February 3^rd

Saint Blaise

A PRAYER TO SAINT BLAISE

O glorious Saint Blaise, who by thy martyrdom didst leave to the Church a precious witness to the faith, obtain for us the grace to preserve within ourselves this divine gift, and to defend, without human respect, both by word and example, the truth of that same faith, which is so wickedly attacked and slandered in these our times. Thou who didst miraculously restore a little child when it was at the point of death by reason of an affliction of the throat, grant us thy mighty protection in like misfortunes; and, above all, obtain for us the grace of Christian mortification, together with a faithful observance of the precepts of the Church, which may keep us from offending almighty God.
Amen.

PRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. BLAISE

O God, deliver us through the intercession of Thy holy bishop and martyr Blase, from all evil of soul and body, especially from all ills of the throat; and grant us the grace to make a good confession in the confident hope of obtaining Thy pardon, and ever to praise with worthy lips Thy most holy name. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen

INVOCATION OF ST. BLAISE

St. Blase, gracious benefactor of mankind and faithful servant of God, who for the love of our Savior did suffer so many tortures with patience and resignation; I invoke thy powerful intercession. Preserve me from all evils of soul and body. Because of thy great merits God endowed thee with the special grace to help those that suffer from ills of the throat; relieve and preserve me from them, so that I may always be able to fulfill my duties, and with the aid of God’s grace perform good works. I invoke thy help as special physician of souls, that I may confess my sins sincerely in the holy sacrament of Penance and obtain their forgiveness. I recommend to thy merciful intercession also those who unfortunately concealed a sin in confession. Obtain for them the grace to accuse themselves sincerely and contritely of the sin they concealed, of the sacrilegious confessions and communions they made, and of all the sins they committed since then, so that they may receive pardon, the grace of God, and the remission of the eternal punishment.
Amen.

PRAYER

My Lord and my God! I offer up to Thee my petition in union with the bitter passion and death of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, together with the merits of His immaculate and blessed Mother, Mary ever virgin, and of all the saints, particularly with those of the holy Helper in whose honor I make this novena.
Look down upon me, merciful Lord! Grant me Thy grace and Thy love, and graciously hear my prayer.
Amen.

Ask for St. Blaise’s intercession to prepare for a worthy observance of Lent.

Accept, O glorious martyr, the praise which we offer you,
in union with that given you by the whole Church.
In return for this homage of our veneration,
look down upon the Christian people,
who are now preparing to enter in the season of penance
and to be converted to the Lord their God by holy compunction and tears.
We ask it of you by your own combat, assist us in the one for which we are preparing. When duty required you to undergo tortures and death,
it found you ready and brave.
Our duty is expiation by penance and your prayers must get us courage.
Our enemies are not more cruel than yours, but they are more treacherous,
and if we spare them, we are lost.
Obtain for us that heavenly assistance,
which enabled you to conquer.
Amen.

COLLECT PRAYER

Hear, O Lord, the supplications your people make under the patronage of the Martyr Saint Blaise, and grant that they may rejoice in peace in this present life, and find help for life eternal. 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 for the Feast of St. Blaise and the Blessing of the Throats

Almighty and eternal God,
St. Blaise was a faithful servant whose life serves as a model for us all, he lived a life of faith and trusted in your divine mercy. You gave him a special gift of healing, a sign of the miraculous power of your love. Grant to us your protection against the forces of evil and illness. As we encounter you in the Eucharist, help us also to see you in those who are sick and in need of physical healing.
We ask for these things in your Holy Name,
Amen.

DAILY PRAYER

St. Blaise, gracious benefactor of mankind and faithful servant of God, who for the love of our saviour suffered many tortures with patience and resignation; I invoke your powerful intercession. Preserve me from all evils of body and soul. Because of your special merits, God has given you special graces to help those who suffer from ills of the throat. Relieve and preserve me from them, so that I may always be able to fulfil my duties and with the aid of God’s grace, perform good works. I invoke your help as special physician of souls that I may confess my sins sincerely in the holy sacrament of penance and obtain their forgiveness.
Amen.

FIRST DAY

Lord Jesus Christ, you said that your disciples would only be worthy of you if they are able to carry their cross. You asked them to be faithful till the end, even if it means shedding their blood for your sake. You are pleased by the offering of life done by your servant St. Blaise. His death sealed his loyalty to you, and for this reason, you love your servant St. Blaise.
O St. Blaise, Christians down the centuries have asked your intercession for their throat ailments, and you have proven your closeness to Jesus by the long list of miracles attributed to your name. We come to you with our petitions and problems hoping that your closeness to Jesus will enable you to help us. Listen then to our prayers and bring them to Jesus.
Amen.

Daily Prayer

(3) Our Father, (3) Hail Mary, (3) Glory Be

St. Blaise, protect us from all throat ailments.

SECOND DAY

Lord Jesus Christ, you predicted that your first followers would face terrible persecutions in the hands of the Romans. For three hundred years, your followers were massacred, beheaded and eaten by the lions, and the blood of the martyrs became the seed of Christianity. Your Church continued to grow. In the Church of Armenia, St. Blaise is the most prominent martyr.

O St. Blaise, your courage to face death in the name of Jesus became the light of the Church in Armenia. As a bishop, you led the way inspiring others to be faithful to Jesus. You preached the gospel most effectively when you chose to die rather than betray your Lord and Savior. Share with us your courage that we may witness to Jesus’ presence in our world. Let us always love when we are invited to hate, to forgive when we are tempted to vengeance. Inspire us to do Jesus’ commands at any circumstances.

Amen.

Daily Prayer
(3) Our Father, (3) Hail Mary, (3) Glory Be

St. Blaise, protect us from all throat ailments.

THIRD DAY

O Lord Jesus Christ, you left the Eucharist as your constant presence in the world. Your presence though sacramental is real but we can only touch and feel you if our faith is strong enough. You commanded your Church to continue with this daily offering so that everybody may experience your presence. The Eucharist was the love of St. Blaise, as he hid from his persecutors, celebrating it in the cave along with some of his trusted friends.

O St. Blaise, look kindly on us your devotees who at times find it difficult to experience Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. We lack faith because we want to see in order to believe. We sacrifice easily our Sunday masses for other activities. Inspire us then to renew our faith in the Eucharist and to participate on it with full mind and heart, attentive to Jesus’ presence. Amen.

Daily Prayer
(3) Our Father, (3) Hail Mary, (3) Glory Be

St. Blaise, protect us from all throat ailments.

February 4^th

Saint Joseph of Leonissa

PRAYER

Almighty God, You made Saint Joseph of Leonessa, an illustrious preacher of the gospel. Through his prayers inflame us with love and with his zeal for souls that we may serve You alone.

St Joseph of Leonissa, pray for us,
Amen.

February 5^th

Saint Agatha

Prayer to Saint Agatha

Patroness against breast disease
Lord God,
You showered heavenly gifts
on the virgin Agatha. Hear
the prayers of those who recall
her devoted life and who ask
her to intercede for them
in their necessity.

(petition).

Help us imitate her virtues
during our earthly life
and enjoy eternal happiness
with her in heaven.
Amen

Prayer to St. Agatha, Patroness of Breast Cancer Patients

St. Agatha, woman of valor,
from your own suffering we have been moved
to ask your prayers for those of us who suffer from breast cancer.

We place (person’s name) before you,
and ask you to intercede on their behalf.

From where you stand in the health of life eternal,
all wounds healed,
and all tears wiped away,
pray for (prayer intention),
and all of us.

Pray God will give us His holy benediction of health and healing.
And, we remember you were a victim of torture
and that you learned, first hand,
of human cruelty and inhumanity.

We ask you to pray for our entire world.
Ask God to enlighten us
with a “genius for peace and understanding.”

Ask Him to send us His Spirit of Serenity,
and ask Him to help us share
that peace with all we meet.

From what you learned
from your own path of pain,
ask God to give us the Grace we need
to remain holy in difficulties,
not allowing our anger
or our bitterness to overtake us.

Pray that we will be more peaceful and more charitable.
And from your holy pace in our mystical body, the Church,
pray that we, in our place and time will, together,
create a world of justice and peace.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Agatha, Patron Saint of Breast Cancer

Saint Agatha, blessed virgin and martyr.
You are honored as the patron of breast cancer.
You suffered pain and torture in your devotion to the Lord.
Protect me from breast cancer
and intervene before God almighty,
and pray for me so that I may be cured.
Heal me and comfort me, and mercifully
grant me protection from all cancer.
Saint Agatha, pray for me.
Amen.

