Why pray the Rosary every day for a year?


Each time the Blessed Virgin has appeared-- whether it be to Saint Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes; to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco at Fatima; or to Mariette Beco at Banneux-- she has asserted the importance, saving grace, and power of praying the Holy Rosary on a daily basis. Based upon her words, the Rosary is penance and conversion for sinners, a pathway to peace, an end to war, and a powerful act of faith in Jesus Christ. Pope Paul VI presented the Rosary as a powerful means to reach Christ "not merely with Mary but indeed, insofar as this is possible to us, in the same way as Mary, who is certainly the one who thought about Him more than anyone else has ever done."

To show us how this is done, perhaps no one has been more eloquent than the great Cardinal Newman, who wrote: "The great power of the Rosary consists in the fact that it translates the Creed into Prayer. Of course, the Creed is already in a certain sense a prayer and a great act of homage towards God, but the Rosary brings us to meditate again on the great truth of His life and death, and brings this truth close to our hearts. Even Christians, although they know God, usually fear rather than love Him. The strength of the Rosary lies in the particular manner in which it considers these mysteries, since all our thinking about Christ is intertwined with the thought of His Mother, in the relations between Mother and Son; the Holy Family is presented to us, the home in which God lived His infinite love."

As Mary said at Fatima, "Jesus wants to use you to make Me known and loved. He wishes to establish the devotion to My Immaculate Heart throughout the world. I promise salvation to whoever embraces it; these souls will be dear to God, like flowers put by Me to adorn his throne."



January 23, 2013: Saint Ildephonsus of Toledo, Doctor of the Virginity of Mary

Posted by Jacob

“O Lord, give me the fire that you sent forth when coming on earth. Enable me to be aflame with the ardor of charity, to glow with the splendor of obedience, and to grow ardent with love. Help me to be saved from destruction amid dangers, to escape all perils, and to hasten toward Your goodness. Grant me to come peacefully into Your presence, to be satiated forever by its manifestation, and to praise You unceasingly for all eternity.”


Today, January 23, we celebrate the feast of Saint Ildephonsus of Toledo (607-667), Doctor of the Virginity of Mary, Archbishop of Toledo, and recipient of a blessed priestly vestment from Our Blessed Mother, in reward for his zeal and love for her. Saint Ildephonsus is highly venerated in Spain, and considered a precursor in establishing the later official Vatican doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Our Blessed Mother. He was the first to establish the feast of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Ildephonsus was born to a noble and distinguished family in Toledo, Spain. He was the nephew of Saint Eugenius, who proceeded him as Bishop of Toledo, and a pupil of Saint Isidore of Seville. While very young, he entered the Benedictine monastery at Agalia, much against the wishes of his father. He embraced the monastic life, being ordained a deacon at the age of 23, and later becoming Abbot of the monastery. Eventually, following his attendance at the Councils of Toledo in 653 and 655, King Reccesyinth selected him to succeed Saint Eugenius as Archbishop of Toledo. It was in this capacity that he served the city and it’s inhabitants for nine years, performing his duties with diligence and sanctity until his death.

Saint Ildephonsus is a favorite saint of medieval artists, hymnographers, and poets, largely due to two famed events which occurred during his life. In one occasion, Saint Ildephonsus was praying before the relics of Saint Leocadia. It is said that during his prayers, the martyred saint rose from her grave, thanking him for the devotion he showed towards the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On a separate occasion, Our Blessed Mother herself appeared to Saint Ildephonsus, presenting him with a priestly vestment in thanks for his devotion to her. On the feast of the Mother of God, Ildephonsus and the clergy found the church engulfed in a radiant light upon arriving to celebrate Matins. All but Ildephonsus and two deacons fled, deeply afraid. When the three entered the church, there, seated on the Archbishop’s throne, was Our Blessed Mother surrounded by choirs of angels and holy virgins. Our Blessed Mother spoke to Ildephonsus, saying: "Thou art my chaplain and faithful notary. Receive from me this chasuble, which my Son sends you from His treasury." Having said this, the Immaculate Virgin clothed Ildephonsus in the chasuble, and instructed him to wear it for the Holy Sacrifice on her festivals.

