To Saint Therese of the Child Jesus

to learn to live with Love like her

O Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, you who knew how to find the way of trust and love, through your intercession, may we be granted the grace to follow this way with confidence. O Saint Therese, intercede for us. Obtain for us the grace not to rely on our own strength, but to put our hope in God alone, To accept our imperfections without bitterness, To forget ourselves, in order to leave all the space in us to Jesus, To not to seek honors and power, but to know how to hide ourselves with love in the arms of Jesus, just like you did, Obtain for us the generosity to offer many sacrifices to Jesus to respond to His thirst for love, To know how to discover the qualities of our neighbor without stopping at his weaknesses, To know how to remain humble, To give thanks to God in all things. Finally, obtain for us an absolute confidence in God’s love for each one of us. Saint Therese of Lisieux, pray for us!

To Saint John the Baptist

Precursor of the Saviour O Saint John the Baptist, illustrious forerunner of the Messiah, you whom the Saviour proclaimed the greatest among the children of men, and that Our Holy Father Pope Pius X… gave French Canadians as a special patron; you have prepared marvelously, by your austere, penitent, angelic life, the ways to the Reign of the Redeeming Lamb. We beseech you, deign to obtain for us the grace to walk in your glorious footsteps, to keep the faith of our fathers, to zealously defend the interests of the Holy Catholic Church, and to realize the purposes of Divine Providence on each of us, so that after the exile of this life, we may meet again in the Heavenly Fatherland, to sing the praises of the Eternal King of all peoples, for ever and ever. Amen.

To ask for Strength and Patience in trials

My God, You know my weakness. I can do nothing without the help of Your grace. Do not deny it to me, O my God, but give me enough strength to avoid all the evil that You defend, to practice all the good that You expect from me, and to suffer patiently all the sorrows that It will please You to send me.

To ask for the Love of the Heart of Jesus

O Heart ablaze with love, living sanctuary of the Divinity!… What can I do to compensate You for the humiliation to which the holy Eucharist reduces You?… I love You, O Heart all burning with love for God and for me! I unite myself to all Your movements, to Your holy dispositions; and I ask You the grace to live from Your life and to burn from Your fires. I rejoice to see You loved and glorified in Heaven and I implore the grace to take part in Your sorrows. I would gladly suffer rather than displease You and I would gladly die to prevent a single mortal sin. Grant that my soul may feel Your divine impulse, and bring it to the renunciation of every human thing capable of separating me from You and altering my love for You. O Divine Heart, my dearest desire is to lose myself in You, to live only of You, in You, and for love of You. Apply myself to dwell in spirit at Your feet, like the burning lamp that is consumed before the Blessed Sacrament. May my heart, like that lamp, no longer lose Your presence. May Your will be the light of my heart, and Your love the flame that consumes it in time and for eternity. Amen.

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 Saint Joseph, Guardian of Virgins

Saint Joseph, father and guardian of virgins, to whose faithful keeping Christ Jesus, innocence itself, and Mary, the virgin of virgins was entrusted, I pray and beseech you by that twofold and most precious charge, by Jesus and Mary, to save me from all uncleanness, to keep my mind untainted, my heart pure, and my body chaste; and to help me always to serve Jesus and Mary in perfect chastity. Amen.

To Saint Joseph the Worker

to ask for his assistance at work

and in caring for the family

Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are dedicated to work, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penitence for the expiation of my many sins; to work in conscience, putting the respect of duty above my inclinations; to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honor to use and develop through work the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever backing down in the face of weariness and difficulties; to work above all with purity of intention and with detachment from myself, having constantly before my eyes death and the account I will have to render of the time lost, of the talents unused, of the good omitted and of the vain complacency in success, so disastrous to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all in imitation of you, Patriarch Saint Joseph! This will be my motto in life and in death. Amen.

