Saint Anthony, We Love You

Today is the feast day of Holy Saint Anthony of Padua. He is a powerful friend and intercessor. Go to him now with your requests for aid. He is depicted holding the Child Jesus in his arms and whispering prayers into His ears. Let Anthony pray for us and whisper our petitions to Our Savior for help. Send a petition to his Shrine in Padua, Italy.

Miracle Prayer to Saint Anthony

O Holy St Anthony, the gentlest and kindest of Saints, your burning love of God, your exalted virtue, and your great charity towards your fellow creatures, made you worthy, when on earth to possess miraculous powers such as were given to no other saint.

Miracle waited on your word, and that word you were ever ready to speak at the request of those in trouble. The anxious prayer of bitter trial was never addressed to you in vain.

To the sick you gave back health; you restored what was lost; the sorrow stricken were the objects of your tender compassion; even the dead you raised to life when the wounded heart cried out to you from the depths of its bitter anguish.

When on earth nothing was impossible with you, except not to have compassion on those in distress and sorrow.

Encouraged by this thought, and convinced of the efficacy of your holy intercession, we kneel before your holy image, and full of confidence, we implore you to obtain for us (here mention your request).

The answer to this our prayer may require a miracle. Even so, are you not the Saint of Miracles, who, when on earth, had but to speak the mighties wonders were wrought!

O gentle and loving St Anthony, you whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper our prayer into the ears of the Infant Jesus, who loved to linger in your arms.

One word from you and our prayer will be granted. O, speak but that word and the gratitude of our heart will ever be yours!

Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be.

Call Upon Mother Mary

Today is the feast day of our Mother's Immaculate Heart, run to her and throw yourself at her holy feet that she may help you up to your feet and give you strength.

In the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I Trust 

Look to the Star 

Call upon Mary! 

In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. 

Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. 

And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. 

With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection, you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal. 

-Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

A partial indulgence is granted to those who recite this prayer, and a plenary indulgence is granted if it is publicly recited on the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus feast day.

Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Most sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thee, eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.

Mindful, alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation, not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the promises of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy law.

We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are now determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holy days, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints.

We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.

Would that we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou once made to Thy Eternal Father on the cross and which Thou continuest to renew daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past.

Henceforth, we will live a life of unswerving faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the Gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.

O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mother, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may all one day come to that happy home, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit Thou livest and reignest, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

It's the solemn feast day of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Here's a daily prayer that's easy to pray.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, filled with infinite love, broken by my ingratitude, pierced by my sins, yet loving me still; accept the consecration that I make to You of all that I am and all that I have. Take every faculty of my soul and body and draw me, day by day, nearer and nearer to Your Sacred Heart and there, as I can understand the lesson, teach me Your blessed ways. Amen.

Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel, Pray for Us

O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin: assist me in my necessity. 

O star of the sea, help me and show me, here you are my mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth: I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in this necessity (make a request). There are none that can withstand your power. 

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. (Three times)

Holy Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (Three times)

Amen.

Reparation Prayer for the First Saturday in June

O Most Holy Virgin and our Mother, we listen with grief to the complaints of your Immaculate Heart surrounded with the thorns which ungrateful men place therein at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. 

Moved by the ardent desire of loving you as our Mother and of promoting a true devotion to your Immaculate Heart, we prostrate ourselves at your feet to prove the sorrow we feel for the grievance that men cause you, and to atone, by means of our prayers and sacrifices, for the offenses with which men return your tender love.

Obtain for them and for us the pardon of so many sins. A word from you will obtain grace and amendment for us all.

Hasten, O Lady, the conversion of sinners, that they may love Jesus and cease to offend the Lord, already so much offended, and will not fall into hell. Turn your eyes of mercy toward us, that henceforth we may love God with all our heart while on earth and enjoy Him forever in heaven. 

Amen.  

It's Saint Padre Pio's Birthday

 

A great modern saint of the Church was born today. 

Padre Pio was born on May 25, 1887, in Italy. Ordained a priest in 1910, he later received the wounds of Jesus's passion -- or the stigmata -- on September 20, 1918.  

His life was marked by intense suffering but filled with a deep love of God through his long hours of prayer and hearing confessions. His stigmatized wounds healed 50 years later on September 20, 1968, and he died three days later on September 23, 1968. He was canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II.

Padre Pio is a particularly powerful saint for anyone experiencing deep suffering, whether physical, spiritual, mental or emotional. He hears and he heals through Jesus's love for us. Padre Pio will be a spiritual father to us if we ask him. Go to him with this beautiful prayer of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

This novena prayer was recited every day by Padre Pio for all those who asked his prayers.

I. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, ask and it will be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.’ Behold, I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of…

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father… Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, He will give it to you.’ Behold, in Your name, I ask the Father for the grace of…

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father… Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.’ Encouraged by Your infallible words, I now ask for the grace of…

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…  Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us poor sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of You, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate heart of Mary, Your tender mother and ours.  

Hail, Holy Queen… Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us. Amen.

Come Holy Spirit of Counsel, Come

Today is the feast of Pentecost, 10 days after the Ascension of Jesus, when the Holy Spirit descended upon Mary and the apostles. 

The Spirit comes to us, too, giving life, forgiveness, peace and zeal. Pray for the special Gifts, particularly Counsel, from the Holy Spirit.

Prayer for Counsel

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long.

(Our Father and Hail Mary once. Glory be to the Father seven times. Prayer for the Seven Gifts and Act of Consecration)

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth the Spirit on Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God find know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord with the sign of Your true disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

Act of Consecration to the Holy Spirit

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity the unerring keenness of Your justice and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart! To be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light: and listen to Your voice and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart I implore You Adorable Spirit I Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere "Speak Lord for Your servant heareth." Amen.

Reparation Prayer for the First Saturday in May

O Most Holy Virgin and our Mother, we listen with grief to the complaints of your Immaculate Heart surrounded with the thorns which ungrateful men place therein at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. 

Moved by the ardent desire of loving you as our Mother and of promoting a true devotion to your Immaculate Heart, we prostrate ourselves at your feet to prove the sorrow we feel for the grievance that men cause you, and to atone, by means of our prayers and sacrifices, for the offenses with which men return your tender love.

Obtain for them and for us the pardon of so many sins. A word from you will obtain grace and amendment for us all.

Hasten, O Lady, the conversion of sinners, that they may love Jesus and cease to offend the Lord, already so much offended, and will not fall into hell. Turn your eyes of mercy toward us, that henceforth we may love God with all our heart while on earth and enjoy Him forever in heaven. 

Amen.  

Divine Mercy Prayer

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. 

 O Greatly Merciful God, Infinite Goodness, today all mankind calls out from the abyss of its misery to Your mercy — to Your compassion, O God; and it is with its mighty voice of misery that it cries out. Gracious God, do not reject the prayer of this earth's exiles! O Lord, Goodness beyond our understanding, Who are acquainted with our misery through and through, and know that by our own power we cannot ascend to You, we implore You: anticipate us with Your grace and keep on increasing Your mercy in us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will all through our life and at death's hour. Let the omnipotence of Your mercy shield us from the darts of our salvation’s enemies, that we may with confidence, as Your children, await Your [Son’s] final coming — that day known to You alone. And we expect to obtain everything promised us by Jesus in spite of all our wretchedness. For Jesus is our Hope: Through His merciful Heart, as through an open gate, we pass through to heaven. (Diary entry 1570)

Read about the image of Divine Mercy from the Marian Fathers.