Saint Ildephonsus was also a prolific writer, and his literary works are better known than the details of his life. While only four of his works have survived, they include his treatise on the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin, and an important document of the history of the Spanish Church during the first two-thirds of the seventh century, entitled Concerning Famous Men.

Saint Ildephonsus wrote several prayers in honor of Our Blessed Mother. 

Marian Prayer of Saint Ildephonsus

Virgin Mary, hear my prayer:
through the Holy Spirit
you became the Mother of Jesus;
from the Holy Spirit may I too have Jesus.
Through the Holy Spirit your flesh conceived Jesus;
through the same Spirit may my soul receive Jesus.
Through the Holy Spirit you were able to know Jesus,
to possess Jesus,
and to bring him into the world.
Through the Holy Spirit may I too come to know your Jesus.
Imbued with the Spirit,
Mary, you could say:
"I am the handmaid of the Lord,
be it done unto me according to your word";
in the Holy Spirit,
lowly as I am,
let me proclaim the great truths about Jesus.
In the Spirit you now adore Jesus as Lord
and look on Him as Son;
in the same spirit,
Mary, let me love your Jesus




Below, a Prayer of Saint Ildephonsus to Our Blessed Mother. Taken from his work, “On the Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Mother,” it is one of the Church’s earliest expressions of total consecration to Mary.


The Abundance of the Sweetness of Thy Son

I come to thee, only Virgin Mother of God,
and fall prostrate before thee,
who alone didst cooperate in the Incarnation of God.
I humble myself before thee,
who alone wert found to be the Mother of my Lord.
I pray thee, who alone wert found to be the handmaid of thy Son:
obtain that my sins be wiped away;
command that I be cleansed of the wickedness of my deeds,
and, that I may love the glory of thy virtue,
reveal to me the abundance of the sweetness of thy Son.
Thou Art His Co-Worker in My Redemption

 Bestow upon me the gift of proclaiming the true faith of thy Son,and of defending it.
Grant that I may cleave to God and to thee,
that I may serve thy Son and thee,
that I may be His bondsman and thine;
His, because He is my Creator,
and thine, because thou art the Mother of my Creator;
His, because He is Lord of the angelic powers,
and thine, because thou art the handmaid of the Lord of All;
His, because He is God,
and thine because thou art the Mother of God;
His, because He is my Redeemer,
and thine because thou art His co-worker in my redemption.
The Body by Which He Healed My Wounds

 That which He wrought for my redemption,
verily He formed in thine own person.
That He might be my Redeemer,
He became thy Son.
That He might be the price of my ransom,
He became incarnate of thy flesh.
The Body by which He healed my wounds,
He took from thee so that He, in it, might be wounded.
The mortal Body by which He took away my death,
He took from thy mortality.
The Body by which He brought my sins to nought,
He received sinless from thee.
This nature of mine that ahead of time, in Himself,
He placed above the angels in the glory of His Father's right hand,
He assumed -- humbling Himself -- out of thine own true body.
I Am Thy Slave

 Therefore, I am thy slave,
because Thy Son is my Master.
Therefore thou art my Lady,
because thou art the handmaid of my Lord.
Therefore I am the slave of the handmaid of my Lord,
because thou, my Lady, didst become the Mother of my Lord.
Therefore I have become thy slave,
because thou didst become the Mother of my Maker.
By the Holy Spirit

I pray thee, I pray thee, holy Virgin,
may I, by the Spirit through Whom thou didst give birth to Jesus,have Jesus and hold Him.
By that Spirit through Whom
thou didst conceive this same Jesus in thy flesh,
may my soul receive Jesus.

 Let the Spirit gift me with the knowledge of Jesus,
this Spirit by Whom it was given Thee to bear Jesus and to give Him birth.
Let the Spirit in Whom thou didst declare thyself the handmaid of the Lord,
choosing that it should be done unto thee according to the Angel's word,
grant me to proclaim the heights of Jesus with lowliness.
To Love Jesus and to Fear Him

In the Spirit thou didst adore Jesus as thy Lord
and gaze upon Him as thy Son;
in that same Spirit may I love Him.
And may I fear this same Jesus,
with that reverence by which He, truly being God,
became subject to His parents




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January 19, 2013: Saint Tommaso da Cori