For the grace to never be separated

from Jesus and Mary

My holy protector! By your prompt and continuous obedience to the Will of God, obtain for me from your Jesus the grace to obey perfectly His divine precepts. Obtain for me on my journey to eternity, in the midst of so many enemies, the grace to never lose the company of Jesus and Mary until my last breath: in this company all the sorrows of this life and death itself will be sweet and precious to me. Amen.

To Saint Joseph

to obtain a Love of compuntion for the Child

Jesus

O holy Patriarch! By the sorrow you have felt, seeing the divine Word, born in a stable in the midst of such great poverty, without fire, without clothes, and hearing Him weeping in cold, I beg you to obtain for me a true sorrow of my sins, by which I was the cause of Jesus’ tears; and, by the consolation you then had in considering the Child Jesus in the manger, so beautiful and charming, so that your heart began to burn with a more ardent love for such a lovable and loving God, obtain for me the grace to love Him also with a great love on earth, so that one day I may possess Him in Heaven. Amen.

To Saint Joseph

to obtain the grace of a firm Hope

O faithful Joseph, man after God’s own heart, you have pushed abandonment to the most heroic degree. Obtain for me that firm hope which nothing can shake, that victorious hope which overcomes all obstacles and temptations; that loving hope which triumphs over God Himself and forces Him, so to speak, to come to our aid; that hope which, after having sustained us during life, will be our sweetest consolation at the hour of death, and will open for us the doors of the blessed Eternity. Amen.

To Saint Joseph

to obtain a great Faith

Great Saint Joseph, heir of the faith of all the Patriarchs, obtain for us that beautiful virtue which is the basis of all holiness, the foundation of the other virtues, and without which it is impossible to please God; obtain for us that faith which is alive, active, ablaze with the fire of divine love, which does not allow itself to be shaken by any attack, which remains faithful in all trials. Let us follow your example and live by faith in this world, so that we may share in the rewards prepared for it in Heaven. Amen.

To Saint Joseph

to obtain an ardent Charity

O Seraphim of Love, glorious Saint Joseph, in all virtues you are great, but in the love of Jesus Christ you are incomparable. Always see Jesus, always think of Jesus, always work for Jesus, always talk about Jesus or with Jesus! Oh, what ardour, what transports of love, must the conversation of this adorable Son have ignited in your soul? Blessed Joseph, we share your happiness, but, alas, we do not share your love. Is it not this same Jesus, this Jesus who is so good, so loving, who comes to unite Himself, heart to heart, with us in the Sacrament of His Love? And yet our hearts feel nothing, say nothing to Him; so much love inspires us neither transport, nor zeal, nor fervour. O Joseph, whom Mary alone surpasses in love, make such a sinister prodigy cease. Jesus can refuse nothing to your tenderness; therefore, ask Him for us, not good health, not the earthly goods, but only His Love and His purest Love. Amen.

To Saint Joseph

to obtain a profound Humility

Faithful imitator of Jesus and Mary, humble Joseph, you who were as lowly in your eyes and in the opinion of men as you are great before God; teach me to be, like you, lowly and humble of heart. Alas, you know it, my sins, after having made me ungrateful to my God, have filled me again with a foolish pride, which is the greatest wound of my soul. O kind Saint, my protector, my Patron and my Father, on this day I ask you for a virtue which is the foundation of all Christian perfection. Obtain for me humility, the grace to know and to despise myself; obtain for me the grace to seek to please God alone in all my actions. May I, like you, love silence and the hidden life; may I, like you, be forgotten and despised by creatures; may the humiliations and the Cross of Jesus Christ be my share in this world, as they have been yours. O Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I now wish to put all my glory and my delights into humbling myself following your example. Amen.

To Saint Joseph

for Union with God

O glorious Patriarch, now that you are in Heaven in the fullness of joy, on a high throne, with your beloved Jesus, who was submitted to you on earth, have compassion on me, forced to live in the midst of so many enemies, grappling with the spirits of darkness and my evil passions, in continual danger of losing the grace of God. Ah, by the happiness you have had in enjoying the company of Jesus and Mary here on earth without interruption, obtain for me the grace to spend the rest of my life always united to God, resisting all the assaults of hell, and to die in the love of Jesus and Mary, so that one day I can go and enjoy Their company with you in the Kingdom of the Blessed. Amen.