Prayer for St. Agatha for health of mind, body and soul

O Heavenly Father,
who raised Agatha to the dignity of sainthood,
we implore Your Divine Majesty by her intercession
to give us health of mind, body and soul.
Free us from all those things which hold us bound to this earth,
and let our spirit, like hers, rise to your heavenly courts.
Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you, forever.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Agatha

Dear St. Agatha, glorious virgin and martyr, you suffered yourself to be reviled and buffeted, to be tortured by rack, fire, and sword in a most painful manner; and by this fortitude and heroism you merited to be consoled and gladdened in the midst of your dreadful torments by the sight of your guardian angel and the prince of the apostles: obtain for me, I pray, by your merits and by your intercession with Jesus Christ, your divine Spouse, that I may surfer joyfully every temporal loss, rather than prove unfaithful to my Lord and my God. Ask for me the grace of perseverance, that I may with thee enjoy the beatific vision and praise God forevermore.
Amen

Protection From Sexual Violence

O Saint Agatha,
you resisted unwelcome advances from unwanted suitors,
and suffered pain and torture for your devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ;
we celebrate your faith, dignity and martyrdom.
Protect us from sexual and other violations,
guard us against all afflictions,
and inspire us to overcome adversity.
Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr,
mercifully grant that we who venerate your sacrifice
may receive your intercession in times of need.
Amen.
… St Agatha, Pray for Us …

A Prayer for Special Intention

O glorious Saint Agatha, through whose intercession in Christ I hope for the restored health of body and soul hasten to lead me to the true Good, God alone. By your intercession O blessed Agatha, may I ever enjoy your protection by faithfully witnessing to Christ. You invite all who come to you to enjoy the treasure of communion with the Holy Trinity. Moreover, if it be for God’s greater glory and the good of my person, please intercede for me with the request of
[mention request here].
Saint Agatha, you found favor with God by your chastity and by your courage in suffering death for the gospel. Teach me how to suffer with cheerfulness, uniting myself to Christ crucified with a simplicity and purity of heart. Amen.
Saint Agatha, eloquent witness of Jesus Christ as Savior, pray for us.
Saint Agatha, the martyr who says to Jesus, “possess all that I am,” pray for us.
Saint Agatha, concerned with the welfare of all God’s children, pray for us.
Saint Agatha, pray for us.

February 6^th

Saint Paul Miki and Companions

PRAYER TO SAINT PAUL MIKI AND COMPANIONS

I pray, Dear Lord, source of strength for all your saints, you led Paul Miki and his companions through the suffering of the cross to the joy of eternal life
see me through these hard times. I n these troubling times, I am filled with unspeakable fears
I am filled with unspeakable fears. I reach out my hand to you now, and ask you to walk besides me. I cannot carry all my burdens, But I know you can, and will. Please walk beside me. Please guide me. Please help me hold on strong, Through the trials and storms. Help me hold on to my faith, In even the darkest hour. Stay with me Lord, and show me Your way. In your love and Holy Spirit, I abide.
Amen.

COLLECT

O God, strength of all the Saints,
who through the Cross were pleased to call
the Martyrs Saint Paul Miki and companions to life,
grant, we pray, that by their intercession
we may hold with courage even until death
to the faith that we profess.
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

Patron Saints of Japan

Saint Paul Miki, you accepted martyrdom rather than abandon your faith. You chose to serve those closest to you rather than to flee. Inspire in us the same love of God and man so that we too can know, love, and serve God in the heroic fashion that made you so brave and composed in the face of intense suffering.
Amen.

Prayer

God our Father, source of strength for all your saints, you led Paul Miki and his companions through the suffering of the cross to the joy of eternal life. May their prayers give us the courage to be loyal until death in processing our faith. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

February 7^th

Saint Colette

PRAYER TO SAINT COLETTE FOR TRYING TO CONCEIVE A BABY

Saint Colette, Miracle Child, and Daughter of the Church.
You spent your life in love and dedication to the Cross.
You were a miracle worker in life, and you are a miracle worker in heaven.
You know my desire to conceive a healthy baby and deliver them successfully that they may have a long and happy life.
Please intercede on my behalf to Jesus Christ. Please help me to conceive a miracle baby and have a blessed pregnancy and delivery.
And, with the grace of God, please be with me to grant me dedication I need to remain constant and unswerving in my faith while I wait patiently to meet my baby.
Amen.

DEDICATION PRAYER OF ST. COLETTE

O blessed Jesus,
I dedicate myself to thee
in health, in illness, in all my deeds,
so that I may never work henceforth except for thy glory,
for the salvation of souls, and for that which thou hast chosen for me.
From this moment on, dearest Lord,
there is nothing which I am not prepared
to undertake for love of thee.
Amen.

PRAYER TO ST. COLETTE

O glorious ST. COLETTE,
I beseech you
through the burning love which
inflamed your heart for Jesus
in the Most Blessed Sacrament
through the marvellous graces
with which He enriched you and
the loving compassion you did bear
to Him in His bitter sufferings,
obtain from Him for me
my requests which I hope
to receive through your
powerful intercession.
Amen!

GROUP PRAYER TO ST. COLETTE

O Lord Jesus Christ,
who have enriched Your spouse,
SAINT COLETTE,
with heavenly graces,
grant, we beseech You,
that we may imitate her virtues
here on earth,
and with her enjoy the eternal happiness of heaven.
Amen.

CHAPLET OF SAINT COLETTE

Blessed be the hour
in which our Lord Jesus Christ,
God and Man was born.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit
by whom he was conceived.
Blessed be the glorious Virgin Mary
of whom the Incarnate Word was born.
May the Lord hear our prayers
through the intercession
of the glorious Virgin Mary
and in memory
of that most sacred hour
in which the Incarnate Word was born,
that all our desires may be accomplished
for your glory and our salvation.
O good Jesus!
O Jesus our Redeemer,
do not abandon us as our sins deserve,
but hear our humble prayer
and grant what we ask
through the intercession
of the most blessed Virgin Mary
and for the glory of your Holy name.
Amen.
As God pleases
As God wills
(Always prayed ten times)
Let us praise the Father in his mercy
and the Son by his passion
and the Holy Spirit
the fountain of peace and sweetness and love.
Amen,
Amen without recall!

February 8^th

Saint Josephine Bakhita

Prayer to St. Josephine Bakhita

St. Josephine Bakhita, you were sold into slavery as a child and endured untold hardship and suffering. Once liberated from your physical enslavement, you found true redemption in your encounter with Christ and his Church. O St. Bakhita, assist all those who are trapped in a state of slavery; Intercede with God on their behalf so that they will be released from their chains of captivity. Those whom man enslaves, let God set free. Provide comfort to survivors of slavery and let them look to you as an example of hope and faith. Help all survivors find healing from their wounds. We ask for your prayers and intercessions for those enslaved among us.
Amen.

Prayer:

Loving God, rewarder of the humble, you blessed St. Josephine Bakhita with charity and patience. May her prayers help us, and her example inspire us to carry our cross and to love you always. Pour upon us the spirit of wisdom and love with which you filled St. Josephine Bakhita.
By serving you as she did, may we please you by our faith and our actions. 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.

Prayer to Saint Josephine

God of goodness and mercy, rewarder of the humble, you blessed St. Josephine Bakhita of Sudan with charity and patience. May her prayers help us, and her example inspire us to carry our cross and to love you always.

(please mention your intentions)

Pour upon us the spirit of wisdom and love with which you filled St. Josephine Bakhita. By serving you as she did, may we please you by our faith and our actions. 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. Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, walk with us as we walk closer to your son Jesus.

St. Josephine Bakhita, pray for us.

February 9^th

Saint Jerome Emiliani

Prayer to Saint Jerome Emiliani

O St. Jerome Emiliani, our country is in such need of your powerful intercession before the throne of God. So many children are orphans of broken homes, some are missing and others have been used for evil purposes on our city streets. Even worse than this, people are killing children before they are even born.
Inspire parents to adopt orphans. Help us to have your fervor for all children, especially those in most need. Finally, we ask you to transform us into children so that we may one day enter the Kingdom of Heaven and with you praise the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit forever.
Amen.

PRAYER TO ST JEROME EMILIANI:

God of mercy,
You chose Jerome Emiliani
to be a father and friend of orphans.
May his prayers keep us faithful
to the Spirit we have received,
who makes us Your children.
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.

St Jerome Emiliani’s Prayer for the Church

Our sweet Father Lord Jesus Christ, because of Your infinite goodness, we ask You to reform Christianity to that state of sanctity that was characteristic of the time of the Apostles. Hear us, O Lord, because You are kind and merciful. In Your bountiful compassion look upon us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us. May the power of God the Father, the wisdom of the Son and the strength of the Holy Spirit and also the glorious Virgin Mary, guide and protect me on the way to peace, love and prosperity. Also, may the angel Raphael, who always assisted Tobias, be with me in every place I stay and on every road I travel. My dear Jesus, my dear Jesus, my dear Jesus, my love and my God, I trust in You, let me never regret it.
Amen.

February 10^th

Saint Scholastica

A Prayer in Honor of Saint Scholastica

O God, to show us where innocence leads, you made the soul of your virgin Saint Scholastica soar to heaven like a dove in flight. Grant through her merits and her prayers that we may so live in innocence as to attain to joys everlasting. This we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Litany in Honor of St. Scholastica

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.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Saint Scholastica, pray for us.