Posted by Jacob


“I’ll take care of myself and my flock I’ll take care of” (Ez 34, 11). Tommaso da Cori, a priest of the Order of Friars Minor, was the living image of the Good Shepherd. As a guide full of love, he has led the brothers entrusted to his care to the pastures of faith, always animated by the Franciscan ideal. In his monastery, he revealed his spirit of charity, showing available to all requirements even the most humble. He lived in the kingdom of love and service, according to the logic of Christ, as sung today’s Liturgy, “sacrificed himself, immaculate victim of peace on the altar of the cross, completing the mystery of human redemption” (Preface of Christ the King). Authentic disciple in the Poverello of Assisi, Saint Thomas of Cori was obedient to Christ, King of the Universe. He meditated and embodied in his life requirement evangelical poverty and the gift of self to God and neighbor. All his life appears as a sign of the Gospel, a testament to the love of the heavenly Father revealed in Christ and acting in the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of man.”  From the Canonization Homily of Saint Tommaso da Cori, delivered by Pope John Paul II.

Today, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Tommaso da Cori (1655-1729), Franciscan priest of the Order of Friars Minor, remembered for his preaching, confessions, and spiritual retreats—the total gift of himself to his brothers and sisters, as a reflection of the Lord.

Born Francesco Antonio Placidi in Cori, Italy, Tommaso was a serious child who endured his share of loss early on in life.  Both his mother and his father were killed, leaving him orphaned at age 14.  Shepherding sheep to pay the bills and provide for his younger sister, young Francesco learned to find the Lord in the simplest of activities.  Caring for his sister until she married, Francesco longed to devote himself fully to God.  Upon his sisters’ marriages, he presented himself at the Franciscan convent in his village, and was at once accepted.  Sent to Orvieto to fulfill his novitiate year, he professed his vows (taking the name Tommaso), completed his course of theological studies, and was ordained a parish priest in 1683.  Recognizing his holiness and devotion to the Lord, he was immediately promoted to vice master of novices at the Holy Trinity convent.

Wishing to serve his brothers, Tommaso requested a transfer to a new and poor convent in Civitella.  His request was granted, and he arrived on the doorstep, proclaiming, “I am Father Thomas of Cori, and I come here to become holy.”  From that day, he inspired his brothers with his radical living of the faith, and was compared by many to Saint Francis.

Saint Tommaso lived at Civitella until his death (with a brief exception during which he reformed a nearby monastery).  During those years, he wrote the Rules for both monasteries, observing and enforcing them scrupulously.  He devoted himself to prayer, so much so that his daily life and physical being became prayer.  According to the Vatican biography, “The most evident aspect of his spiritual life was undoubtedly the centrality of the Eucharist, as attested by St. Thomas in his celebration of the Eucharist, which was intense and attentive, and in the silent prayer of adoration during the long nights at the Hermitage after the Divine Office, celebrated at midnight. His life of prayer was marked by a persistent aridity of spirit. The total absence of sensible consolation in prayer and in his life of union with God was protracted for a good 40 years, finding him always serene and total in living the primacy of God. Truly, his prayer was configured as a remembrance of God that made concretely possible a unity of life, notwithstanding his manifold activities.”

Further embodying the apostolic nature of the Franciscan vocation, Father Tommaso traveled the countryside, visiting villages, preaching, proclaiming the Gospel, administering the sacraments, and bolstering the faithful.  It is said that miracles followed in his wake.  Plainspoken and simple, he ministered to the poorest, least educated, and marginalized of the time, giving all he had to those in need. Patient and filled with humility, he embodied the spirit of reform, forgiveness, and conversion, and won many to Christ through his example.

Saint Tommaso died peacefully in 1729, and is enshrined in the Franciscan Chapel of Bellagra.


O God, who hast inspired by St. Thomas of Cori to find Him in solitude, and to nurture an exquisite love of his neighbor, grant that we, following his example, may grow closer to the contemplation of heaven, remaining ever attentive to the needs of our earthly brothers and sisters. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

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June 23: Saint Etheldreda

Posted by Jacob

Today, June 23, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Etheldreda (also known as Saint Audrey, 636-379), ascetic, queen, and foundress of the “double monastery” at Ely. Against earthly pressures, and through divine intervention, Saint Etheldreda maintained her personal consecration to the Lord, remaining a virgin and engaging in ascetic pursuits despite her noble station. Her perseverance in faith and commitment to a life of prayer and service is remarkable still today.


