Shield and Confessions of Saint Patrick

I bind unto myself today the strong name of the trinity,
by invocation of the same, the Three in One, the One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever by power of faith Christ's incarnation,

his baptism in the Jordan river, his death on the cross for my salvation;

his bursting from the spiced tomb, his riding up the heavenly way, 

his coming at the day of doom I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his might to stay, his ear to harken to my need,
the wisdom of my God to teach, his hand to guide, his shield to ward,

the Word of God to give me speech, his heavenly host to be my guard.

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

I bind unto myself the name, the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three,
of whom all nature hath creation, eternal Father, Spirit, Word;
praise to the God of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord!

Attributed to St. Patrick
Paraphrased by Cecil Frances Alexander
Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

Prayer to Save America

Prayer to Save America

O merciful God, we cry to Thee for pardon and for mercy.  We are an unbelieving and perverse generation. We are disobedient, disloyal and ungrateful to Thee.   We have excluded Thee from our homes, our schools, our places of business.  We are no longer worthy to be called Thy children.  Merciful Father, spare America!   Forgive us! 

Save us from the scourge we deserve.   Teach us Thy law, and move our wills to serve Thee today and everyday.  Merciful God, please spare America!  O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us! 

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

Prayer for Light and Grace

Prayer for Light and Grace

INEFFABLE CREATOR, who, of the treasures of thy wisdom hast formed the nine choirs of Angels, and set them on high above the heavens in a wonderful order, and hast exquisitely fashioned and knit together all parts of the universe; do Thou, who art the true fountain and one principle of light and wisdom, deign to shed the brightness of thy light upon the darkness of my understanding, and thus to disperse the twofold darkness of sin and ignorance wherein I was born. O Thou, who makest eloquent the tongues of babes, instruct my tongue, and pour forth on my lips the grace of thy blessing. Grant me acuteness in understanding what I read, power to retain it, subtlety to discern its true meaning, and clearness and ease in expressing it. Do Thou order my beginnings, direct and further my progress, complete and bless my ending-; Thou who art true GOD and true Man, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

By Saint Thomas Aquinas
From the Raccolta
Image Credit Waiting for the Word

The Chaplet of Mercy and Forgiveness

The Chaplet of Mercy and Forgiveness

(Using Regulary Rosary Beads)

This chaplet was composed by Chorbishop Joseph Saidi of Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Father Saidi was the pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Maronite Catholic Church from 1947 until his retirement in August 1977.

Begin by blessing yourself and kissing the Crucifix. Looking at the crucifix, say:
Lord Jesus, we believe in You as You are the Son of Mary and the Son of the Living God, Creator and Redeemer.  You came from heaven to earth to save all mankind.  You are the Savior of the World.  

You taught us to pray: 
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, now and forever. Amen

On all of the "Our Father" beads, instead of the "Our Father," say:
"Merciful Jesus, our Redeemer, You said, "ask and you shall receive."  We humbly ask You to hear our prayer, forgive us our sins and grant us Your peace and salvation.  We praise You now and forever."  Amen

On all of the "Hail Mary" beads, instead of the "Hail Mary," say:
"Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us."

At the end of each decade say:
Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, intercede for us."

Conclude with:
Most blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, intercede for us, for the forgiveness of our sins, peace and eternal salvation from your loving Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of the Living God, and we praise you, we bless His name now and forever."

Glory be to the Father...

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

Prayer for the Storms of Life

Prayer for the Storms of Life

THOU seest, O LORD, how on all sides the winds are let loose upon us, and the sea is growing rough with the violent commotion of the waves. Do Thou, we beseech Thee, who alone art able, command the winds and the waves. Restore to mankind that true peace which the world cannot give, the peace which comes of good order. Let men impelled by thy grace return to a right and orderly course of life, practising again, as they ought, love towards GOD, justice and charity in dealing with their neighbour, temperance and self control in their own lives. May thy kingdom come, and may those who now vainly and laboriously seek for truth and salvation, far removed from Thee, understand that they must live as thy servants in subjection to Thee. Thy laws show forth thy justice and paternal gentleness, and to enable us to keep them, Thou dost freely supply by thy grace the ready means. The life of man on earth is a warfare, but "Thou dost thyself behold the strife, Thou dost help man to conquer, raise him when he falls, and crown him when he is victorious."