(Repeated after each invocation)

St. Scholastica, true sister of St. Benedict,
St. Scholastica, chosen by God from eternity,
St. Scholastica, predisposed to faith by the grace of Christ Our Lord,
St. Scholastica, consecrated to God from thine infancy,
St. Scholastica, always a Virgin incorrupt,
St. Scholastica, espoused to Jesus Christ,
St. Scholastica, scholar of the Holy Ghost,
St. Scholastica, mirror of innocence,
St. Scholastica, model of perfection,
St. Scholastica, pattern of virtues,
St. Scholastica, glory of the monastic life,
St. Scholastica, mother of numberless virgins,
St. Scholastica, imitator of the angelic life,
St. Scholastica, full of faith in God,
St. Scholastica, replenished with hope of the goods of Heaven,
St. Scholastica, ever burning with the love of thy Spouse,
St. Scholastica, resplendent with humility,
St. Scholastica, trusting as a daughter in the Lord,
St. Scholastica, intent on prayer,
St. Scholastica, quickly heard by the Lord,
St. Scholastica, famed for the praise of perseverance,
St. Scholastica, who didst enter the courts of Heaven in the form of a dove,
St. Scholastica, who dost now follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes,
St. Scholastica, who dost rejoice in the delights of thy Spouse forever,
St. Scholastica, adorned with a crown of glory,
St. Scholastica, advocate with God of those who invoke thee,
St. Scholastica, generous patron of those who imitate thee,
St. Scholastica, holy and innocent Virgin,
We sinners, beseech thee, Saint Scholastica, to hear us.
That you would deign to help us by your most holy and efficacious prayers to God,
we beseech thee, hear us.
That you would deign to cherish and preserve, by your protection, the Benedictine
Order (and this monastery) and all who dwell therein, we beseech thee, hear us.
(That you would admit us into the number of your children,) etc.
That you would deign to raise up, increase, and preserve our devotion toward you,
(That you would deign to preserve in us the perfect observance of the Rule of
your blessed brother, our most holy father Saint Benedict,)
That you would deign, by your supplications, to moisten the dryness of our hearts
with the dew of heavenly grace,
That by your intercession you may eternally unite us to Christ, the Spouse of our souls,
That you may lead us to eternal joys, and to Jesus (our most sweet Spouse),
That you would vouchsafe to hear us,

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O holy Virgin Scholastica,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray.

O God, Who, to show the innocence of her life,
did cause the soul of your blessed Virgin Scholastica
to ascend to Heaven in the form of a dove,
grant, we beseech You,
by her merits and prayers,
that we may live so innocently as to deserve to arrive at eternal joys, through Jesus Christ,
Your only-begotten Son Our Lord,
Who with You and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Chaplet of St. Scholastica

Opening Prayer:

St. Scholastica, God granted your request because of your great love. I ask now that you turn to God with my request out of your great love for Him and your great love for me.

(State your intentions here)

Love is patient (1 Cor. 13:4). Through God’s grace, help me, St. Scholastica, to grow in love by becoming more patient. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails (1 Cor. 13:7-8). St. Scholastica, you were a great witness to this truth. Help me to believe it more fully and to live it out each day.

3 Our Fathers

3 Hail Marys

3 Glory Be’s

Closing Prayer:

O God, to show us where innocence leads, you made the soul of your virgin St. Scholastica soar to heaven. Like a dove in flight. Grant through her merits and her prayers, that we may so live in innocence as to attain to joys everlasting. This we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You, in unity with the Holy Spirit, forever and ever,
Amen.

February 11^th

Our Lady of Lourdes

The Story of Our Lady of Lourdes

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. A little more than three years later, on February 11, 1858, a young lady appeared to Bernadette Soubirous. This began a series of visions. During the apparition on March 25, the lady identified herself with the words: “I am the Immaculate Conception. “Bernadette was a sickly child of poor parents. Their practice of the Catholic faith was scarcely more than lukewarm. Bernadette could pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Creed. She also knew the prayer of the Miraculous Medal: “O Mary conceived without sin. “During interrogations Bernadette gave an account of what she saw. It was “something white in the shape of a girl.” She used the word Aquero, a dialect term meaning “this thing.” It was “a pretty young girl with a rosary over her arm.” Her white robe was encircled by a blue girdle. She wore a white veil. There was a yellow rose on each foot. A rosary was in her hand. Bernadette was also impressed by the fact that the lady did not use the informal form of address, but the polite form. The humble virgin appeared to a humble girl and treated her with dignity. Through that humble girl, Mary revitalized and continues to revitalize the faith of millions of people. People began to flock to Lourdes from other parts of France and from all over the world. In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions and authorized the cult of Our Lady of Lourdes for the diocese. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became worldwide in 1907.

Our Lady of Lourdes Prayer for healing

O ever-Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy,
health of the sick, refuge of sinners,
comforter of the afflicted,
you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings;
look with mercy on me.
By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes,
you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary,
whence you dispense your favours;
and already many sufferers have obtained
the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal.
I come, therefore, with complete confidence
to implore your maternal intercession.
Obtain, O loving Mother, the grant of my requests.

(Mention your petition)

Through gratitude for your favours,
I will endeavor to imitate your virtues,
that I may one day share your glory.
Amen.

NOVENA PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES

Be blessed, O most pure Virgin, for having vouchsafed to manifest your shining with life, sweetness and beauty, in the Grotto of Lourdes, saying to the child, St. Bernadette: ‘I am the Immaculate Conception.’ A thousand times we congratulate you upon your Immaculate Conception. And now, O ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of mercy, Health of the sick, Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, you know our wants, our troubles, our sufferings: deign to cast upon us a look of mercy.
By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence you dispense your favors, and already many have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and physical. We come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain for us, O loving Mother, the granting of our request.

(State your request)

Through gratitude for your favors, we will endeavor to imitate your virtues, that we may one day share your glory.

Our Lady of Lourdes, Mother of Christ, you had influence with your divine son while upon earth. You have the same influence now in Heaven. Pray for us; obtain for us from your Divine Son our special requests if it be the Divine Will.

Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

NINE DAY NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES

DAY ONE

O Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, virgin and mother, queen of heaven, chosen from all eternity to be the mother of the Eternal Word and in virtue of this title preserved from original sin, we kneel before you as did little Bernadette at Lourdes and pray with childlike trust in you that as we contemplate your glorious appearance at Lourdes, you will look with mercy on our present petition and secure for us a favourable answer to the request for which we are making this novena.

(Make your request)

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

DAY TWO

Be blessed, O most pure Virgin, for having vouchsafed to manifest yourself shining with light, sweetness and beauty, in the Grotto of Lourdes, saying to the child Saint Bernadette: “I am the Immaculate Conception!” O Mary Immaculate, inflame our hearts with one ray of the burning love of your pure heart Let them be consumed with love for Jesus and for you, in order that we may merit one day to enjoy your glorious eternity. O dispenser of His graces here below, take into your keeping and present to your Divine Son the petition for which we are making this novena.

(make your request)

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

DAY THREE

“You are all fair, O Mary, and there is in you no stain of original sin.” O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. O brilliant star of sanctity, as on that lovely day, upon a rough rock in Lourdes you spoke to the child Bernadette and a fountain broke from the plain earth and miracles happened and the great shrine of Lourdes began, so now I beseech you to hear our fervent prayer and do, we beseech you, grant us the petition we now so earnestly seek.

(Make your request)

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

DAY FOUR
O Immaculate Queen of Heaven, we your wayward, erring children, join our unworthy prayers of praise and thanksgiving to those of the angels and saints and your own-the One, Holy, and Undivided Trinity may be glorified in heaven and on earth. Our Lady of Lourdes, as you looked down with love and mercy upon Bernadette as she prayed her rosary in the grotto, look down now, we beseech you, with love and mercy upon us. From the abundance of graces granted you by your Divine Son, sweet Mother of God, give to each of us all that your motherly heart sees we need and at this moment look with special favor on the grace we seek in this novena.

(Make your request)

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

DAY FIVE

O Mary Immaculate, Mother of God and our mother, from the heights of your dignity look down mercifully upon us while we, full of confidence in your unbounded goodness and confident that your Divine Son will look favorably upon any request you make of Him in our behalf, we beseech you to come to our aid and secure for us the favor we seek in this novena.

(Make your request)

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

DAY SIX

O glorious Mother of God, so powerful under your special title of Our Lady of Lourdes, to you we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the gracious Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare and for the special favor we so earnestly seek in this novena.

(Make your request)

O Lady of Bernadette, with the stars of heaven in your hair and the roses of earth at your feet, look with compassion upon us today as you did so long ago on Bernadette in the Grotto of Lourdes. O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

O Almighty God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary did prepare a worthy dwelling place for your Son, we humbly beseech you that as we contemplate the apparition of Our Lady in the Grotto of Lourdes, we may be blessed with health of mind and body. O most gracious Mother Mary, beloved Mother of Our Lord and Redeemer, look with favor upon us as you did that day on Bernadette and intercede with him for us that the favor we now so earnestly seek may be granted to us.

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

DAY EIGHT

O Immaculate Mother of God, from heaven itself you came to appear to the little Bernadette in the rough Grotto of Lourdes! And as Bernadette knelt at your feet and the miraculous spring burst forth and as multitudes have knelt ever since before your shrine, O Mother of God, we kneel before you today to ask that in your mercy you plead with your Divine Son to grant the special favor we seek in this novena.

(Make your request)

O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

DAY NINE

O glorious Mother of God, to you we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly for the grace of a happy death. O Mother of our Divine Lord, as we conclude this novena for the special favor we seek at this time.

