Prayer for a Christian Family

O God of goodness and mercy, to Thy Fatherly protection we commend our family, our household and all that belongs to us. We commit all to Thy love and keeping; do Thou fill this house with Thy blessings even as Thou didst fill the holy House of Nazareth with Thy Presence.

Keep far from us, above all things else, the taint of sin, and do Thou alone reign in our midst by Thy law, by Thy most holy love and by the exercise of every Christian virtue. Let each one of us obey Thee, love Thee and set himself to imitate in his own life Thine example, that of Mary, Thy Mother and our Mother most loving, and that of Thy blameless Guardian, Saint Joseph.

Preserve us and our house from all evils and misfortunes, but grant that we may be ever resigned to Thy divine Will even in the sorrow which it shall please Thee to send us. Finally give us all the grace to live in perfect harmony and in the fulness of love towards our neighbor. Grant that every one of us may deserve by a holy life the comfort of Thy holy Sacraments at the hour of death. O Jesus, bless us and protect us.

O Mary, Mother of grace and of mercy, defend us against the wicked spirit, reconcile us with Thy Son, commit us to His keeping, that so we may be made worthy of His promises.

Saint Joseph, foster-father of our Saviour, guardian of His holy Mother, head of the Holy Family, intercede for us, bless us and defend our home at all times.

Saint Michael, defend us against all the wicked cunning of hell.

Saint Gabriel, make us to understand the holy Will of God.

Saint Raphael, keep us free from all sickness and from every danger to our lives.

Our holy Guardian Angels, keep our feet safely on the path of salvation both day and night.

Our holy Patrons, pray for us before the throne of God.

Yea, bless this house, O God the Father, Who hast created us; O God the Son, Who hast suffered for us upon the holy Cross, and Thou, O Holy Spirit, Who hast sanctified us in holy Baptism. May the one God in three divine Persons preserve our bodies, purify our minds, direct our hearts and bring us all to everlasting life.

Glory be to the Father, glory be to the Son, glory be to the Holy Ghost! Amen.

 (An indulgence of 500 days) 

St. Jude Thaddeus: Helper in Desparate Cases

 

Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration, 1931

Powerful Helper in Extreme Need

St. Jude Thaddeus shows his particular assistance and protection in circumstances deemed most difficult and desperate. His aid has been widely experienced, for he is universally known as the "Patron of hopeless and desperate cases." From earliest times he has been considered a helper in urgent need. Thousands who have implored his aid, have received extraordinary and miraculous help in cases which, according to all human calculations, seemed hopeless. Ven. Columba of the Order of St. Dominic realized how pleasing it is to God if we zealously venerate the holy apostle Thaddeus and promote his honor, because he is so little known and loved. She understood that by venerating this saint, one can obtain assistance in difficulties where help is despaired of, in trials and afflictions of a grave and serious nature.

St. Jude has obtained recovery for those stricken with maladies which defy all human skill and remedies; he has obtained grace for persons to overcome deeply rooted evil habits--those afflictions of the soul which are far more difficult to cure than any bodily ailment. St. Jude comes quickly and speedily to the aid of those tormented by impure thoughts and enslaved by impure habits. Our holy apostle obtains help in anguish, distress, calumny, poverty, misery, yea, even in despair and in circumstances where aid seems utterly impossible. In return, he demands our confidence, love and gratitude; if our requests are not immediately granted precisely according to our own ideas and wishes, they surely will be sooner or later according to the designs of God.

A shining example of veneration of this holy apostle is given us by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, who during his whole life highly honored a relic of St. Jude, and asked that in death the relic be placed upon his breast and buried with him, that, as he said, he would not be entirely without him whom in life he had found to be a powerful protector of his purity, and a potent helper in every circumstance.

Let all who are in tribulation be animated with confidence in the intercession of St. Jude, for the miraculous virtue of our prayers proceeds from confidence, says the servant of God, Ven. Anna Catherine Emmerich. Let not this holy apostle be justified in complaining that we do not avail ourselves of his merits and powerful protection. He is the helper, the consoler of all oppressed with heavy trials. Let us say with confidence: 

St. Jude, pray for us. And for all who invoke thy aid.

