Most gentle and kind Virgin Mary

by Sister Maria Consolata Ferrero Most sweet and most loving Virgin Mary, Most beloved Daughter of the Divine Eternal Father, Most tender Mother of the Divine Eternal Son, Most holy Spouse of the Divine Eternal Spirit, I come to You, O my most loving Mother, to consecrate myself entirely to You. You are the most pure, the most beautiful; You are the Immaculate, and I am nothing but misery, sin, and inclination to evil. You, O Mary, have always made the delights of the Most Holy Trinity; You have ravished the Heart of God, Your Father, Your Spouse, by the immaculate whiteness of Your most holy soul. O Most Compassionate Mother, turn a pitying glance towards this poor soul who is facing the worst temptations, and put the infernal enemy to flight by Your Power. At the moment of his formidable assaults, I will take refuge in Your Immaculate Heart, and You, O Most Merciful Queen of Virgins, preserve my lily pure and present it Yourself to Jesus. My tender Mother, I await You at the hour of my death; from now on, I thank You and I beg You to keep everything in me, so that everything may be pleasing to Jesus. Thank You, O Mary!

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary

– The Memorare

by Saint Bernard Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, or sought Thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to Thee do I come, before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in Thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Salutation to the Virgin of Sorrows

by Saint Bonaventure Hail Mary, full of sorrows, Jesus crucified is with You, You are worthy of compassion among women and worthy of compassion is Jesus, Your divine Son. Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus Crucified, obtain tears for us who crucified your Son, now and at the hour of our death.

Prayer for Generosity

by Saint Ignatius of Loyola Lord Jesus Christ! Teach me to be truly generous. And teach me to serve You as You deserve. To give and not to count the cost. To fight and not to heed the wounds. To labour without seeking for rest. And to spend myself without hoping to receive reward Save in the knowledge that I am doing Your Most Holy Will. Amen.

To ask for a good Death

by Saint Alphonsus Liguori O Mary my Sovereign, O my Mother, by the merits of the sorrow You experienced when You saw, before Your eyes, Your Son enduring such cruel sufferings, bowing His head and exhaling on the Cross, I beg You to obtain for me a good death. Amen.

To ask for Resignation which obtains

Heaven

by Fr. Thomas of Jesus O most Holy Mother of God, Queen of Angels, Star of the Sea, Refuge of Sinners, who witnessed with great sorrow the death of Him to whom You gave life, and who awaited with unwavering faith and confident hope His resurrection, grant me the grace to be united with Him in His crucifixion, that He may welcome me into His people, and that I may die, live, and reign with Him. O Saints of Paradise, who now behold this divine Lamb, glorious, unchanging, and immortal, and who possess Him with the assurance of never losing Him, cast your gaze upon me, and have mercy on this poor exile. Obtain for me the grace to be crucified with Jesus Christ on earth, and to be crowned by Him in Heaven.

To attract the Holy Spirit

by Saint Catherine of Siena – Morning Prayer Holy Spirit, come into my heart; draw it to You by Your power, my God, and give me the grace of fear and charity. O Jesus, keep me from all evil thoughts; warm me, inflame me with Your sweetest love, and all sorrow will seem light to me! My Father, my sweet Lord, assist me in all my actions! Jesus, my love! Jesus, my love!

Let Us offer our day to God

by Saint Therese of the Child Jesus My God, I offer You all the actions I am going to accomplish today, in the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; I want to sanctify my heartbeats, my thoughts and my simplest works by uniting them to His infinite merits, and to make reparation for my faults by throwing them into the furnace of His merciful love. O my God! I ask You for myself and for those who are dear to me the grace to perfectly accomplish Your holy Will, to accept for Your love the joys and sorrows of this passing life so that we may one day be reunited in Heaven for all Eternity. Amen.

Offering to Mary

by Saint Stanislaus Kostka I offer You, O my tender Mother, my work and my sorrows, my spirit and my heart; deign to accept this feeble homage of my respect and love for You, and to offer it to Jesus Christ Your divine Son and my Saviour.

O Virgin and Mother, I give myself totally

to You

by Saint Anthony Mary Claret O Virgin and Mother of God, I give myself totally to You as Your child. To honour Your purity, I consecrate to You my soul and my body, my faculties and my senses, and I ask You for the grace of never committing a single sin. Mother, here is Your son! (three times) In You I have put all my trust, I shall never be confounded.