(Make your request)

We feel animated with confidence that your prayers in our behalf will be graciously heard. O Mother of My Lord, through the love you bear to Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes, glorious in your assumption, triumphant in your coronation, show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother, be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation.
Amen.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

February 12^th

Saint Apollonia

PRAYER FOR TOOTHACHE TO ST. APOLLONIA

O Glorious Apollonia, patron saint of
dentistry and refuge to all those suffering
from diseases of the teeth, I consecrate
myself to thee, beseeching thee to number
me among thy clients.
Assist me by your intercession
with God in my daily work and intercede
with Him to obtain for me a happy death.
Pray that my heart like thine may be
inflamed with the love of Jesus and Mary,
through Christ our Lord. Amen
O My God, bring me safe through temptation
and strengthen me as thou didst our own
patron Apollonia, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

February 13^th

Saint Giles Mary of Saint Joseph

Prayer

Lord God, you kept St. Giles faithful to Christ’s pattern of poverty and humility.
May his prayers help us to live in fidelity to our calling
and bring us to the perfection you have shown us in your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.

Blessed Giles Mary-of-Saint-Joseph

O Generous God, Blessed Giles Mary-of-Saint-Joseph served as a lowly porter in a monastery. He accepted his work with humility out of devotion to You. When assigned the responsibility of distributing food and alms to the poor, he gave generously yet never ran out, thanks to the aid of Saint Joseph. Blessed Giles, pray with Saint Joseph for my own desire to be a giver. I submit to God my finances; may I tithe what I receive and give offerings even greater than this, yet never run out. I also submit my time; may I serve others and still have enough time for my own needs and that of my family.
Blessed Giles Mary of Saint Joseph, pray for me.
Amen.

February 14^th

Saints Cyril and Methodius

PRAYER TO ST CYRIL AND ST METHODIUS

O God, who enlightened the Slavic peoples
through the brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius,
grant that our hearts may grasp the words of your teaching,
and perfect us as a people of one accord
in true faith and right confession.
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.

PRAYER

Almighty and everlasting God, who by the power of the Holy Spirit moved your servants Cyril and Methodius to bring the light of the Gospel to a hostile and divided people: Overcome all bitterness and strife among us by the love of Christ, and make us one united family under the banner of the Prince of Peace; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

February 15^th

Saint Claude de la Colombière

ACT OF HOPE AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD

My God, I believe most firmly that You watch over all who hope in You,
and that we can want for nothing when we rely upon You in all things.
Therefore I am resolved for the future…to cast all my cares upon You…
People may deprive me of worldly goods and status.
Sickness may take from me my strength and the means of serving You.
I may even jeopardize our relationship by sin, but my trust shall never leave me.
I will preserve it to the last moment of my life, and the powers of hell shall seek in vain to grab it from me.
Let others seek happiness in their wealth and in their talents. Let them trust in the purity of their lives, the severity of their mortifications, in the number of their good works, the enthusiasm of their prayers, as for me, my Rock and my Refuge, my confidence in you fills me with hope. For You, my Divine Protector, alone have settled me in hope.
“This confidence can never be vain. No one, who has hoped in God, has ever been confounded.”
I am assured, therefore, of my eternal happiness, for I firmly hope in it and all my hope is in You. “In You, O loving God, have I hoped: let me never be confounded.”
I know too well that I am weak and changeable. I know the power of temptation against the strongest virtue.
I have seen stars fall and foundations of my world crack; these things do not alarm me. While I hope in You, I am sheltered from all misfortune, and I am sure that my trust shall endure, for I rely upon You to sustain this unfailing hope.

Finally, I know that my confidence cannot exceed Your generosity, and that I shall never receive less
than I have hoped for from You. Therefore I hope that You will sustain me against my evil inclinations, that You will protect me against the deceitful attacks of the evil one, and that You will cause my weakness to triumph over every hostile force. I hope that You will never cease to love me and that I shall love You unceasingly.

“In You, O loving God, have I hoped: let me never be confounded.”

Saint Claude de la Colombiere Novena

Lord, I am in this world to show Your mercy to others.
Other people will glorify You
by making visible the power of Your grace
by their fidelity and constancy to You.
For my part I will glorify You
by making known how good You are to sinners,
that Your mercy is boundless
and that no sinner no matter how great his offences
should have reason to despair of pardon.
If I have grievously offended You, My Redeemer,
let me not offend You even more
by thinking that You are not kind enough to pardon Me.

(Mention your request here…)

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

Prayer of Saint Claude de la Colombiere – A Despair Prayer.

Lord, I am in this world to show Your mercy to others.
Other people will glorify You
by making visible the power of Your grace
by their fidelity and constancy to You.
For my part I will glorify You
by making known how good You are to sinners,
that Your mercy is boundless
and that no sinner no matter how great his offences
should have reason to despair of pardon.
If I have grievously offended You, My Redeemer,
let me not offend You even more
by thinking that You are not kind enough to pardon Me.

Amen.

Prayer of St. Claude de la Colombiere

My God, I am so convinced that you keep watch over those who hope in You, and that we can want for nothing when we look for all in You, that I am resolved in the future to live free from every care, and to turn all my anxieties over to You. “In peace, in the selfsame, I will sleep and I will rest, for Thou, O Lord, singularly has settled me in hope.” (Ps 4: 9-10)

Men may deprive me of possessions and of honor; sickness may strip me of strength and the means of serving You. I may even lose Your grace by sin; but I shall never lose my hope. I shall keep it to the last moment of my life; and at that moment all the demons in hell will strive to tear it from me in vain. “In peace, in the selfsame, I will sleep and I will rest.”

Others may look for happiness from their wealth or their talents; others may rest on the innocence of their life, or the severity of their penance, or the amount of their alms, or the fervor of their prayers. “Thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.” As for me, Lord, all my confidence is confidence itself. This confidence has never deceived anyone. No one, no one who has hoped in the Lord has been confounded!

I am sure, therefore, that I shall be eternally happy, since I firmly hope to be, and because it is from You, O GOD, that I hope for it. “In Thee, O LORD, have I hoped; let me never be confounded.” (Ps 30:1) I know, alas! I know only too well, that I am weak and unstable. I know what temptation can do against the strongest virtue. I have seen the stars of heaven fall, and the pillars of the firmament; but that cannot frighten me. So long as I continue to hope, I shall be sheltered from all misfortune; and I am sure of hoping always, since I hope also for this unwavering hopefulness!

Finally, I am sure that I cannot hope too much in You, and that I cannot receive less than I have hoped for from You. So, I hope You will hold me safe on the steepest slopes, that You will sustain me against the most furious assaults, and that You will make my weaknesses triumph over my most fearful enemies. I hope that You will love me always, and that I too shall love You without ceasing. To carry my hope once and for all as far as it can go, I hope from You to possess You, O my Creator, in time and in eternity.

Amen.

February 17^th

Seven Founders of the Servite Order

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN HOLY FOUNDERS OF THE SERVITE ORDER

O Lord Jesus Christ Who,
in order to renew the memory
of the sorrows of Thy most holy Mother,
hast through the seven blessed fathers
enriched Thy Church with the new Order of Servites;
mercifully grant that we may be so united
in their sorrows as to share in their joys.
Who livest and reignest, world without end.
Amen.

PRAYER TO THE SEVEN HOLY FOUNDERS OF THE ORDER OF SERVITES

Impart to us, O Lord, in kindness the filial devotion with which the holy brothers venerated so devoutly the Mother of God and led your people to yourself. 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.

Litany in Honor of the Seven Holy Founders

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Chris, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
Holy Trinity one God, pray for us.
Virgin Handmaid of the Lord,
Virgin of Sorrows,
Queen of your servants,
St. Joseph,
St. John the Baptist,
Sts. Peter and Paul,
St. Augustine,
Seven Holy Fathers,
Founder of our Order,
Servants of the Word,
Servants of holy Mary,
Servants of your brothers,
Servants of the poor,
Good servants,
Faithful servants,
Vigilant Servants
Compassionate servants,
Seekers of God,
Adorers of the Father,
Disciples of the Father,
Disciples of the Son,
Temples of the Spirit,
Men of solitude,
Men of penance,
Men of silence,
Men of contemplation,
Messengers of the Gospel,
Builders of the Kingdom,
Models of the friendship,
Makers of Peace.

Lord, you satisfy our every need with your abundant gifts. We your servants trust in your mercy and ask that you receive the prayers we offer through the intercession of our Seven Fathers. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

COLLECT

Impart to us, O Lord, in kindness
the filial devotion with which the holy brothers
venerated so devoutly the Mother of God
and led your people to yourself.
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.

A Prayer to the Seven Holy Founders
of the Servite Order

Ye glorious Patriarchs, heroes of the highest sanctity, whereby ye were made worthy to be chosen by the very Mother of God to spread devotion to her sorrows. Forsaking the world, in the savage caverns of Monte Senario ye did crucify your flesh with unheard of penances, and did nourish your spirit with constant meditation on the highest truths of our holy faith. In such wise did ye prepare yourselves for the mission entrusted to you and to your Order, namely, to root out vice and wickedness from the hearts of the faithful, by inspiring them with compassion toward the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin. Thereafter, bearing deeply imprinted in your hearts the memory of the passion of the Son of God and of the sorrows of His blessed Mother, ye strove to quiet civil discord, to convert sinners to repentance, and to bring back to the obedience of the Roman Pontiff those that had gone astray.