From the Raccolta

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

Prayer for Spiritual Benefits

Prayer for Spiritual Benefits

O HOLY LORD, almighty FATHER, eternal GOD!  through thy liberality and that of thy SON, who for me endured suffering and death, through the surpassing holiness of His Mother, and through the merits of blessed Francis, and or all the saints, grant me, a sinner, undeserving of all thy benefits, that I may love Thee alone, and always thirst for thy love; that I may constantly feel in my heart the benefit of thy Passion; that I may acknowledge my misery, and desire to be trampled upon and despised by all men; that nothing but sin may sadden my heart. Amen

by Saint Bonaventure

From the Raccolta

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

Prayer for Peace

Prayer for Peace

Give peace, O LORD, in our days; for there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, our GOD.

V/ Let there be peace in thy strength, O LORD.

R/ And plenty in thy strong places.

Let us pray.

O GOD, from whom proceed all holy desires, all right counsels and just works; grant unto us thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be devoted to thy service, and that, being delivered from the fear of our enemies, we may pass our time in peace under thy protection. Through CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

From the Raccolta
Image Credit Waiting for the Word

Prayer to Be Delivered From the Bonds of Sin

Prayer to Be Delivered From the Bonds of Sin

LOOSEN, O LORD, we pray Thee, in thy pity, the bonds of our sins, and by the intercession of the blessed Mary ever Virgin, Mother of GOD, St Joseph, the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all saints, keep us thy servants and our abodes in all holiness; cleanse us, our relations, kinsfolk, and acquaintances from all vices ; adorn us with all virtues ; grant us peace and health; repel our enemies visible and invisible; curb our carnal desires; give us healthful seasons; bestow thy charity upon our friends and our enemies; guard thy holy City; preserve our Sovereign Pontiff N.; defend all prelates, princes, and Christian people from all adversity. Let thy blessing be ever upon us, and grant to all the faithful departed eternal rest. Through CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

From the Raccolta

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

Prayer for a Happy Death

Prayer for a Happy Death

O JESUS, while adoring thy last breath, I pray Thee to receive mine. In the uncertainty whether I shall have the command of my senses, when I shall depart out of this world, I offer Thee from this moment my agony and all the pains of my passing away. Thou art my FATHER and my SAVIOUR, and I give back my soul into thy hands. I desire that my last moment may be united to the moment of thy death, and that the last beat of my heart may be an act of pure love of Thee. Amen.

From the Raccolta

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

Prayer for the Preservation of Faith

Prayer for the Preservation of Faith

O My REDEEMER, will that terrible moment ever come, when but few Christians will be found animated with a spirit of faith? that moment when, provoked to indignation, Thou wilt remove from us thy protection? The vices, the evil habits of our children, have perhaps irrevocably moved thy justice this very day to vengeance ! O Thou who art the author and finisher of our faith, we conjure Thee, in the bitterness of our hearts, humbled and contrite, not to permit the beautiful light of faith to be extinguished in us. Be mindful of thy mercies of old, cast a compassionate regard upon that vine which Thou hast planted with thy right hand, which was bedewed with the sweat of the Apostles, watered with the precious blood of thousands upon thousands of martyrs and the tears of so many generous penitents, and made fruitful by the prayers of so many confessors and innocent virgins. O divine Mediator, have regard for those zealous souls who incessantly raise their hearts to Thee and pray for the maintenance of that most precious treasure, the true Faith. Suspend, O must just GOD, the decree of our reprobation, turn away thine eyes from our sins, and fix them on the adorable blood, shed upon the Cross as the price of salvation, and daily pleading for it, on our behalf, upon our altars. Oh, preserve us in the true Catholic Roman Faith. Infirmities afflict us, annoyances wear us away, misfortunes oppress us : but preserve to us thy holy faith ; for, endowed with this precious gift, we shall willingly bear every sorrow, and nothing can affect our happiness. On the other hand, without this supreme treasure of the faith, our misfortunes will be unspeakable and immense. O good JESUS, author of our faith, keep it pure; keep us safe within the bark of Peter, faithful and obedient to his successor, thy Vicar here on earth, that so the unity of holy Church may be preserved, holiness fostered, the Holy See kept free and protected, and the universal Church extended, to the advantage of souls. O JESUS, author of our faith, humble and convert the enemies of thy Church ; bestow on all Kings and Christian Princes, and on all the faithful, peace and true unity; strengthen and maintain all in thy holy service, to the end that we may live by Thee and die in Thee. Ah ! my JESUS, author of our faith, in Thee I would live, and in Thee would I die. Amen.