Prayer in Grievous Affliction

O St. Jude Thaddeus, thou relative of Jesus Christ, thou glorious apostle and martyr, renowned for thy virtues and miracles, faithful and prompt intercessor of all who honor thee and trust in thee! Thou art a powerful patron and helper in grievous afflictions. I come to thee and entreat thee from the depths of my heart, come to my aid with thy powerful intercession, for thou hast received from God the privilege to assist with thy manifest help, those who almost despair of all hope. Look down upon me; my life is a life of crosses, my days are days of tribulation, and my heart is an ocean of bitterness. All my paths are strewn with thorns and scarcely one moment passes but is witness of my tears and sighs. And withal, my soul is enveloped in darkness; disquietude, discouragement, mistrust, yes, sometimes even a kind of despair preys upon my soul. Divine Providence seems lost to my sight, and faith seems to falter in my heart. Overwhelmed by these thoughts I see myself surrounded by a dark cloud. Thou canst not forsake me in this sad plight. I will not depart from thee until thou hast heard me. Oh! hasten to my aid. I will be grateful to thee all my life. I will honor thee as my special patron, I will thank God for the graces bestowed upon thee, and will propagate thy honor according to my power. Amen.

Praise and Thanksgiving

(It was revealed to St. Gertrude that it is a source of great joy to the saints when we praise and thank God for the graces and privileges He has bestowed upon them. Clients of St. Jude should recite the following act of thanksgiving frequently.)

O most sweet Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the unutterable heavenly praise with which the Most Holy Trinity extols Itself and which thence flows upon Thy Sacred Humanity, upon Mary, upon all the angels and saints, I praise, glorify and bless Thee for all the graces and privileges Thou hast bestowed upon Thy chosen apostle and intimate friend, Jude Thaddeus. I pray Thee for the sake of his merits, grant me Thy grace, and through his intercession come to my aid in all my needs, but especially at the hour of my death deign to strengthen me against the rage of my enemies. Amen. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc., three times.

Download the book, "St. Jude Thaddeus: 

Helper in Desparate Cases

Novena

0 glorious apostle, St. Jude Thaddeus,

true relative of Jesus and Mary, I salute thee through the most Sacred Heart of Jesus! Through this Heart I praise and

thank God for all the graces He has

bestowed upon thee. Humbly prostrate before thee, I implore thee through this Heart to look down upon me with compassion. Oh, despise not my poor prayer;

let not my trust be confounded! To thee God has granted the privilege of aiding

mankind in the most desperate cases. Oh, come to my aid, that I may praise the mercies of God! All my life I will be

grateful to thee and will be thy faithful

client until I can thank thee in heaven. Amen.

A Physician’s Prayer

 

Composed by Pope Pius XII

O Divine Physician concerned for the welfare of both body and soul, Jesus, our Redeemer, Who during Thy life on earth didst manifest a special love for the sick and by Thy almighty power didst restore them to health by the mere touch of Thy hand, we who are called to the arduous tasks of the medical profession adore Thee and acknowledge Thee as our model and firm support.

   May our minds, hearts and hands always be guided by Thee so that we may merit the honor and praise which the Holy Spirit pronounces in commendation of our profession [Ecclus. 38]. 

   Grant us to realize more fully that we are instruments of Thy mercy, called to cooperate with Thee in the work of safeguarding the welfare of human beings and promoting their development.

   Enlighten our understanding, so hard pressed by the innumerable ailments of the human body, in order that, by the right use of modern scientific knowledge in the diagnosis of diseases, we may not be misled by mere symptoms but discover their true causes. We shall then feel safe in prescribing the remedies which Thy Providence has supplied.

   Increase Thy love in our hearts so that, seeing Thee in the sick, especially in such as are most forsaken, we may reward their complete confidence in us by exhibiting a continuous and unwearied solicitude for their welfare.

Grant that, following Thy example, we may always show fatherly kindness in our sympathy, sincerity in giving advice, diligence in our attendance, freedom from all practices of deception, and gentleness in breaking the sad news when confronted with the mystery of death. Above all, help us to be firm in upholding Thy law concerning the sacredness of human life against the false dictates of egoism and unregulated lower instincts.

  As physicians who take glory in Thy Name, we promise that in all our activity we shall take into account the observance of the moral order and be regulated by its laws.