Ah, from your thrones in glory, where ye now reign with Christ, turn your eyes in pity upon us who are still miserably struggling in this valley of trial and conflict! The devil, with all his wicked suggestions; the world, with all its seductions; the flesh, with all its lusts; all these, like roaring lions, surround us to devour us. Let pity for us fill your hearts; infuse into our hearts at least a portion of your tender and constant compassion for the sorrows of Mary, so that, at the sight of our Mother overwhelmed in grief, we may be enabled to resist the fascinations of vice and may not renew, by our sins, the passion of our divine Redeemer, which was the cause of Mary’s sorrows. Obtain for us, likewise, docility and promptness in answering the divine call, detachment from the seeming goods of this world, the spirit of mortification and penance, to the end that, having followed on earth your example in the way of holiness and perfection, we may deserve to be your companions in heaven and to sing with you the mercies of our crucified Redeemer and the glories of the Queen of Martyrs. Amen.

(Indulgence 300 days)

Seven Invocations to the Seven Holy Founders
of the Servite Order

I. O glorious Patriarchs, even in the midst of the licentiousness of your age, ye kept ever burning the divine fire of charity and a tender love for the Queen of Heaven, whereby ye were made worthy to be called by her to go apart from the world. We humbly entreat you to intercede for us, that we too, being enkindled with the fire of divine love, may be enabled to please the Most High; and to imitate the charity and patience of our Lady of Sorrows; and even in the midst of adversity to conform ourselves to the dispositions of divine Providence.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

II. Ye shining examples of perfection, forsaking the world and all the prizes that it held out to you, with generous hearts ye desired to withdraw from the eyes of men, so that the Blessed Virgin herself made known to you in a dream the peace and quietude of Monte Senario. Obtain for us the grace to set at naught the deceitful and vain pleasures of earth and to devote ourselves to the practice of penance for our sins after your example; and if we are not worthy, as ye were, to serve the blessed Mother of Sorrows more especially in solitude, may we at least show our sorrow at having caused her to be so afflicted by our sins and thus renewing the bitter passion of her divine and only Son.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

III. Most humble dwellers in the rocky fastnesses of Monte Senario, how admirable is your heroic humility! That ye might imitate more fully the lowly handmaid of the Lord, not only did ye forget the nobility and greatness of your ancient families, but in your generosity ye did not disdain to go begging from door to door in your own country for your scanty sustenance. Ah, obtain for us that when there is question of the service of God we may not be held back by human respect. Even as ye merited on this account in most miraculous wise to be called the Servants of Mary by the mouth of infants and sucklings, so may we too, by being a source of edification and light to our brethren on the road to heaven, show ourselves by our deeds to be the devoted servants of the august Mother of God.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

IV. Ye faithful Servants of the Queen of Heaven, who, when ye were bitterly weeping for the sorrows suffered by her in the life, passion and death of her dear Son, did make known to you by the miraculous vine laden in the dead of winter with great clusters of grapes, that it was her will that the Order of Servites be extended in order to spread abroad in the Church compassion for her sufferings; ah, obtain for us by your intercession an affectionate and tender compassion for our Lady of Sorrows, for in this manner even we shall be enabled to bring our brethren to groan with heartfelt sorrow for their sins, and thus become fruitful branches in her mystic vineyard.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

V. Most glorious Founders of the Order of the Servants of the Blessed Virgin, with what joy your hearts were flooded when ye were made worthy to behold visibly the Queen of Martyrs herself, who revealed to you the rule ye should keep and the habit ye should wear in memory of her sorrows as well as the palm of victory ye should obtain as the crown of your merits. We beseech you to obtain for us of the Mother of fair love the grace to know in what manner we may best serve her divine Son, in order to come thus most easily into the possession of that blessed immortality which the mercy of God hath prepared for us in paradise.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

VI. Most austere penitents, by your continuous and most severe mortifications, ye became every day more rich in merits and more pleasing unto the Lord. It is, therefore, no cause for wonder that heaven, in order to show how pleasing were your merits, made of Monte Senario a place of marvels, now surrounding it with flames that made it resplendent with light, again covering it with roses and lilies never seen before, that were plucked by the Angels and offered to Mary. We beseech you to intercede for us that our hearts may catch the flames of divine love and that our spirits may be cleansed from stain and become a garden rich in the flowers of virtue, worthy to be plucked by the most kind Queen of Heaven, as a lowly tribute of our devotion.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

VII. Angels of purity, Seraphim of love and martyrs of penance, ye blessed Patriarchs, privileged with a happy passing from this place of exile to your own true native land, one breathing forth his spirit as the Child Jesus appeared, another called audibly by Mary to his eternal repose, this one rising to glory under the appearance of a flame, that one under the aspect of a lily of purest white; ah, grant, we beseech you, that when we have come to our last hour, we may be protected by your intercession with our Lady of Sorrows in that dread moment against the wiles of the ancient serpent, and may be made worthy to breathe forth our spirits into the loving hands of the august Queen of Sorrows, and be conducted by her to eternal bliss in God, the everlasting Fountain of glory and holiness.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

(Indulgence of 300 days)

Hymn: Sic patres vitam

The fathers lived a life in shade,
Yet seemed to Peter’s vision seven
White glistening lilies for the Maid,
The Queen of heaven,

Through city streets, o’er hills and plains,
Upborne by love divine, they trod,
To fix in men the mother’s pains,
The swords of God.

This was the power in which they spoke,
Till each wild passion owned their sway:
They cheered the sad, from sinners broke
Their chains away.

Till at last the Virgin Queen
Led them to mansions in the sky,
Mansions where garlands aye are green,
And never die.

May they hear cries of all who pray,
And see how hard our earthly strife:
Aiding us onward to the day
When all is life.

Now to the Father thanks and praise;
To Thee, O Son, the same we send;
To thee, great Spirit, through all days,
World without end. Amen

February 18^th

Blessed John of Fiesole

PRAYER

O God, in Your providence You inspired blessed Fra Angelico to portray the beauty and sweetness of heaven. By his prayers and the example of his virtues, grant that we may manifest this splendour to our brothers and sisters. Blessed Angelico, pray for us! Through Christ our Lord, amen.

February 19^th

Saint Conrad of Piacenza

PRAYER

Lord God, You alone are holy and no one is good without You. Through the intercession of St. Conrad help us to live in such a way that we may not be deprived of a share in Your glory.
Amen.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we pray that, like Conrad, we will always strive to do the right thing, even if it means suffering humiliation and the loss of all our possessions. Conrad suffered these things, but in dying to himself and living for You, he has gained the respect and veneration of many, and now has his eternal reward which far surpasses any earthly possession or honor. Thank you, Father, for Your love and mercy on us all.
Amen.

Saint Conrad of Piacenza

Almighty God,
You attracted Saint Conrad through his zeal for justice to serve You faithfully in the desert.
Through his prayers may we live justly and piously, and happily succeed in coming to You.
Amen.

Saint Conrad of Piacenza

Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that as Thou wert pacified by the penance of Blessed Conrad, so we may imitate his example and blot out the stains of our sins by crucifying our flesh. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

February 20^th

Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto

Francisco, 11, and Jacinta, 10, are the youngest non-martyrs to be canonized in the history of the Church. The brother and sister, who tended to their families’ sheep with their cousin Lucia Santo in the fields of Fatima, Portugal, witnessed the apparitions of Mary, now commonly known as Our Lady of Fatima. During the first apparition, which took place May 13, 1917, Our Lady asked the three children to say the Rosary and to make sacrifices, offering them for the conversion of sinners. The children did, praying often, giving their lunch to beggars and going without food themselves. They offered up their daily crosses and even refrained from drinking water on hot days. In October 1918, Francisco and Jacinta became seriously ill with the Spanish flu. Our Lady appeared to them and said she would to take them to heaven soon. Bed-ridden, Francisco requested his first Communion. The following day, Francisco died, April 14, 1919. Jacinta suffered a long illness as well. She was eventually transferred to a Lisbon hospital and operated for an abscess in her chest, but her health did not improve. She died Feb. 20, 1920.Pope John Paul II beatified Francisco and Jacinta May 13, 2000, on the 83rd anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady at Fatima. Pope Francis on May 13, 2017 officially declared Francisco and Jacinta Marto saints of the Catholic Church in front of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims at Fatima, Portugal – teaching us that even young children can become saints.

PRAYER TO SAINTS JACINTA AND FRANCISCO MARTO FOR THIS TIME

Saints Jacinta and Francisco Marto, Dear Shepard children of Fatima, you were chosen by heaven to see our Blessed Mother
and to deliver her message of conversion to a world that had strayed far from God.

You who suffered so greatly and died from the Spanish flu, the pandemic of your time, pray for us who suffer in the pandemic of our times, that God have mercy upon us.

Pray for the children of the world.

Pray for our protection and an end to what plagues us physically mentally and spiritually.