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!

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!

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

to obtain Conformity to the Will of God Most holy Virgin, Mother of the Incarnate Word, repository of graces and refuge of wretched sinners, we turn to Your maternal love, with strong faith; and we beg You to obtain for us the grace to always do God’s Will, and Yours. We place our hearts in Your hands, we ask You for the salvation of soul and body, full of that You will show Yourself our Mother, by granting us the grace we need. That is why we pray with great faith: Recite the “Hail Mary…” three times.

Act of Consecration to the Divine Will

My sweet Jesus, I enter into Your divine Will, prostrate myself before the Supreme Majesty and repeat with You: “Here I am, Father, I have come to do Your Will.” Everything I have is Yours, Lord, as is this Will You have so generously given me. I offer it to You so that, in return, I may receive Yours. I surrender myself to You, O Father, and to all that You want for me. I will repeat with my Blessed Mother: “May it be done to Me according to Your Will.” I place my weakness in Your strength, my nothingness in You who are all and my ignorance in Your Wisdom. Come and reign in me and make me an instrument for Your glory. I place my life and all my actions in the Light of Your divine Will. With all the Heavenly Court, I beseech Thee: Come down, O divine Will, and reign in my soul and in the souls of all those I love. Come and reign on earth as in heaven. Amen.

To the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary

for the Conversion of sinners Sacred Heart of Jesus! who burns with such ardent love for men, and who is so little loved by them, how can I, through my fervor, console You for the ingratitude of all these sinful Christians! Will Your Heart, always tender and compassionate, always be broken with pain at the sight of the evils Your children bring upon themselves by their disorders and crimes? I know, O my Saviour! You love to be implored for sinners, because it was for them that You abased Yourself and resigned Yourself to all the humiliations of Your life and to the torments of Your Passion, because You want them to be converted and to live. However guilty I may be, I confidently approach the throne of Your mercies, firmly hoping that You will not reject my prayers for these unfortunate souls. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have pity on sinners, touch their hardened hearts, open their eyes blinded by their passions, make them see the abyss into which they are plunging. Grace, grace, O my God! suspend Your wrath. Mercy, Lord, mercy! Are not sinners Your children? O my God, do not abandon them, and since the blood of Your Son has been shed for them, let it not be in vain. Receive, in expiation for their crimes, the sufferings of Jesus, the prayers, the good works, the communions of so many fervent Christians, to which I unite myself with all the power of my soul. I want to live only to love You, happy if I could die of love for You, and compensate You for the coldness of so many Christians, who do not love You, because they do not know You. O Immaculate Heart of Mary! Heart of this august Virgin whom the Church rightly calls the Refuge and Advocate of sinners, join Your supplications to my feeble prayers to do holy violence to the Heart of Jesus. O Mary! I place my requests in Your Heart, deign to present them to the sovereign Judge, to Him whom You bore in Your virginal womb, to Him whose sublime virtues You imitated so well, to Him whom You loved so much, and I am at peace in the sweet hope that they will be granted. Amen.

Memorare to the Holy Infant of Prague

Remember, O divine Infant Jesus, the sweet promise that You Yourself deigned to make to Your servant, the venerable Marguerite Marie of the Blessed Sacrament, when You said to her these words so full of consolation for our sad and burdened hearts: ”Have recourse to My Heart, and whenever you wish to obtain a grace, never fail to ask for it through the merits of My holy Childhood, for I will never refuse you”. Filled with confidence in Your word, O divine Child Jesus, so merciful and ever faithful in Your promises, I come to Your feet to lay my sorrows before You. Help me to lead a holy life, so as to arrive surely at the eternal homeland, and through the merits of Your Incarnation and Your holy Childhood, O divine Infant Jesus, through the intercession also of Your august Mother and of the holy archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, deign to grant me the graces I ask for… I implore them with the utmost urgency, for You know how much I need them. No, no, O sweet Infant Jesus, I will not be deceived in my hope. I throw myself into the arms of Your tenderness, Your mercy and Your power, convinced that You will hear my prayer and that I will not rise from Your feet without having been consoled and answered. Amen.