Born in Northumbria, the daughter of a king, Etheldreda was brought up in a God-fearing household. From an early age, Etheldreda had but one goal: to consecrate herself entirely to the Lord through entrance into a religious order. Etheldreda longed to fully serve with her life, her wealth, and her actions. Her father, on the other hand, had other plans for her. For political reasons, Etheldreda was married (at quite a young age) to a prince named Tonbert, from who she received a track of land on the Isle of Ely. For three years the couple lived together, and due to her young age and commitment to sanctity, Etheldreda was able to maintain her purity. Upon Tonbert’s untimely death, she relocated to the Isle of Ely, where she intended to devote herself to entirely spiritual pursuits.

However, it was not to be. Her father, again sensing political opportunity, arranged for a second marriage, this time to the young son of the powerful king of Northumbria, Egfrith. Etheldreda obeyed her father’s wishes, but chose to live in the royal palace as a sister to the king, rather than a wife. This was not problematic, due to the youth of the boy, who would sit at Etheldreda’s feet, learning Scripture from her. For twelve years, Etheldreda engaged in purely ascetic activities, forgoing the accoutrements and privilege of her position, and maintaining her purity. Etheldreda became known for devoting her time to works of mercy and love, while observing a scrupulous regularity of discipline.

At the age of twenty-four, Egfrith ascended to the throne of Northumbria, becoming king. As Queen, Etheldreda delighted in the society of monks and nuns, and took care to invite and attract to her those most distinguished for learning and piety. Among these was St. Cuthbert, the young Prior of Lindisfarne, upon whose monastery she bestowed many gifts from her own private property. Over time, Etheldreda became friends with Saint Wilfrid, her confessor, who on her behalf, encouraged the king to allow her to retire for some years to the Convent at Coldingham Abbey. There, she lived as a sister, having received the veil from Saint Wilfrid himself. Her husband, the king, shortly after consenting to her departure from the royal court, changed his mind and pursued her. When Saint Wilfrid pleaded on her behalf, the king made his intentions known: he would find Etheldreda and bring her back to the court by force, where he would consummate his marital privileges.

Etheldreda fled toward her land on the Isle of Ely, with the king in pursuit. She took refuge on a headland on the southern coast of England where a miracle prevented further advance of the king. While she was standing on a large outcropping of rock, the tide rose such that it created an island of refuge for the saint, water surrounding her. Etheldreda remained in this island refuge for seven days, until her royal spouse, recognizing the divine will, agreed to leave her in peace.

Etheldreda, freed from her marriage, continued on her trek to the Isle of Ely. On one extremely hot day during her travels, legend tells us that Etheldreda was overpowered with fatigue. She stuck her staff into the ground and lay down to rest on the open plain. When she awoke, the staff had put forth leaves and branches, and it afterwards became a mighty oak tree, larger than any other for many miles around.

At length, after many days of weary walking, the saint arrived on her own lands in Ely. There, she established a “double monastery,” shepherding both nuns and monks. Saint Wilfrid appointed her abbess, and she governed the abbey for many years, serving as advisor to the pope and other Church officials during that time. Etheldreda ruled over her monastery for seven years, setting a great example of piety and abstinence and all other monastic virtues. Though of royal lineage, and having been delicately reared, Etheldreda abstained from all luxuries. She never wore any linen, but only rough woolen clothing. She denied herself the use of the warm bath, only using the bath that had already served the other nuns. Many of her old friends, relations, and courtiers followed her and her example, engaging in ascetic practices, discipline, and prayer. The monastery grew considerably under her holy leadership

Not only holy and a model of virtue in shepherding her people to the Lord, Etheldreda also was graced with the gift of prophecy. Most notable of her prophecies was that of her own death by plague, and the exact number of her monks and nuns who would be carried off by the same epidemic. True to her prophesy, Etheldreda died of a quinsy, a form of plague which led to the development of a large tumor upon her neck. Etheldreda, never complaining about the pain or the sight of the growth, regarded is as a punishment for her former love of fine clothing, and, in particular, for having worn jewels on her neck.