Pray for our world, our countries, the church, and for the most vulnerable people who are suffering and in need of healing.

Little shepherds of Fatima, help us to come to the refuge of Mary’s immaculate heart, so to receive the graces we need at this time, and to come to the beauty of the life that is to come.

We trust, as you did, in the words of our blessed mother who taught you to, “Pray the rosary everyday in honor of our lady of the rosary, because only she can help you.”

Amen.

Prayer to Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto for the families of the world!

Dear Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, the children of the world would like to learn from you how to love more perfectly. Saint Jacinta, teach us how to love one another, especially sinners. Help us to pray and to make sacrifices for those who of end Our Lord so deeply. Saint Francisco, teach us your great love for the Sacred Heart of JESUS in the Holy Eucharist, hurt by the ingratitude of so many. Litle Shepherds of Fatima, help me, my family, and all the families of the world, to seek the safety of the Immaculate Heart of our Mother MARY, who always brings all of us and our families closer to Her Son JESUS.

Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, pray for us, pray for all the children and families of the world!
Amen.

NOVENA TO SAINTS FRANCISCO AND JACINTA MARTO

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly with all the powers of my soul, and I thank You for the apparitions of the most Holy Virgin in Fatima which have made manifest to the world the treasures of the her Immaculate Heart. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary I implore You, if it should be for Your greater glory and the good of our souls to glorify in the sight of Your Holy Church Saint Francisco and Jacinta attaining for us, through their intercession, the grace we now implore…

(Mention your intention[s] here…)
Amen.
Say 1 Our Father…
Say 1 Hail Mary…
Say 1 Glory Be…

Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us.
Saint Jacinta Marto, Pray for us.
Saint Francisco Marto, Pray for us.

Litany of Saints Francisco and Jacinta

Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Christ, have mercy on us!
Christ, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Lord, have mercy on us!
Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, pray for us!
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!
Virgin of the Little Shepherds, pray for us!
Saint Francisco Marto, pray for us!
Saint Jacinta Marto, pray for us!
Children called by Jesus Christ, pray for us!
Children called to contemplate God in Heaven, pray for us!
Little ones to whom the Father reveals the mysteries of the Kingdom, pray for us!
Little ones privileged of the Father, pray for us!
Perfect praise of the wonders of God, pray for us!
Perfect examples of filial abandonment, like children in the mother’s lap, pray for us!
Victims of reparation for the benefit of the Body of Christ, pray for us!
Confidants of the Angel of Peace, pray for us!
Custodians, like the Angel of the Fatherland, pray for us!
Adorers with the Angel of the Eucharist, pray for us!
Seers of the Woman dressed in the Sun, pray for us!
Seers of the Light that is God, pray for us!
Beloved children of the Virgin Mother, pray for us!
Ears attentive to the maternal solicitude of the Virgin Mary, pray for us!
Advocates of the Message of the Lady more brilliant than the Sun, pray for us!
Heralds of the word of the mother of God, pray for us!
Prophets of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
Accomplishers of the designs of the Most High, pray for us!
Faithful trustees of the Message, pray for us!
Emissaries of the Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Missionaries of the requests of Mary, pray for us!
Couriers of the calls from Heaven, pray for us!
Protectors of the Vicar of Christ, pray for us!
Confessors of heroic life in the truth, pray for us!
Comforters of Jesus Christ, pray for us!
Examples of Christian charity, pray for us!
Servants of the sick and the poor, pray for us!
Repairers of the offenses of sinners, pray for us!
Friends of men before the throne of the Virgin Mary, pray for us!
Pure white lilies breathing holiness, pray for us!
Brilliant pearls in splendid beatitude, pray for us!
Seraphim of love at the feet of the Lord, pray for us!
Offerings presented to God to bear sufferings for reparation, pray for us!
Admirable examples of sharing with the poor, pray for us!
Untiring examples of sacrifice for the conversion of sinners, pray for us!
Examples of fortitude in times of adversity, pray for us!
Souls enamoured of God in Jesus, pray for us!
Little Shepherds leading us to the Lamb, pray for us!
Disciples of Mary’s school, pray for us!
Questioners of mankind, pray for us!
Fruits of the tree of holiness, pray for us!
Gifts to the Universal Church, pray for us!
Divine signs for God’s People, pray for us!
Witnesses of God’s grace, pray for us!
Incentives to living one’s Baptism, pray for us!
Examples of the experience of the loving presence of God, pray for us!
Eloquent souls in the intimacy of God, pray for us!
Intercessors, before God, for sinners, pray for us!
Builders of the Civilization of Love and Peace, pray for us!
Lamps illuminating mankind, pray for us!
Friendly lights illuminating multitudes, pray for us!
Lanterns shining in men’s roads, pray for us!
Flames burning in somber and anxious hours, pray for us!
Candles lighted by God, pray for us!
Christ, hear us!
Christ, hear us!

Christ, graciously hear us!
Christ, graciously hear us!

Concluding prayer

God of infinite goodness,
You love the innocent and exalt the humble;
please grant, through the intercession of the Immaculate Mother of Your Son,
that, in imitation of Saints Francisco and Jacinta,
we may serve You in simplicity of heart
and thus, may enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

February 21^st

Saint Peter Damian

St. Peter Damian Novena

O holy Virgin, Mother of God, help those who implore your assistance. Turn toward us.
Have you perhaps forgotten us because you have been elevated to a position close to God? No, certainly not.
You know well in what danger you left us. You know the miserable condition of your servants. No, it would not benefit such great mercy as yours to forget such great misery as ours. Turn toward us, then, with your power, for He who is powerful has made you omnipotent in heaven and on earth. For you, nothing is impossible. You can raise even those who are in despair to a hope of salvation. There more powerful you are, the greater should be your mercy. Turn also to us in your love.
I know. O Mary, that you are all kindness and that you love us with a love that no other love can surpass.
How often you appease the wrath of our Divine Judge, when He is on the point of punishing us! All the treasures of the mercy of God are in your hands. You will never cease to benefit us, I know, for you are only seeking an opportunity to save all sinners and to shower your mercies upon them.
Your glory is increased when, through you, penitents are forgiven and reach heaven. Turn, then, toward us, so that we may also be able to go and see you in heaven. For the greatest glory that we can have, after seeing God, will be to see you, to love you, and to be under your protection. So be pleased to grant our prayer, for your beloved Son wishes to honor you by refusing nothing that you ask.
Amen.

(Mention your request here…)

St. Peter Damian, pray for us.

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

Prayer to St. Peter Damian

Saint Peter Damian, reformer of the Church, scourge of the wicked, come to our aid with your prayers! Great Doctor of the Church, intercede on our behalf before the throne of God. By your prayers and intercession, help us, O hater of sin, to fly from evil and embrace what is good. We also ask, great saint, that you intercede for this special intention

(State your request).

Pray for us, O monk, O cardinal, O servant of God!
Amen.

PRAYER TO ST PETER DAMIAN

All-powerful God,
help us to follow the teachings and example of Peter Damian.
By making Christ and the service of his Church
the first love of our lives,
may we come to the joys of eternal light,
where he lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen

COLLECT PRAYER

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we may so follow the teaching and example of the Bishop Saint Peter Damian, that, putting nothing before Christ and always ardent in the service of your Church, we may be led to the joys of eternal light. 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.

Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Saint Peter Damian, your reform of the Church began in your own monastery cell. You never asked of others what you did not demand first of yourself. You even endured the detraction and calumny of your peers. Help us to reform others by our example, learning, perseverance, mortifications, and prayers.
Amen.

NOVENA TO SAINT PETER DAMIAN

O, let your nature move you,
let your power move you;
for the more you are powerful,
the greater should your mercy be.

O Mary, our own beloved advocate,
since you have so compassionate a heart,
that you cannot even see the wretched
without being moved to pity;
and since, at the same time,
you have so great power with God
that you can save all those you protect;
disdain not to undertake the cause
of us poor miserable creatures
who place all our hope in thee.
If our prayers cannot move you,
at least let your own benign heart do so;
or, at least, let your power do so,
since God has enriched you with such great power,
in order that the richer you are in power to help us,
the more merciful you may be willing to assist us.
Amen.

Prayer of Saint Peter Damian to the Blessed Virgin Mary

O holy Virgin, Mother of God,
help those who implore your assistance.
Turn toward us.
Have you perhaps forgotten us
because you have been elevated
to a position close to God?
No, certainly not.

You know well in what danger you left us.
You know the miserable condition of your servants.
No, it would not benefit such great mercy as yours
to forget such great misery as ours.
Turn toward us, then, with your power,
for He who is powerful
has made you omnipotent in heaven and on earth.
For you, nothing is impossible.
You can raise even those who are in despair
to a hope of salvation.
There more powerful you are,
the greater should be your mercy.
Turn also to us in your love. I know.
O Mary, that you are all kindness
and that you love us with a love
that no other love can surpass.
How often you appease the wrath of our Divine Judge,
when He is on the point of punishing us!
All the treasures of the mercy of God
are in your hands.
You will never cease to benefit us, I know,
for you are only seeking an opportunity
to save all sinners
and to shower your mercies upon them.
Your glory is increased when, through you,
penitents are forgiven and reach heaven.
Turn, then, toward us,
so that we may also be able to go
and see you in heaven.
For the greatest glory that we can have,
after seeing God,
will be to see you, to love you,
and to be under your protection.
So be pleased to grant our prayer;
for your beloved Son wishes to honour you
by refusing nothing that you ask.
Amen.