   Grant, finally, that we ourselves, by a truly Christian life and by the conscientious fulfillment of the duties of our profession, may merit some day to hear from Thy lips the sentence of beatification promised to all those who visit Thee in the person of Thy sick brethren: "Come, blessed of My Father, take possession of the Kingdom prepared for thee." [Matth. 25, 34] Amen. 

Prayer to St. Teresa of Avila by St. Alphonsus

 

O Seraphic virgin, St. Teresa, beloved spouse of the Crucified, thou who didst burn with such great love of God while on earth, and now burnest with a still purer and brighter flame in Heaven; thou who didst so greatly desire to see Him loved by all men, obtain for me too, I pray thee, a spark of that holy fire, whereby I may oppose the world, creatures, and myself; and grant that all my thoughts, desires, and affections may be ever employed in pursuing, whether in the midst of joys or of sufferings, the will -of God- the Supreme Good, Who deserves our unbounded love and obedience. Oh, obtain for me this grace, thou who art so powerful with God, that, like thee, I may be all on fire with divine love.   Amen.

(Indulgence of 300 days)

Prayer to the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary

 O Virgin Immaculate and Queen of the Rosary, in these days of dead faith and triumphant impiety, thou hast been pleased to set up thy throne as Queen and Mother, upon the ancient site of Pompeii, the dwelling place of pagans long since dead. And from the place where once men worshiped false gods and demons, thou, as Mother of Divine grace, dost in these our times scatter everywhere the treasures of heavenly mercies. Ah, from that throne where thou reignest as Queen of mercy, turn, dear Mother upon us also thine eyes of mercy, and have pity on us who have such great need of thy assistance. Show thyself to us, as to so many others, a true Mother of mercy: "Show thyself a Mother"; while with all our hearts we salute thee and call upon thee as our Sovereign and Queen of the Most holy Rosary.

Our Lady's Seven Promises to Those Who Meditate on Her Seven Sorrows

 

Our Blessed Mother revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden that she grants the following seven graces to the souls who honor her daily by saying seven Hail Marys while meditating on her tears and dolors (sorrows):

1) “I will grant peace to their families.”

2) “They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries.”

3) “I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.”

4) “I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.”

5) “I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.”

6) “I will visibly help them at the moment of their death—they will see the face of their mother.”

7) “I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this eartly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.”

Our Lady's 15 Promises to Those Who Faithfully Pray the Rosary

 

“The Rosary basically was given to St Dominic to overcome heresy and to promote virtue” Father Calloway

1. To all those who shall pray my Rosary devoutly, I promise my special protection and great graces.
2. Those who shall persevere in the recitation of my Rosary will receive some special grace.
3. The Rosary will be a very powerful armor against hell; it will destroy vice, deliver from sin and dispel heresy.
4. The rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for souls the most abundant divine mercies. It will draw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. Those who trust themselves to me through the Rosary will not perish.
6. Whoever recites my Rosary devoutly reflecting on the mysteries, shall never be overwhelmed by misfortune. He will not experience the anger of God nor will he perish by an unprovided death. The sinner will be converted; the just will persevere in grace and merit eternal life.
7. Those truly devoted to my Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite my Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces and will share in the merits of the blessed.
9. I will deliver promptly from purgatory souls devoted to my Rosary.
10. True children of my Rosary will enjoy great glory in heaven.
11. What you shall ask through my Rosary shall obtain.
12. To those who propagate my Rosary I promise aid in all their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Son that all the members of the Rosary Confraternity shall have as their intercessors, in life and in death, the entire celestial court.
14. Those who recite my Rosary faithfully are my beloved children, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a special sign of predestination.

Guardian, Angels, Their Ministry

 

Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part IV

Angels are commissioned by Divine Providence to guard the human race and be present with every man to protect him from injury. As parents, when their children have occasion to travel a dangerous way, infested by robbers, appoint persons to guard and assist them in case of attack, so has our Heavenly Father placed angels over each of us, in our journey towards our heavenly country, that guarded by their vigilant care and assistance we may escape the ambushes and repel the fierce attacks of our enemies, proceed directly on our journey, secured by this guiding protection against the devious paths into which our treacherous enemy would mislead us, and pursue steadily the path that leads to heaven.