Seventeen years after her death, Saint Wilfrid and Saint Etheldreda’s physician discovered her body to be incorrupt. The incision that had been made into her tumor shortly before she died had miraculously healed in death. (Saint Etheldreda remains the patron of sufferers of throat complaints.) The linen cloths in which her body was wrapped were as fresh as the day she had been buried. Her body was placed in a stone sarcophagus and reburied at the Abbey. Unfortunately, the tomb of Saint Etheldreda was desecrated during the English Reformation, with only the incorrupt hand of the blessed saint surviving. Her relics remain at St Etheldreda's Roman Catholic church at Ely, where many miracles have been reported through her intercession.

The life of Saint Etheldreda reminds us that we cannot truly be servants of Christ when our souls are distracted by the pleasures and desires of the world. In her wisdom, Saint Etheldreda gave up her wealth, station, and privilege, instead choosing to live the ascetic life of a abbess, guiding people to Christ and contributing to His kingdom on earth. We might take a lesson from Saint Etheldreda today, examining what binds us to the world, preventing us from truly and fully serving our Creator.



Eternal God,
who bestowed such grace upon your servant Etheldreda
that she gave herself wholly to the life of prayer
and to the service of your true religion:
grant that we, like her,
may so live our lives on earth seeking your kingdom
that by your guiding
we may be joined to the glorious fellowship of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.




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Memorial Day Prayers

Posted by Jacob

On this Memorial Day, we pray for all those who have died in service of God and country, and for all those who continue to serve in military forces around the world.  May the Lord bless them and keep them safe in the faith.

For those who have died


O loving God . . .
I pray you to welcome my deceased family,friends, loved ones into heaven with you. Forgive them their sins and reward them their goodness.
Grant that I may be with them again in your Peaceful presence.
Amen.

O God our Father,Creator of all the living,
we entrust to Your gentle care all those we love who have gone before us;
and have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

O God, Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful,
grant to the souls of our departed loved ones,
the remission of all their sins,
that by means of our pious supplications,
they may obtain the joy of heaven which they have earnestly desired.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Merciful Father, hear our prayer and console us.
As we renew our faith in your Son,whom you raised from the dead,
strengthen our hope that all of our departed brothers and sisters
will share in his resurrection,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.




For those who serve

Almighty God
We stand before you in supplication, 
Asking Your Divine mercy and protection, 
To envelop with Your invincible armor, 
Our loved ones in all branches of the service. 

Give them courage and strength
Against all enemies, 
Both spiritual and physical, 
And hasten their safe journey, 
Back to their homes and families. 

If it be Your Holy Will
That they be gathered to Your bosom, 
With the eternal vanguard of the saints, 
Let their journey to Your everlasting arms
Be swift and painless, 
Where they may stand in honor and glory, 
Praising You for all eternity. Amen. 

(Prayer from Catholic.org)