February 22^nd

Chair of Saint Peter

The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter is a commemoration of the contributions of the Apostle to the Christian Church. It celebrates his authority and endless efforts to build a strong community around the teachings of Christ and has been celebrated since the earliest times in the Christian era.
St. Peter was known to hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven, entrusted to him by Jesus himself. For this and many other reasons, St. Peter became a celebrated figure in Christianity.

PRAYER FOR THE FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF SAINT PETER

O God, Who by delivering to Thy blessed Apostle Peter
the keys of the kingdom of Heaven,
didst confer upon him the pontifical power of binding and of loosing,
grant that, by the help of his intercession,
we may be delivered from the bonds of our sins.
Who livest and reignest with Thee,
One God, world without end.
Amen.

Prayer for the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that no tempests may disturb us,
for you have set us fast on the rock of the Apostle Peter’s confession of faith.
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.

Chair of Saint Peter Novena

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Antiphon: That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this Rock I will build my Church.

[Each day’s scripture and intention is followed by the final prayers.]

Day 1

And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, [Jesus] saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

– St. Mark 1:16-18

Intention: That we may follow the call of Christ without hesitation.

Day 2

[Jesus] said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

– St. Luke 5:4-8

Intention: That we may obey our Lord’s commandments with humility.

[Jesus] asked his disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Eljjah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.

– St. Matthew 16:13-18

Intention: That we may confidently confess our faith in Jesus Christ.

Day 4

After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
– St. Mark 9:2-3

Intention: That with Peter, we may see Christ as he is.

Day 5

Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

– St. John 6:67-69

Intention: That we may know Christ as the Incarnate Word, and follow him.

Day 6

[Jesus asked the soldiers,] “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.” Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear.

– St. John 18:7-8,10a

Intention: That we may refrain from hasty or imprudent words and actions.

Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.

– St. John 20:3-4, 6-7

Intention: That our lives may give witness to the Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Day 8

Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

– St. John 21:15-17

Intention: That we may remain in close communion with the Successor of St. Peter, through whom Christ strengthens us.

Day 9

Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.”

Acts 2:14

Intention: That in union with St. Peter we may proclaim the Gospel to the whole world.

CONCLUDING PRAYER (to be offered each day)

O Almighty God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commanded him earnestly to feed thy flock: make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the same; that they may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through 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.

St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles; Pray for us.

Litany of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. 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, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, Pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, Pray for us.
Saint Peter, Pray for us.
Prince of the Apostles, Pray for us.
St. Peter, to whom were given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, Pray for us.
St. Peter, so ardent for the glory of Christ, Pray for us.
St. Peter, whose heart was pierced with one look from Jesus, Pray for us.
St. Peter, who ceased not to grieve for having denied the Son of God, Pray for us.
St. Peter, whose cheeks were furrowed by a stream of tears which flowed to the end of thy life, Pray for us.
St. Peter, who cried out: Lord, thou knowest that I love Thee! Pray for us.
St. Peter, bound in chains for Christ, Pray for us.
St. Peter, delivered from prison by an angel, Pray for us.
St. Peter, who rejoiced to suffer for Christ, Pray for us.
St. Peter, whose very shadow healed the sick, Pray for us.
St. Peter, whose voice even the dead obeyed, Pray for us.
St. Peter, that we may have a constant and mutual charity among ourselves, Pray for us.
That we may taste and see more and more, how sweet is the Lord, Pray for us.
That we may be zealous in loyalty to thy successor, the present Vicar of Christ, Pray for us.
That we may help, at least by prayer, to restore to the unity of thy Holy See the scattered sheep, Pray for us.
That we may be prudent, and watch in prayer, Pray for us.
That we may die the death of the just, Pray for us.
V. Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him,
R. And His wonderful works to the children of men.
V. Pray for us, Saint Peter the rock:
R. That we may be worthy of the Vicar of Christ.

Let us pray

O God, Who, upon blessed Peter, Thine Apostle, didst bestow the pontifical power of binding and loosing, and didst give to him the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: grant that his intercession may ensure our deliverance from the bondage of sin. Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
Amen.

February 22^nd

Ash Wednesday

The first day of Lent, when ashes are blessed, and placed upon the heads of each of the people with the words, “Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.”
Whilst marking our foreheads with ashes the Church today says to us: “Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return.” Yes, we are dust by our origin and our mortal destiny; and our present life would be dust did not the breath of faith enliven it at every moment. What makes the value of our existence is not the multiplicity of works or the number of years, all this is dust; but purity of intention and fervor of will. From these come true life, that which death will give instead of destroying.

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday:

Lord, Holy One, have mercy on us. We confess our sins to you. We have fallen short of your glory and without your mercy and grace, we would be dust. We repent now. Lord, as we enter into this Lenten season, be near to us. Help us, by your Holy Spirit, to feel right conviction and repentance for our sin. Help us, by your Spirit, to have the strength to overcome the enemy.
Thank you, Lord, that Easter is coming! Death has no sting, no victory, because of Jesus! Glory and honor and praise to His name! Thank you for rescuing us. Help us keep both the weight and the joy of this season in our hearts and we move through the next several weeks. Help us bear the good fruit of your Spirit.
Amen.

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Gracious God, today begins a period of inner reflection and examination. The days stretch before me and invite me inward to that silent, holy space that holds your Spirit. This special time beckons me to see my life through Christ’s eyes and the truth and reality of your love incarnate. Give me the grace to enter the space of these days with anticipation of our meeting. And, when I open my soul to your presence, let your loving kindness flow over me and seep into the pockets of my heart. I ask this for the sake of your love.
Amen.

Ash Wednesday Prayer

Heavenly Father, during this time of reflection I remember how you lived the life I ought to have lived. You showed us how to resist temptation during your time in the desert, and through the life you led here on earth. As this Lent season begins, remind me that I am but dust. I can do nothing without you. Help me to see the world through the eyes of those in the first Lent season, who awaited a Savior and awaited new life through you. Thank you for your sacrifice on the cross, and as I refrain from [fill in the blank, for what you choose to give up for Lent] help me to use that time I would spend on [fill in the blank item] to pray, reflect, and thank you.
Amen.

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Compassionate and Holy God,
stir the dust of our lives and help us remember who we are.
Scatter this dust upon the field of our fear
and give us the courage to yield to redemption.
Ignite the ashes of our burned-out dreams and kindle life.
As we carefully place these ashes in the urn of our heart,
we yearn for sparks of new life.
Loving God,
as we paint our faces with these ashes,
You call us to turn away from sin but not from death.
You tempt us to look the face of death in the eye
as we embrace and remember life.
Merciful God,
as we carry the ash tattoo of the cross upon our foreheads,
kindle within us memories of your mercy.
Give us the courage to turn away from sin and return to You,
and so find our way to one another.
It is in this turning that we find our truth.
Amen.

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Merciful God, you called us forth from the dust of the earth; you claimed us for Christ in the waters of baptism. Look upon us as we enter these Forty Days bearing the mark of ashes, and bless the journey through the desert of Lent to the font of rebirth. As we remember our mortality and seek penitence today, we know you to be a God who is rich in forgiveness and abounding in steadfast love, love that culminates in eternal life with you. Guide our steps this Lent, so that we might find greater fulfillment in your promises and better serve others with a heart that’s reflective of you.
Amen.

A prayer for Ash Wednesday

Be with us Lord, keep us strong as we enter into the desert of Lent.
Our sins come forth as shadows across the landscape of our lives.
Today, we acknowledge our humanity and know that this marking of sign and symbol on our body is what calls us into further relationship with you, our God.
We accept the mark.
Made of earth-grown, harvested, blessed, burned, blessed, and placed on our bodies.
Be with us as we spend the next 40 days calling to mind simplicity in our thoughts and actions.
May all our actions, prayers, silence, and pauses call us into further relationship with you.
Amen.

Anglican Ash Wednesday Collect

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing you have made
and forgive the sins of all who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts,
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Opening Catholic Collect for Ash Wednesday

Father in Heaven,
Protect us in our struggle against evil.
As we begin the discipline of Lent,
make this season holy by our self-denial.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

COLLECT PRAYER

Grant, O Lord, that we may begin with holy fasting this campaign of Christian service, so that, as we take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint. 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.