From the Raccolta

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

Before Writing or Preaching

Before Writing or Preaching

INEFFABLE CREATOR, who, of the treasures of thy wisdom hast formed the nine choirs of Angels, and set them on high above the heavens in a wonderful order, and hast exquisitely fashioned and knit together all parts of the universe; do Thou, who art the true fountain and one principle of light and wisdom, deign to shed the brightness of thy light upon the darkness of my understanding, and thus to disperse the twofold darkness of sin and ignorance wherein I was born. O Thou, who makest eloquent the tongues of babes, instruct my tongue, and pour forth on my lips the grace of thy blessing. Grant me acuteness in understanding what I read, power to retain it, subtlety to discern its true meaning, and clearness and ease in expressing it. Do Thou order my beginnings, direct and further my progress, complete and bless my ending-; Thou who art true GOD and true Man, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

By Saint Thomas Aquinas

From the Raccolta

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

Prayer for the Church

Prayer for the Church

Give peace, O LORD, in our days; for there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, our GOD.  

V/ Let there be peace in thy strength, O LORD.

R/ And plenty in thy strong places.

Let us pray

O GOD, from whom proceed all holy desires, all right counsels and just works; grant unto us thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be devoted to thy service, and that, being delivered from the fear of our enemies, we may pass our time in peace under thy

protection. Through CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

From the Raccolta

Image Credit Waiting for the Word

Prayer to Saint Anthony, Zealous for Justice

Prayer to Saint Anthony, Zealous for Justice

Dear Saint Anthony, you were prompt to fulfill all justice. You gave God and His creation the service He required from you. You respected other people's rights and treated them with kindness and understanding. Saint Anthony, Zealous for Justice, teach me the beauty of this virtue. Make me prompt to fulfill all justice toward God and toward all creation. Help me also in my pressing needs. (name them)

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

Prayer to Saint Anthony, Consoler of the Afflicted

Prayer to Saint Anthony, Consoler of the Afflicted

Dear Saint Anthony, comforting the sorrowful is a Christian duty and a work of mercy. By word, attitude, and deed I should try to brighten their days and make their burden easier to bear. Saint Anthony, Consoler of the Afflicted, may I remember when helping someone in sorrow that I am helping Christ Himself. Kindly mention my pressing needs to Him. (name your special intentions)

Image Credit Kevin Dooley

Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, Restorer of Speech to the Mute

Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, Restorer of Speech to the Mute

Dear Saint Anthony, how tongue-tied I can be when I should be praising God and defending the oppressed. My cowardice often strikes me dumb; I am afraid t o open my mouth. Saint Anthony, Restorer of Speech to the Mute, release me from my fears. Teach me to praise God and to champion the rights of those unjustly treated. Please remember also all my intentions. (name them)

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, Restorer of Sight to the Blind

Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, Restorer of Sight to the Blind

Dear Saint Anthony, you recall the Gospel episode about the blind man who, partly healed, could see men "looking like walking trees." After a second laying-on of Jesus's hands, he could see perfectly. Saint Anthony, Restorer of Sight to the Blind, please sharpen my spiritual vision. May I see people, not as trees or numbers, but as sons and daughters of the Most High. Help me in my pressing needs. (name your special intentions)

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, Performer of Miracles

Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua, Performer of Miracles

Dear Saint Anthony, your prayers obtained miracles during your lifetime. You still seem to move at ease in the realm of minor and major miracles. Saint Anthony, Performer of Miracles, please obtain for me the blessings God holds in reserve who serve Him. Pray that I may be worthy of the promises my Lord Jesus attaches to confident prayer. (mention your special intentions)

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

Prayer to Be a Light to Others

Prayer to Be a Light to Others

Dear Jesus help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.

By Mother Teresa
Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons

A Student's Prayer

A Student's Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, true source of light and fountain of wisdom! Pour forth your brilliance upon my dense intellect, dissipate the darkness which covers me, that of sin and of ignorance. Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, method and ease in learning, the lucidity to comprehend, and abundant grace in expressing myself. Guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to successful completion. This I ask through Jesus Christ, true God and true man, living and reigning with You and the Father, forever and ever. Amen

by Saint Thomas Aquinas
Image Credit Waiting for the Word

A Prayer for the Forgiveness of Sin

A Prayer for the Forgiveness of Sin

My Jesus, I place all my sins before you. In my estimation They do not deserve pardon, But I ask you To close your eyes To my want of merit And open them To your infinite merit. 

Since you willed To die for my sins, Grant me forgiveness For all of them. Thus, I may no longer feel The burden of my sins, A burden that oppresses me Beyond measure. 

Assist me, dear Jesus, For I desire to become good No matter what the cost Take away, destroy, And utterly root out Whatever you find in me That is contrary To your holy will. At the same time, dear Jesus, illumine me So that I may walk in your holy light.

by Saint Gemma Galgani

Photo taken from Wikimedia Commons