Prayers in a Time of War

  1. For Troops
    All-powerful and ever-living God,
    when Abraham left his native land
    and departed from his people
    you kept him safe through all his journeys.
    Protect these soldiers.
    Be their constant companion and their strength in battle,
    their refuge in every adversity.
    Guide them, O Lord, that they may return home in safety.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.
  2. Prayer of a Spouse for a Soldier
    God of power and might,
    at every moment and in every place
    you are near to those who call upon your name in faith.
    In marriage you have blessed us with a share in your divine love.
    Look upon my husband/wife and keep him/her in your safekeeping,
    no matter where the road may lead.
    And when the battle is ended,
    bring him/her safely home to those who love him.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.
  3. Prayer of a Son or Daughter for a Parent
    Loving God
    you watch over each and every one of your children
    Hear my prayer for my father/mother
    Be his/her constant companion.
    Protect him/her no matter where he/she goes,
    and bring him/her safely and quickly home to those who love him/her.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.
  4. Prayer of a Parent for a Soldier
    Father all-powerful and ever-loving God,
    from before we were born,
    your love has nurtured and sustained us.
    Hear my prayer for N., my son/daughter.
    Keep him/her safe in time of battle
    and faithful to you, day in and day out.
    Bring him/her safely home to those who love him/her.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.
  5. Prayer for Those who Await a Soldier's Return
    God of all goodness,
    Look with love on those who wait
    for the safe return of their loved ones
    who serve in the armed forces of their country.
    In faith and hope, we turn to you for comfort.
    Grant that we may trust in your mercy
    and send an angel to sustain us as we await their safe return.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.
  6. For Government Leaders
    God of power and might, wisdom and justice,
    through you authority is rightly administered,
    laws are enacted, and judgment is decreed.
    Assist with your spirit of counsel and fortitude
    the President and other government leaders of these United States.
    May they always seek
    the ways of righteousness, justice and mercy.
    Grant that they may be enabled by your powerful protection
    to lead our country with honesty and integrity.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.
  7. For the Safety of Soldiers
    Almighty and eternal God,
    those who take refuge in you will be glad
    and forever will shout for joy.
    Protect these soldiers as they discharge their duties.
    Protect them with the shield of your strength
    and keep them safe from all evil and harm.
    May the power of your love enable them to return home
    in safety, that with all who love them,
    they may ever praise you for your loving care.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.
  8. For our Enemies
    Jesus, Prince of Peace,
    you have asked us to love our enemies
    and pray for those who persecute us.
    We pray for our enemies and those who oppose us.
    With the help of the Holy Spirit,
    may all people learn to work together
    for that justice which brings true and lasting peace.
    To you be glory and honor for ever and ever.
  9. For Courage in the time of Battle
    O Prince of peace, we humbly ask your protection
    for all our men and women in military service.
    Give them unflinching courage to defend
    with honor, dignity and devotion,
    the rights of all who are imperiled
    by injustice and evil.
    Be their rock, their shield, and their stronghold
    and let them draw their strength from you.
    For you are God, for ever and ever.
  10. In a Time of Waiting
    All powerful and ever-living God,
    Guard our churches, our homes, our schools,
    our hospitals, our factories, and all the places where we gather.
    Deliver us from harm and peril.
    Protect our land and its peoples from enemies within and without.
    Grant an early peace with victory founded upon justice.
    Instill in the hearts and minds of men and women everywhere
    a firm purpose to live forever in peace and good will toward all.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.
  11. For Deceased Veterans
    O God,
    by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest,
    look kindly on your departed veterans who gave their
    lives in the service of their country.
    Grant that through the passion, death, and resurrection of your Son
    they may share in the joy of your heavenly kingdom
    and rejoice in you with your saints forever.
    We ask this through Christ our Lord.

A Soldier's Prayers

  1. For Families and friends Left At Home
    O God, Protector of all people and nations,
    protect my family and friends at home
    from the violence and evil of others.
    Keep them safe from the weapons of hate and destruction
    and guard them against the deeds of evildoers.
    Grant them your protection and care
    in tranquility and peace.
    Grant this through Christ our Lord.
  2. On the Eve of Battle
    God of power and mercy,
    maker and love of peace,
    to know you is to live,
    and to serve you is to reign.
    Through the intercession of St. Michael, the archangel,
    be our protection in battle against all evil.
    Help me [us] to overcome war and violence
    and to establish your law of love and justice.
    Grant this through Christ our Lord.
  3. For Hope in the Midst of Destruction
    God of mercy,
    you know the secrets of all human hearts,
    for you know who is just and you forgive the repentant sinner.
    Hear my prayer in the midst of destruction;
    give me patience and hope,
    so that under your protection and with you as my guide,
    I may one day be reunited with my family and friends
    in peace, tranquility, and love.
    Grant this through Christ our Lord.
  4. Prayer For Officers In Command
    God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
    Hear my prayer for these soldiers under my command.
    Grant that I may bring the spirit of Christ
    to all my efforts and orders
    as I exercise my authority over those entrusted to my care.
    Inform my judgment with your Holy Spirit
    so that I may make decisions
    in conformity with your law and for the common good.
    Grant this through Christ our Lord.
  5. For Fellow Combatants
    Lord God,
    Remember Christ your Son who is peace itself
    and who has washed away our hatred with His blood.
    Because you love all men and women,
    look with mercy on all who are engaged in battle.
    Banish the violence and evil within all combatants
    so that one day, we may all deserve to be
    called your sons and your daughters.
    Grant this through Christ our Lord.
  6. For the innocent victims of war
    Lord God,
    your own Son was delivered into the hands of the wicked,
    yet he prayed for his persecutors
    and overcame hatred with the blood of the Cross.
    Relive the sufferings of the innocent victims of war;
    grant them peace of mind, healing of body,
    and a renewed faith in your protection and care.
    Grant this through Christ our Lord.
  7. Prayer for refugees and victims of war
    Lord God,
    no one is a stranger to you
    and no one is ever far from your loving care.
    In your kindness, watch over refugees and victims of war,
    those separated from their loved ones,
    young people who are lost,
    and those who have left home or who have run away from home.
    Bring them back safely to the place where they long to be
    and help us always to show your kindness
    to strangers and to all in need
    Grant this through Christ our Lord.
(Prayers from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers/prayer-for-troops.cfm)