In affliction, to the Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague

O dearest Jesus, tenderly loving us, Thy greatest joy is to dwell among men and to bestow Thy blessing upon us! Though I am not worthy that Thou shouldst behold me with love, I feel myself drawn to Thee, O dear Infant Jesus, because Thou dost gladly pardon me and exercise Thy almighty power over me. So many who turned with confidence to Thee have received graces and had their petitions granted. Behold me, in spirit, I kneel before Thy miraculous image on Thy altar in Prague, and lay open my heart to Thee, with its prayers, petitions and hopes. Especially the affair of……. I enclose in Thy loving Heart. I pray Thee for the desired help. Govern me and do with me and mine according to Thy holy will, for I know that in Thy Divine wisdom and love Thou wilt ordain everything for the best. Almighty, gracious Infant Jesus, do not withdraw Thy hand from us, but protect and bless us forever. I pray Thee, sweetest Infant, in the name of Thy Blessed Mother Mary who cared for Thee with such tenderness, and by the great reverence with which Saint Joseph carried Thee in his arms: comfort me and make me happy, that I may bless and thank Thee forever from all my heart. Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Infant of Prague

by Rev. Fr. Cyrille of the Mother of God O divine Holy Infant, I humbly seek Your assistance. Through Your Holy Mother, I pray that You will help me in this time of need, for I firmly believe in Your Divinity and Your power to deliver me. I place my hope and trust in Your holy grace. With all my heart and soul, I love You. I sincerely repent for my sins and I beseech You, O merciful Jesus, to grant me the strength to overcome them. I am resolved never to offend You again and I offer myself to You, in the disposition to suffer anything rather than to displease You. From this moment forward, I dedicate myself to serving You faithfully, and out of love for You, O divine Holy Infant, I will love my neighbor as myself. All-mighty Child, O Jesus, I implore You again to assist me in this circumstance; grant me the grace to be united with You, Mary, and Joseph for all eternity, and to worship You with the holy Angels in the heavenly court. Amen.

To Obtain Victory over our passions

Holy God, Father of mercy, who created me only to serve You in the freedom of Your children, do not allow me any longer to be subjected to the shameful laws of my criminal passions. Touched by the desire I have to correct myself, and humbled by the urgent solicitations that Our Lady, the Immaculate Virgin, whom You established as the dispenser of Your graces, addresses for me, Your unworthy servant, help me, my God, to escape from the slavery into which sin has reduced me, and strengthen me in the battles I must fight against myself. You know, Lord, both my weakness and the strength of the enemies who dominate me. You witness my struggles, as pride tempts me, resentment consumes me, covetousness exposes me, a melancholy temper weighs me down, laziness leads me to neglect my duties, self-love undermines the good I strive to do for you, and destroys the best part of what I accomplish for You. What constraint, O my God! What servitude for a soul, which despite everything, wants to love You, and would like to be perfectly Yours. I renounce and detest with all my heart these disorderly passions. I have a true sorrow for having indulged in them so often, for they displease You, the source of infinite goodness, whom I have offended each time I have given in. Yes, from now on, no matter the cost, I will no longer listen to temptation, and I am determined to resist my passions, the deadly root of all my faults. In Your name, O Almighty God, I take up arms to fight against these enemies, whom so many others have, with the help of Your grace, triumphantly conquered. It is also in Your name, and assisted by Mary, that I hope to achieve victory through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

THE TRADITIONAL ACTS

ACT OF ADORATION

O my God, I adore Thee and acknowledge Thee to be my Creator, my Sovereign Lord and the absolute Master of all things.

ACT OF FAITH

O my God, I firmly believe all that the Holy Church of Jesus Christ believes and teaches, because Thou hast said it, and because Thou art truth itself.

