John we take thee for guidance,
strength and consolation in our mortal life.

We have the life-giving certainty that thine eyes,
which wept on the earth bathed with the Blood of Jesus,
still gaze on this world. a prey to wars, persecutions
and the oppressions of the just and the weak;
and, in the shadows of this vale of tears,
we look to thy heavenly light and thy sweet pity for comfort
in the grief of our hearts and in the trials of the Church and our homeland.

And we believe. too, that in the glory where thou reigns,
clothed in the sun and crowned with the stars, thou art,
after Jesus, the joy and the happiness of all the angels and saints;
and we on this earth, who pass as pilgrims
comforted by faith in future resurrection,
look to thee, our life, our sweetness and our hope.
Draw us with the sweetness of thy voice and show unto us, one day,
after this our exile, the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
0 clement, 0 loving, 0 sweet Virgin Mary.

Novena prayer for the Feast of the Assumption:

Mary, Queen Assumed into Heaven, I rejoice that after years of heroic martyrdom on earth, you have at last been taken to the throne prepared for you in heaven by the Holy Trinity.
Lift my heart with you in the glory of your Assumption above the dreadful touch of sin and impurity. Teach me how small earth becomes when viewed from heaven. Make me realize that death is the triumphant gate through which I shall pass to your Son, and that someday my body shall rejoin my soul in the unending bliss of heaven.
From this earth, over which I tread as a pilgrim, I look to you for help. I ask for this favour: (Mention your request).
When my hour of death has come, lead me safely to the presence of Jesus to enjoy the vision of my God for all eternity together with you. Amen.

Prayer to Mary Assumed into Heaven

O Blessed Virgin Mary,
united to the victorious Christ in heaven,
you are the image and first-flowering of the Church
as she is to be perfected in the world to come.
You shine forth as a sign of sure hope and solace
for the pilgrim People of God.
In your Assumption,
you manifest the fullness of redemption
and appear as the spotless image of the Church
responding in joy
to the invitation of the Bridegroom, your Son,
who is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Grant that we may follow your example on earth
thereby imitating your Son as well
and being enabled to share your glory,
with Him for all eternity.

Prayer to Our Lady, Assumed into Heaven

Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, we believe in your triumphant assumption into heaven where the angels and saints acclaim you as Queen. We join them in praising you and bless the Lord who raised you above all creatures. With them we offer you our devotion and love. We are confident that you watch over our daily efforts and needs, and we take comfort from the faith in the coming resurrection. We look to you, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. After this earthly life, show us Jesus, the blest fruit of your womb, O kind, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

August 16^th

Saint Stephen of Hungary

PRAYER TO ST STEPHEN OF HUNGARY

Grant your Church, we pray, almighty God, that she may have Saint Stephen of Hungary, who fostered her growth while a king on earth, as her glorious defender in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

PRAYER

Just and Holy Father, help me to overcome all tendencies to show favouritism in my life. Let me treat all persons as brothers and sisters in Christ and work and pray for their salvation. As You forgive me, teach me Lord, to forgive all. Grant that the prayers of St Stephen of Hungary may continue to defend us, as he did in the world. Through Jesus our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Stephen of Hungary

O My Jesus, Saint Stephen was crowned by the pope as “the apostolic King of Hungary” because he worked hard to advance Your kingdom in his country. He attributed his success as a righteous king and effective evangelist to the Blessed Mother, into whose protection he had entrusted his empire. I ask him to place under her care my family and my home for safekeeping. When any of us are in danger, may she come to our aid with a legion of holy angels. Dear God, deliver us from abuse and family divisions. Bless each resident and visitor in our homes and purify our relations with each other.
Saint Stephen, pray for us.
Amen.