The important advantages which flow to the human race from this special superintending Providence, the functions and the administration of which are intrusted to angels, who hold a middle place between man and the Divinity, appear from numerous examples recorded in Scripture. These passages prove that angels, as the ministers of the divine goodness, have frequently wrought wonderful things in the sight of men, and they give us to understand that innumerable other important services are rendered to us by the invisible ministry of angels, the guardians of our safety and salvation.

The angel Raphael, who was appointed by God the companion and guide of Tobias, conducted him and brought him back safe again. He helped to save him from being devoured by a large fish, and pointed out to him the singular virtue of its gall and heart; he expelled the evil demon, and by fettering and binding up his power prevented him from injuring Tobias; he taught the young man the true and legitimate rights of marriage, and restored to the elder Tobias the use of his sight.

The angel who delivered the prince of the Apostles also affords abundant matter of instruction on the admirable advantages which flow from the care and guardianship of angels. To this event, therefore, the pastor will also call the attention of the faithful. He will point to the angel illuminating the darkness of the prison, awakening Peter by touching his side, loosing his chains, bursting his bonds, admonishing! him to rise, to take up his sandals and other apparel, and to follow him. The pastor will also direct their attention to the same angel restoring Peter to liberty, conducting him out of prison through the midst of the guards, throwing open the door of his prison, and ultimately placing him in safety without its precincts. The sacred Scriptures, as we have already observed, abound in examples which give us an idea of the magnitude of the benefits conferred on us by the ministry of angels, whose tutelary protection is not confined to particular occasions or persons, but extends to each individual of the human race, from the hour of his birth. In the exposition of this point of doctrine the diligence of the pastor will be rewarded with one important advantage: the minds of the faithful will be interested, and excited to acknowledge and revere the paternal care and providence of God.

They are the attendants of His heavenly court; they cease not to worship and adore Him day and night, saying Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts. But He has given them also duties in regard to us. They are His messengers; they have charge of the Holy Church, of kingdoms and nations, and, moreover, of individuals. It is the teaching of Holy Church that at least each of the faithful enjoys the protection and aid of an angel guardian; and it is not in any way contrary to Holy Scripture to suppose that every child of man is thus protected. From the beginning the Catholic Church has honored the holy angels, has invoked them and solicited their aid; and it behooves us, dear brethren, to follow this example by being devout to our guardian angel. How consoling is the thought of princes of the heavenly court charged with the care of our souls and bodies; ever at hand to ward off temptation; to repulse the demons, to suggest good and holy thoughts, to protect us from bodily danger and accidents in our coming and going; to stand by us and care for us till at last they shall joyfully present our souls, redeemed and cleansed, before the throne of God to receive the reward. We should examine ourselves to see whether we have neglected and forgotten our angel guardian. It is to our interest to invoke him; to second his efforts by our earnest endeavors to avoid sin. How often we frustrate those endeavors by wilfully running into temptation! It is a matter of common gratitude, too, that we should remember him who has the charge of us; that we should thank him for his care, that we should try to live more in his presence. It is needless to say that the greatest spiritual good must be the result of such a practice. Remembering the presence of our guardian angel, we shall remember also the presence of God. We shall thereby be supported in temptation and restrained from sin; we shall be consoled in affliction and kept temperate in the time of joy: cultivating- the friendship of our celestial companion we shall be kept from harmful affection for the creatures of earth; more than any earthly guide and counsellor he will teach and lead us along the heavenly way, until the veil is taken from our eyes, and we shall behold at the last the angel of the Lord with whom we shall praise and bless the Father of us both forever in heaven.

Prayer:

O most faithful companion, appointed by God to be my guardian, my protector and defender, and who never leavest my side; how shall I thank thee for thy faithfulness and love, and for the benefits which thou hast conferred upon me? Thou watchest over me while I sleep; thou comfortest me when I am sad; thou liftest me up when I am down; thou avertest the dangers that threaten me; thou warnest me of those that are to come; thou withdrawest me from sin, and excitest me to good; thou exhortest me to penance when I fall, and reconcilest me to God. Long ago should I have been thrust down into hell, unless by thy prayers thou hadst turned away from me the anger of God. Leave me not, nor forsake me ever, I beseech thee; but still comfort me in adversity, restrain me in prosperity, defend me in danger, assist me in temptations, lest at any time I fall beneath them. Offer up in the sight of the Divine Majesty my prayers and petitions, and all my works of piety, and help me to persevere in grace, until I come to everlasting life. Amen.