Litany of Penitence

Most holy and merciful Father:
We confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints
in heaven and on earth,
that we have sinned by our own fault
in thought, word, and deed;
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and
strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We
have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
Have mercy on us, Lord.
We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ. We have grieved
your Holy Spirit.
Have mercy on us, Lord.
We confess to you, Lord, all our past unfaithfulness: the
pride, hypocrisy, and impatience of our lives,
We confess to you, Lord..
Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation
of other people,
We confess to you, Lord.
Our anger at our own frustration, and our envy of those
more fortunate than ourselves,
We confess to you, Lord.
Our intemperate love of worldly goods and comforts, and
our dishonesty in daily life and work,
We confess to you, Lord.
Our negligence in prayer and worship, and our failure to
commend the faith that is in us,
We confess to you, Lord.
Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done:
for our blindness to human need and suffering, and our
indifference to injustice and cruelty,
Accept our repentance, Lord<.
For all false judgments, for uncharitable thoughts toward our
neighbors, and for our prejudice and contempt toward those
who differ from us,
Accept our repentance, Lord.
For our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of
concern for those who come after us,
Accept our repentance, Lord.
Restore us, good Lord, and let your anger depart from us;
Favorably hear us, for your mercy is great.
Accomplish in us the work of your salvation,
That we may show forth your glory in the world.
By the cross and passion of your Son our Lord,
Bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.
Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
desires not the death of sinners, but rather that they may turn
from their wickedness and live, has given power and
commandment to his ministers to declare and pronounce to
his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of
their sins. He pardons and absolves all those who truly
repent, and with sincere hearts believe his holy Gospel.

Therefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance and his
Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do on
this day, and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure
and holy, so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer of Ash Wednesday

My penitential Lord, I give myself to You this Lent. I freely choose to enter into the desert of these 40 days and choose to pray, fast and give of myself to an extent I have never done before. I pray that this Lent will be a time in which I am transformed interiorly by You. Set me free, dear Lord, from all that keeps me from loving You and others with all my heart.

Jesus, I trust in You.

Amen.

February 23^rd

Saint Polycarp

PRAYER IN HONOUR OF ST POLYCARP

God of all creation,
who were pleased to give the Bishop Saint Polycarp
a place in the company of the Martyrs,
grant, through his intercession,
that, sharing with him in the chalice of Christ,
we may rise through the Holy Spirit to 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.

Dying Prayer of Polycarp, the Martyr

Lord, almighty God, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have come to the knowledge of yourself, God of angels, of powers, of all creation, of all the race of saints who live in your sight, I bless you for judging me worthy of this day, this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs I may share the cup of Christ, your anointed one, and so rise again to eternal life in soul and body, immortal through the power of the Holy Spirit. May I be received among the martyrs in your presence today as a rich and pleasing sacrifice. God of truth, stranger to falsehood, you have prepared this and revealed it to me and now you have fulfilled your promise.

I praise you for all things, I bless you, I glorify you through the eternal priest of heaven, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son. Through him be glory to you, together with him and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Amen.

Prayer of Intercession Written by St. Polycarp

May God the Father,
and the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ,
build us up in faith and truth and love,
and grant us our portion among the saints
with all those who believe on our Lord Jesus Christ.
We pray for all saints,
for kings and rulers,
for the enemies of the Cross of Christ,
and for ourselves,
we pray that our fruit may abound
and that we may be made perfect in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.

NOVENA TO SAINT POLYCARP OF SMYRNA

Grant to us, O Master of all, O Lord our God,
the power to entreat Your healer,
the Hieromartyr Polycarp the wondrous.
O Saint Polycarp, the protector of our hearts,
come speedily near us,
free the precious member of your body
from the hands of the unrighteous,
lawless, wicked and impious,
and dwell newly among us,
who love you with our whole heart.
You, after God, are our Father
and we are your children.
We behold your dwelling-place empty,
but adorned with our love
and washed with our tears.
Come, our consolation,
our trainer and our benefactor.
O Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of the Living God,
through the intercessions of Your Most-Holy Mother,
and the entreaties of the holy Hieromartyr Polycarp,
soften the pains of our soul,
take away our pain and fulfil our desire,
that we might newly behold the right hand of Your Saint,
awesome in battle and gladsome to his friends.
For Yours is the glory and the honor and the worship,
together with Your Beginningless Father,
and Your All-Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit,
now and ever and to the ages of ages.
Amen.

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February 24^th

Blessed Luke Belludi

Prayer:

My Dear Savior, Saint Luke Belludi traveled with Saint Anthony of Padua and assisted him in ministry. He also took care of his friend when the latter was dying. I ask him to intercede for all those of my family and friends and community who are in need of or will someday need special care. Bless the children, those in nursing homes, the homebound, and the sick in hospitals. Instill in me a willing and generous heart to give them my time when it’s needed. Teach me to serve them with the same devotion as Saint Luke had for Saint Anthony. Help me to be the visible expression of Your love. Saint Luke Belludi, pray for me.
Amen.

Prayer

God our Father,
you alone are holy; without you nothing is good.
Trusting in the prayers of Blessed Luke
we ask you to help us
to become the holy people you call us to be.
Never let us be found undeserving of the glory
you have prepared for us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

February 25^th

Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio

Prayer for Saint Sebastian

Dear Commander at the
Roman Emperor’s court,
you chose to be also a soldier
of Christ and dared to spread
faith in the King’s of King’s,
for which you were condemned to die.
Your body, however proved
athletically strong and the
executing arrows extremely
weak, so another means to
kill you was chosen and you
gave your life to the Lord.
May athletes be always as strong in
their faith as you so clearly
have been.
Amen.

PRAYER:

O God, You were pleased to give us Blessed Sebastian as a model and exemplar of Christian charity by sanctifying the activities of his daily life. Through his intercession, enable us to serve You ever with a pure heart in all the circumstances of our lives. Amen

February 26^th

Saint Maria Bertilla Boscardin

Saint Maria Bertilla Boscardin

Take, Lord and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To You, Lord, I return it.
Everything is Yours,
do with it what You will.
Give me only Your love
and Your grace,
that is enough for me.

February 27^th

Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

Prayer to Saint Gabriel

God our Father, you alone are holy; without you, nothing is good. Trusting in the prayers of Saint Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother, our parish patron, we ask you to help us to become the holy people you call us to be. Never let us be found undeserving of the glory you have prepared for us. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer

Lord, you gave Saint Gabriel of our Lady of Sorrows a special love for your Mother and a compassion for her sorrows. Through her, you raised him to the heights of holiness. Give us great devotion to her sorrows, that we may know her as our loving Mother. 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.

Prayer

O God, You taught blessed Gabriel diligently
to ponder the sorrows of Your most sweet Mother,
and exalted him to the glory of sanctity
and the working of miracles;
grant us, through his intercession and example,
so to mourn with Your Mother,
that we may be saved through her maternal care.
You Who are God,
living and reigning with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayers to St. Gabriel

O angelic young Gabriel, who, with your ardent love for Jesus Crucified and your compassion for Our Lady of Sorrows, were on earth a mirror of innocence and an example of every virtue; we turn to you full of confidence to implore your aid. Oh! How many evil things and afflictions O how many dangers, assail our young people from every side, seeking to make them lose the faith. You, who lived always a life of faith, who amongst the temptations of the world maintained purity and virginity; turn your eyes to us, cast us a compassionate and pitying glance! Help us to have the grace to persevere in faith; we invoke your name; we cannot doubt the effactiousness of your patronage! In full confidence of our hope in you, we pray, O Sweet Saint, to obtain this particular grace for the greater glory of God and for the good of souls (here mention your request). Finally, obtain for us from Jesus Christ Crucified, through Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, resignation and peace so that we might always live the Christian life, throughout all the times of this present life, so that we might one day be happy with you in the presence of our Heavenly Father. Amen

Let us adore and give thanks to God the Father everlasting, Who, of the great love He bore us, was pleased to send His only-begotten Son into the world to suffer and die on the gibbet of the Cross; and let us beseech Him, for the sake of His Passion and death and by the intercession of Saint Gabriel, that most loving follower of our crucified Lord, to grant us the favor for which we pray . . .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Let us adore and give thanks to God the eternal Son, Who, becoming man and dying for us upon the Cross, left us Mary most holy to be our mother; and let us beseech Him, by the merits of this sorrowful Virgin Mother and by the intercession of Saint Gabriel, who was her most devoted servant, to grant us the favor for which we pray. .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Let us adore and give thanks to God the eternal Spirit, Who of His infinite goodness communicates Himself to our souls to make them holy; and let us beseech Him, by the merit of the same Divine goodness and by the intercession of Saint Gabriel, who in a special manner shared therein and corresponded thereto, to grant us the favor for which we pray . . .

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

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

Let us pray.

O God, Who didst teach blessed Gabriel to have the sorrows of Thy most dear Mother in perpetual remembrance, and through her didst glorify him with the fame of holiness and miracles; grant unto us, by his intercession and example, so to share the sorrows of Thy Mother that we may be saved by her maternal protection: Who livest and reignest world without end.
Amen.

O Good Saint Gabriel, God inspired you to see the Passion of Jesus as it was reflected in the heart of Mary His Mother. By her side you stood beneth the cross of Jesus, gazing on Him as she did and learning the meaning of love. O Saint Gabriel, we wish, like you, to grow in love for God and all God’s people. Remember us in our trials, remember especially those who are young. Support us by your prayers all our days. And when this life is done may we join you in heaven in the company of Jesus and Mary.
Amen.

February 28^th

Blessed Daniel Brottier

PRAYER

O God, light of the faithful and shepherd of souls, who set blessed Daniel in the Church to feed your sheep by his words and form them by his example, grant that through his intercession we may keep the faith he taught by his words and follow the way he showed by his example.
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