O Jesus, Love me well, always!

by Sister Jean-Baptiste, fcsp O Jesus, love me well always… love me in spite of my misery, my weakness, my inconstancy! If You love me, it is not so much to receive from me as to have the pleasure of giving me. And You love all the more as You find more to give. Now, my indigence is an abyss which offers itself to Your magnificent and gratuitous liberalities: fill it with Yourself! Satisfy in me Your hunger and Your thirst for goodness… And I, O Jesus, will benefit from Your gifts with a joy all the greater as I know better how You Yourself feel in loving me in this way and in offering me the gifts of Your exquisite and paternal goodness.

To the Holy Spirit, to ask for Holiness

by Cardinal Désiré Joseph Mercier O Holy Spirit! Soul of my soul! I adore You. Enlighten me. Guide me. Strengthen me. Comfort me. Tell me what I must do. Give me Your orders. I promise to submit to whatever You wish of me and to accept whatever You allow to happen to me. Only make me know Your will. Amen.

We adore Thee, O Jesus!

by Saint Francis of Assisi We adore Thee, O Jesus, present here in the Blessed Sacrament and in all the tabernacles of the whole world, and we bless Thee because Thou hast redeemed the world by Thy holy Cross.

Praise to Mary

by Saint Augustine O Most Blessed Mary! Who will be able to give You back the acknowledgments and thanks that are due to You, for the help that You have given by Your consent to everyone who was lost? What praise may be presented to You by the weakness of our nature, which being lost has found through You the beginning of its deliverance. Receive, therefore, please, these very humble thanksgiving, though frail and unworthy of Your merits, and, accepting our vows, excuse our sins by Your prayers. Receive what we offer You, give what we ask You, forgive what we fear, especially since You are the only Hope of sinners; through You, we hope for forgiveness of our faults, and in You is the expectation of all our happiness. Holy Mary, help the wretched, help the fainthearted, strengthen the weak, pray for the people, intervene for the clergy; may all those who celebrate Your memory feel the effects of Your assistance; be favourable to the wishes of those who have recourse to Your clemency and grant them the fulfilment of their desires; may it please You to pray unceasingly for the faithful people, You, O Most Blessed Virgin! Who have deserved to bear the Redeemer of the world, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

by Mother Mary of the Divine Heart My most loving Jesus, I consecrate myself today, once again and without reserve, to Your divine Heart. I consecrate to You my body with all its senses, my soul with all its faculties, and my whole being. I consecrate to You all my thoughts, my words and my works, all my sufferings and my sorrows, all my hopes, my consolations and my joys, and above all I consecrate to You my poor heart, so that it may love only You and be consumed as a victim in the flames of Your love. Accept, O Jesus, my most loving Spouse, the desire I have to console Your divine Heart and to belong to You forever. Take possession of me, so that from now on, I have no other freedom than that of loving You, nor any other life than that of suffering and dying for You. I place in You all my trust, a trust without limits, and I hope from Your infinite mercy the forgiveness of my sins. I place in Your hands all my worries, especially that of my eternal salvation. I promise to love and honor You until the last moment of my life, and to propagate, as far as I can, the cult of Your Sacred Heart. Dispose of me, O my Jesus, according to Your good pleasure; I want no other reward than Your greater glory and Your holy love. Grant me the grace to find my dwelling in Your divine Heart; it is there that I wish to spend all the days of my life, that I wish to breathe my last. Establish also in my heart Your dwelling and the place of Your rest, so that we may remain intimately united, until one day I may praise You, love You and possess You for all eternity, and sing forever of the infinite mercies of Your Sacred Heart. Amen.

Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque I give and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ my person and my life, my deeds, pains and sufferings, not to use any part of my being except to love, honour and glorify Him. It is my irrevocable will to be all His and to do everything for His love, renouncing with all my heart all that could displease Him. I therefore take You, O Sacred Heart, as the sole object of my love, the protector of my life, the assurance of my salvation, the remedy for my inconstancy, the repairer of all the defects of my life and my refuge at the hour of my death. Be therefore, O Heart of Kindness, my justification to God the Father and turn away from me the chastisements of His righteous wrath. O Heart of Love, I put all my trust in You, for I fear all things from my weakness, but I hope all things from Your goodness. Consume in me, therefore, all that may displease You or resist You, and may Your pure love be imprinted so much in my heart that I can never forget You, nor be separated from You. I beseech You, by all Your goodness, that my name be written in You, since I want my happiness to consist entirely in living and dying as Your slave. Amen.

Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary

by Saint Francis de Sales I greet You, most sweet Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and You choose me for my dearest mother; I beg You to accept me as Your son and servant; I no longer wish to have any other mother and mistress than You. I beg You, therefore, my good, gracious and sweet Mother, that You may be pleased to remember that I am Your son, that You are very powerful and that I am a poor, vile and weak creature. I also beg You, very sweet and dear Mother, to govern me and defend me in all my actions; for, alas, I am a poor needy and beggar who needs Your holy help and protection. Well then! Blessed Virgin, my sweet Mother, please make me a partaker of Your goods and Your virtues, especially of Your holy Humility, Your excellent Purity and fervent Charity; but above all, grant me: (Here ask for the grace you desire). Do not tell me, gracious Virgin, that You cannot, for Your beloved Son has given You all power both in Heaven and on earth. Neither will You claim that You must not, for You are the Mother common to all the poor children of Adam, and especially mine; so, most sweet Virgin, since You are my Mother and are very powerful, what could excuse You if You did not lend me Your assistance? See, my Mother, that You are obliged to grant me what I ask You and to acquiesce to my groans. Be exalted therefore in Heaven, and, through Your Intercession, make me present with all the goods and graces that please the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the object of all my love for the present time and for the great eternity.

To the Sacred Heart of Jesus

by Saint Gertrude Hail, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, living and quickening source of eternal life, infinite treasury of the Divinity, burning furnace of divine Love!    Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary, O my amiable Saviour!    O my divine Saviour! consume my heart with that burning fire with which Thine is ever inflamed; pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Thy love, and let my heart be so united with Thine that our wills may be one, and mine in all things conform to Thine.    May Thine be the standard and rule of my desires and of my actions.    Amen.

Soul of Christ

by Saint Ignatius of Loyola Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O good Jesus, hear me. Within Your wounds, hide me. Never let me be separated from You. From the malignant enemy, defend me. At the hour of death, call me; And bid me come to You. That with your Saints I may praise You Forever and ever. Amen.

Act of Faith in the Love of God

by Sister Jean-Baptiste, fcsp O my Heavenly Father, it is especially when my sky is darker and my cross heavier that I feel the need to tell You: I believe in Your love for me! Yes, I believe that You are my Father and I am Your child. I believe that You love me with an infinite love! I believe that You watch over me night and day, and not a hair of my head falls without Your permission. I believe that, infinitely wise, You know far better than I what is advantageous to me. I believe that, infinitely powerful, You draw good out of evil. I believe that, infinitely good, You will never test me beyond my strength, and will make everything turn to the greater good of my soul and the souls that are dear to me. That is why, behind the hands that hurt me, I kiss Your healing hand… I believe, but increase my faith, and especially my hope and charity. Teach me to see Your love directing all the events that happen to me. Teach me to abandon myself to Your ways as a child in its mother’s arms. Father, You know all things, You see all things, You know me better than I know myself, You can do all things and You love me! O Jesus, Your Heart watches over me and loves me. Your Heart, aware of my miseries, attentive to my sufferings, is beyond the failures and reversals of human love. It will always remain faithful to me. It will keep me until my frail heart stops beating. When all the other hearts that have legitimately loved me have succumbed and passed away, Your Heart, unalterable in Its tenderness, will remain the refuge and strength of my own: It will be my reward after having been my support. It is by It that I will live… That is why, in the wake of my faults, when I am sad that I have wounded You, betrayed You perhaps, O my Jesus, far from turning in on myself in a thought of discouragement, I will go to You, repentant and confounded, and after having received Your merciful forgiveness, I will dare say to You again: “You know all things. You know well that I love You!” In my daily combats, in my acute temptations, instead of permitting despondency to prevail over humble confidence, I will think that You allow this painful toil for me so that I may make it a tribute of fidelity and love for You. In my trials and sufferings of all kinds, I will raise my eyes to Your Cross, and seeing You immolated for my love, I will have enough nobility of soul, if not to ask for the prolongation of my own crucifixion, at least to accept all pain, all failure, all contempt, all persecution as the gift of Your Heart which loves me and wants to associate me with Its redemptive work! O Jesus, I want to live by faith in Your love and say unceasingly with ever more fervent conviction: “I know in whom I have entrusted myself. Those who hope in You, Lord, will never be confounded!”

Act of Love

by saint John Mary Vianney, the Holy Curé of Ars I love You, O my God, and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life. I love You, O my infinitely lovable God, and I would rather die loving You than live a single instant without loving You. I love You, O my God, and I desire heaven only to have the happiness of loving You perfectly. I love You, O my God, and I fear hell only because there will not be the sweet consolation of loving You. O my God, if my tongue cannot say at every moment that I love You, at least I want my heart to repeat it to You as many times as I breathe. Oh, give me the grace to suffer while loving You, to love You while suffering, and to die one day while loving You and feeling that I love You. And the closer I come to my end, the more I beseech You to increase my love and to perfect it. Amen!