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Lenten and Triduum Prayer Requests

Posted by Jacob

During Lent and the beginning of Triduum, I have recieved a significant number of prayer requests.  I am humbled and privileged to lift these requests in prayer to Our Lord, through the gracious intercession of Our Blessed Mother.  I invite you all to join me in remembering one or more of the intentions below during your Easter prayers.

For healing of depression (B); Resolution of a medical condition (J); For Blessings upon a marriage (S); Healing of a son with a congenital heart defect (J); Grace in relationships (A); Blessings and healing upon a mentally ill daughter, peace and comfort for family (M); Success in academic endeavors, successful passing of important examination (R); Blessings upon an unborn child, mother, and family (A); End to pain and anxiety, freedom from cancer (J); Health, healing, and grace in relationships (S); Success of overseas work (M); Blessings upon a family (S); End to legal difficulties, healing (K); Grace in relationship (M); Blessings upon a relationship (C); Restoration of a relationship (P); Blessings upon a father, academic success for children (J); Blessings upon a family (K); Healing, strength (S); Healing of stomach and mental health issues, strength for medical tests (M); Employment for granddaughter (C); Restoration of a marriage (J); For a young man discerning vocations (P); Continued successful employment (E); Successful Employment (P); Successful employment (L); Healing upon a husband and a relationship (E); Success in legal situation (J); healing, freedom from pain, successful employment, financial recovery (A); Financial security (C); Resolution to financial and legal difficulties (B); Academic success for children, occupational security (C); Resolution to immigration and employment challenges (K); Restoration of a marriage (M); Reunification (I); Healing and comfort for a father diagnosed with cancer, strength for caregivers (T); Academic success (G); Healing, clarity of faith (S); Healing for mother and children, blessed relationships (D); For a wife diagnosed with cancer and the husband caring for her (E); Blessings upon a relationship (S); Healing upon a family, conversion of children (J); Successful employment (M); Successful employment (J); Freedom from anxiety, end to legal troubles (M); Healing and comfort for a terminally ill friend, strength for caregivers (J); Successful examination (M); Healing of an eye disease (S); For conversion of neighbors (C); successful employment, financial security (D).

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February 21: Saint Peter the Scribe

Posted by Jacob

Today, February 21, we also celebrate the feast day of the holy martyr, Saint Peter the Scribe (died743).  Little is known about Saint Peter, other than he was a Christian scribe in Palestine in the 8th century.  During the Islamic invasion of the region, Peter was captured and later martyred by the Arab conquerors from Damascus.

We pray today with Saint Peter the Scribe, and all the holy men and women who have given their lives in service to the Lord, using the words of Saint Polycarp:

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 annointed 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.

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The Glory of Christmas: A Prayer to the Infant Jesus Lying in the Manger

Posted by Jacob

O Divine Redeemer Jesus Christ, prostrate before Thy crib, I believe Thou art the God of infinite Majesty, even though I do see Thee here as a helpless babe. I humbly adore and thank Thee for having so humbled Thyself for my salvation as to will to be born in a stable. I thank Thee for all Thou didst wish to suffer for me in Bethlehem, for Thy poverty and humility, for Thy nakedness, tears, cold and sufferings.


Would that I could show Thee that tenderness which Thy Virgin Mother had toward Thee, and love Thee as she did. Would that I could praise Thee with the joy of the angels, that I could kneel before Thee with the faith of St. Joseph, the simplicity of the shepherds. Uniting myself with these first adorers at the crib, I offer Thee the homage of my heart, and I beg that Thou wouldst be born spiritually in my soul. Make me reflect in some degree the virtues of Thy admirable nativity. Fill me with that spirit of renunciation, of poverty, of humility, which prompted Thee to assume the weakness of our nature, and to be born amid destitution and suffering. Grant that from this day forward, I may in all things seek Thy greater glory, and may enjoy that peace promised to men of good will.