ACT OF HOPE

O my God, relying on Thy promises and on the merits of Jesus Christ, my Saviour, I hope with firm confidence that Thou wilt give me the grace to observe Thy Commandments in this world and to obtain, by this means, life everlasting.

ACT OF LOVE or CHARITY

O my God, who art worthy of all my love because of Thy infinite perfections, I love Thee with all my heart, and I love my neighbor as myself for love of Thee.

ACT OF CONTRITION

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasions of sin.

ACT OF THANKSGIVING

O my God, I thank Thee for all the gifts I have received from Thee, especially for having created me, redeemed me by Thy Son, and made me a child of Thy Church.

ACT OF OFFERING

O my God, I have received everything from Thee. I offer Thee my thoughts, my words, my actions, my life and my possessions, and I want to employ them for Thy service alone.

ACT OF HUMILITY

O my God, I am but dust and ashes. Repress the movements of pride which arise in my soul, and teach me to despise myself, Thou who resisteth the proud and giveth Thy grace to the humble.

ACT OF PETITION

O my God, infinite source of all benefits, give me all that is necessary for the life and health of my body, but especially the grace to accomplish Thy holy will in all things. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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!

To the Holy Spirit for the Church

by Father Ernest Manise, cssr O Holy Spirit, Creator, be propitious to the Church of Jesus Christ; by Your divine virtue fortify it and strengthen it against the attacks of its enemies; by Your charity and grace renew the spirit of Your servants whom You have marked with Your anointing, so that in You they may give glory to the Father and to His only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit, Spirit of truth, come into our hearts; give to all nations the radiance of Your light, so that, finding them united in faith, You may place Your complacency in them. Amen.

To obtain the twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit

by Father Ernest Manise, cssr Holy Spirit! Eternal Love of the Father and the Son; grant me the fruit of Charity , which unites me to You through love; the fruit of Joy that fills me with holy consolation; the fruit of Peace , which produces in me tranquillity of soul; the fruit of Patience , which makes me humbly bear all that may upset my particular tastes; the fruit of Benignity , which leads me to alleviate the needs of my neighbor; the fruit of Kindness , which makes me good to all: the fruit of Longanimity , which prevents me from being put off by any delay; the fruit of Meekness , which calms in me every movement of anger, stops every murmur, and suppresses every susceptibility in my dealings with my neighbor; the fruit of Faith , which commits me to lean with firm assurance on the word of God; the fruit of Modesty , which regulates my outward appearance; the fruits of Continence and Chastity which preserve my body in the holiness befitting Your temple, so that after having, with Your assistance, kept my heart pure on earth, I may merit in Jesus Christ, according to the words of the Gospel, to see my God forever in the abode of glory. Amen.

To ask for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

by Father Ernest Manise, cssr O Jesus! who, before ascending into heaven, promised Your apostles and disciples that You would send them the Holy Spirit to comfort and strengthen them, deign to send this sanctifying Spirit also into us. Come into us, Spirit of wisdom , who makes us know true happiness, and gives us the means to obtain it. Come into us, Spirit of intelligence , who by Your divine light enables us to penetrate the truths and mysteries of our holy religion. Come within us, Spirit of counsel , who helps us to discern, in difficult situations, what we must do to accomplish God’s will. Come into us, Spirit of strength , and bind us to God and to our duties, so that nothing can ever detach us from them. Come into us, Spirit of knowledge , who alone can give us perfect knowledge of God and of ourselves. I ask You for this divine and only necessary knowledge, with all the ardor of my soul; I will say to You unceasingly with Saint Augustine: “My God, may I know You, and may I know myself.” Come into us, Spirit of piety , who makes us accomplish with joy and ease all that God commands us, and, by the unction of divine love, makes us find the yoke of the Lord truly sweet and light. Come into us, Spirit of the fear of the Lord , who makes us avoid, with the greatest care, everything that may displease our heavenly Father. Glory be to You, eternal Father, who, with Your only Son and the Holy Spirit, consoles us with Your love.