Surrender to the Will of God

by Madame Elisabeth of France, in the Temple prison shortly before she was guillotined. What will happen to me today, O my God? I don’t know. All I know is that nothing will happen to me that You have not foreseen, settled and ordained from all eternity. That is enough for me, O my God! It is enough for me. I worship Your eternal and impenetrable designs, and I submit to them with all my heart for Your love. I want everything, I accept everything, I make a sacrifice of everything to You, and I unite this sacrifice with that of Jesus Christ, my divine Savior. I ask You, in His Name and by His infinite merits, for patience in my sorrows, and for the perfect submission that is due to You for everything You want or allow. Amen.

To Mary, help of sinners

by Saint Alphonsus Liguori Behold, O Mother of God, there prostrate at Thy feet a wretched sinner who turns to Thee and puts all his trust in Thee. I do not deserve even a single glance from You, but I know that since You saw Your Son give His life for sinners, You ardently wish to help them. O Mother of Mercy, consider my misery and have mercy on me. I hear You call to all of us the Refuge of sinners, the Hope of the unfortunate who are reduced to despair, the Help of those who are abandoned: be therefore my Refuge, my Hope and my Help; it is for You to save me through Your intercession. For the Love of Jesus Christ, help me, extend a helping hand to an unfortunate person who, after his fall, commends himself to You so that You may help him to rise again. I know that, whenever possible, You are pleased to come to the help of a sinner; help me, therefore, now that You are able to do so. I have lost both grace and my soul through my sins; but behold, I place myself in Your hands; tell me what I must do to recover the grace of my God, and I will do it without delay. It is He who sends me to You that You may assist me; He wants me to have recourse to Your Mercy, so that I may be helped in the great matter of my salvation, not only by the merits of Your Son, but also by Your prayers. Well then! I have recourse to You; pray for me to Your Divine Son, and manifest all the good You do to those who trust in You: I dare to hope that I will be heard.

To Mary, Mother of Mercy

by Saint Alphonsus Liguori O Mother of Mercy, since You are so compassionate, and since You have such a great desire to do good to us, miserable sinners, and to grant us what we ask You, I, the most miserable of all men, come to implore Your goodness; deign to hear me. Let others ask You for all that they will want, health, goods and temporal advantages; for me, O Mary, I ask You what You yourself wish to find in me, what is most in conformity and most pleasing to Your Most Holy Heart. You are so humble; obtain for me, therefore, humility and the love of scorn. You have been so patient in the sorrows of this life; obtain for me patience in the adversities. You are so full of love for God; obtain for me the gift of holy and pure love. You are so full of charity for your neighbour; obtain for me charity towards all, especially towards those who are opposed to me. You have always been united to the Will of God; obtain for me complete conformity to all the provisions of Providence which concern me. In a word, You are the holiest of all creatures; O Mary, make me holy. You do not lack love, You can and You want to procure for me all the goods; the only thing that can prevent me from receiving Your graces is either my negligence in invoking You, or my little trust in Your intercession. But these two essential dispositions, fidelity to invoke You and trust in You, it is You who must obtain them for me, and it is from You that I ask for them, it is from You that I want them, it is from You that I hope for them, and I await them from You with assurance, O Mary, my Mother, my Hope, my Love, my Life, my Refuge, my Help and my Consolation!

Offering to the Most Holy Trinity

by Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity O my God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely that I may be established in You as still and as peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing trouble my peace or make me leave You, O my Unchanging One, but may each minute carry me further into the depths of Your Mystery. Give peace to my soul; make it Your heaven, Your beloved dwelling and Your resting place. May I never leave You there alone but be wholly present, my faith wholly vigilant, wholly adoring, and wholly surrendered to Your creative Action. O my beloved Christ, crucified by love, I wish to be a bride for Your Heart; I wish to cover You with glory; I wish to love You… even unto death! But I feel my weakness, and I ask You to “clothe me with Yourself,” to identify my soul with all the movements of Your Soul, to overwhelm me, to possess me, to substitute Yourself for me that my life may be but a radiance of Your Life. Come into me as Adorer, as Restorer, as Savior. O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life in listening to You, to become wholly teachable that I may learn all from You. Then, through all nights, all voids, all helplessness, I want to gaze on You always and remain in Your great light. O my beloved Star, so fascinate me that I may not withdraw from Your radiance. O consuming Fire, Spirit of Love, “come upon me,” and create in my soul a kind of incarnation of the Word: that I may be another humanity for Him in which He can renew His whole Mystery. And You, O Father, bend lovingly over Your poor little creature; “cover her with Your shadow,” seeing in her only the “Beloved in whom You are well pleased.” O my Three, my All, my Beatitude, infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I lose myself, I surrender myself to You as Your prey. Bury Yourself in me that I may bury myself in You until I depart to contemplate in Your light the abyss of Your greatness. Amen.