Amen.

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Silent Night, Holy Night

Posted by Jacob

As we wait for the Light of the World to conquer the darkness, we offer a prayer on Christmas Eve, the holiest of nights.


Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,

that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.


Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.
Amen.

(Robert Lewis Stevenson)

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A Prayer for Enthroning Our Lord Jesus Christ

Posted by Jacob

Advent draws to a close, and in the stillness of this holy night, we await with great expectation the coming of our Savior. Like the shepherds, we kneel before our Lord, enthralled by His beauty, His glory, His love for us. As a community—a family on earth—we pray to Jesus, born simply in a manger, enthroned forever in Heaven where He awaits us with the same expectation we have awaited Him throughout our Advent.


Glory and praise to Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Forever and Ever!



A prayer for Enthroning the Christ Child, to be offered on Christmas Eve (From the Roman Martyrology):

In the twenty-fourth day of the month of December;


In the year five-thousand one-hundred and ninety-nine from the creation of the world, when in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth;


In the year two-thousand nine-hundred and fifty-seven from the flood;


In the year two-thousand and fifty-one from the birth of Abraham;


In the year one-thousand five-hundred and ten from the going forth of the people of Israel out of Egypt under Moses;


In the year one-thousand and thirty-two from the anointing of David as king;


In the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;


In the one-hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;


In the year seven-hundred and fifty-two from the foundation of the city of Rome;


In the forty-second year of the reign of the Emperor Octavian Augustus;


In the sixth age of the world, while the whole earth was at peace—Jesus Christ-- eternal God and the Son of the eternal Father, willing to consecrate the world by His gracious coming, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost, and the nine months of His conception being now accomplished, (all kneel) was born in Bethlehem of Judah of the Virgin Mary, made man. The birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the flesh.

Thanks be to God.

This day Christ is born; this day the Savior hath appeared; this day angels are singing on earth, archangels are rejoicing. This day the just are glad and say, Glory to God in high heaven, alleluia.


1 My God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent,
2 for people who are wicked and deceitful
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
3 With words of hatred they surround me;
they attack me without cause.
4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer.
5 They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my friendship.
6 Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
8 May his days be few;
may another take his place of leadership.
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,
their names blotted out from the next generation.
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD;
may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May their sins always remain before the LORD,
that he may blot out their name from the earth.
16 For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy and the brokenhearted.
17 He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him.
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
18 He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
19 May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him.
20 May this be the LORD’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me.
21 But you, Sovereign LORD,
help me for your name’s sake;
out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give way from fasting;
my body is thin and gaunt.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, LORD my God;
save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Let them know that it is your hand,
that you, LORD, have done it.
28 While they curse, may you bless;
may those who attack me be put to shame,
but may your servant rejoice.
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.
30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them. (Psalm 109)


The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool."


The scepter of your power the Lord will stretch forth from Sion:  "Rule in the midst of your enemies.


Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;  before the day-star, like the dew, I have begotten you."


The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech."


The Lord is at your right hand;  he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.


He will do judgment on the nations, heaping up corpses;  he will crush heads over the wide earth.


From the brook by the wayside he will drink;  therefore will he lift up his head.


Glory be to the Father and to the Son  and to the Holy Spirit.


As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.
This day Christ is born; this day the Savior hath appeared; this day angels are singing on earth, archangels are rejoicing: This day the just are glad and say, Glory to God in high heaven, alleluia.


Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise Thee. We bless Thee. We adore Thee. We glorify Thee. We give Thee thanks for Thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For Thou only are holy. Thou only art the Lord. Thou only Jesus Christ, art most high. With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

O Lord, hear my prayer.

And let my cry come to You.

Let us pray. O God, who made this most holy night to shine forth with the brightness of the true Light, grant we beseech Thee, that we who have known the mystery of His light on earth, may attain the enjoyment of His happiness in heaven. Who lives and reigns with Thee forever and ever.


Bless, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, this crib which we have prepared in honor of the new birth in the flesh of Thine only begotten Son, that all who devoutly contemplate in this image the mystery of His Incarnation, may be filled with the light of His glory. Who lives and reigns with Thee forever and ever.

Amen.

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