ASPIRATIONS


Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on me.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for me.

Mary, my Mother, shield me from the
justice my sins deserve.

Sweet Jesus, permit not the child of Thy
Mother to perish.

O Mary, obtain for me perfect sorrow for
having offended so good a God.

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, burning with
love for us, inflame our hearts with
love of Thee.

My Jesus Mercy!

Jesus, my Son of God, have mercy on me.

Sweet Jesus, I unite my sufferings to Thine.

O Sweet Jesus, accept my death, united to
Thine, in expiation of my sins.

Glorious St. Joseph, who hadst the
happiness of dying, in the arms of Jesus
and Mary, assist me in the hour of
my death.

O my holy Angel Guardian, protect me
against all the powers of darkness.

SOUL OF CHRIST,
SANCTIFY ME!


Make a saint of me. Show me how to rid
myself of traits of character that annoy
others; that make the lives of those
about me miserable.

Help me to break the hardened shell
within which selfishness hides, and renders
me insensible to the needs of others.

May I become great enough to be the
servant of both rich and poor.

May I grow strong in virtue, so as to
sustain the weak and encourage the weary.

May my heart increase its power to love,
so as to be able to minister kindness to
the timid and mercy to the wayward.

May I have the honor to bring cheer to
all, my fellow men on the long and
sometimes rugged road of life.

BODY OF CHRIST, SAVE ME!


Save me from my great arch-enemy, my
weak and faltering self.

Save me from all greed of money, of power,
and of praise.

Save me from the thirst for pleasure,
worldly show, and midnight revelry.

Save me from betraying You, Dear Lord, in
thought, or in word, or in deed.

BLOOD OF CHRIST,
INEBRIATE ME!


Inebriate me with Your Love, that I may
be absorbed in Your interests and Your
Will. Absorbed so as to be unmindful of
my ills and petty cares.

Unmindful of weariness and pain, heartache,
and disappointment.

Heedless of the lash of cruel words, and
patient under wrongs.

PASSION OF CHRIST,
STRENGTHEN ME!


Strengthen me under the pressure of
temptation.

Strengthen me when principle is at stake.

Strengthen me to do Your Will, My God.

Strengthen me in moments of suffering, in
times of loneliness, in periods of
depression.

Strengthen me that I may never swerve from
You, Dear Christ, nor weaken through human
respect, through a desire to be popular,
through hope of social distinction.

Strengthen me to accept my cross and
carry it generously to the end.

On the battlefield of life, stand by me
that I may never prove a traitor
in the ranks.

Stand by me that I may not be dazzled by
the glitter and glow of the enemy camp.

PRAYER TO THE
BLESSED TRINITY


The Father is my hope.
The Son is my refuge.

The Holy Spirit is my protector. Glory to
the holy and undivided Trinity, and now
for ever.

Let us praise the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit;

let us bless and exalt God above all
for ever!

Almighty and everlasting God,
to whom we owe the race of professing
the true faith,

grant that while acknowledging the glory
of the eternal Trinity and adoring
its unity,

we may through Your majestic power be
confirmed in his faith and defended
against all adversities;

through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with You in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

PRAYER TO
OUR LADY OF LOURDES


O ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of mercy,
health of the sick, refuge of the sinners,
comfort of the afflicted, you know my
wants, my troubles, my sufferings, deign
to cast upon me a look of mercy. By
appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you
were pleased to make it a priviledge
sanctuary, whence you dispense your
favors; and already many sufferers have
obtained the cure of their infirmities,
both spiritual and corporal. I come,
therefore, with the most unbounded
confidence to implore your maternal
intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother,
the granting of my requests. Through
gratitude for favors, I will endeavour
to imitate your virtues that I may one
day share your glory. Amen.

CONSOLING THOUGHTS


DEAR LORD! Make me remember, when the
world seems cold and dreary and I know
not where to turn for comfort, that there
is always one spot bright and cheerful-
the Sanctuary. When I am in desolation
of spirit, when all who are dear to me
have passed away like summer flowers
and none are left to love me and care
for me, whisper to my troubled soul
is to one Friend who dies not - one
whose love never changes - Jesus on the
altar. When sorrows thicken and crush me
with their burden, when I look in vain
for comfort, let me remember Your words:
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are
heavily burdened, and I will refresh
you." Your friendship, dear Lord,
henceforth shall be the dearest treasure
I possess. It shall be my consolation
when all who hold a place in my heart
are gone from this earth! With Your
friendship the world should never be
dreary and life never without charm.
Would that I could realize the pure
happiness of possessing Your sympathy
and compassion.

When I am crushed and weary, when the
hope I have lived for has gone, when
sorrows and trials that I dare not reveal
to any make my soul sink almost unto
death, when I look in vain for someone
to understand me, one who will enter into
my miseries, make me then remember that
there is Someone who knows every fiber of
of my heart, every sorrow, every pain
special to my peculiar nature, and who
deeply sympathizes with me. Compassionate
Jesus! When shared with You, the cross
becomes lighter, and in Your Heart I find
rest and strength.

PRAYER BEFORE A CRUCIFIX


while before Your face I humbly kneel
and, with burning soul, pray and beseech
You to fix deep in my heart lively
sentiments of faith, hope and charity;
true contrition for my sins, and a firm
purpose od amendment.

While I contemplate, with great love and
tender pity, Your five most precious wounds,
pondering over them within me and calling
to mind the words which David, Your
prophet, said to You, my Jesus:

"They have pierced My hands and My feet,
they have numberd all My bones."

PRAYER TO THE SHEPHERD
OF THE UNIVERSE


Shepherd of the Universe,

Who reconcile all peoples, gather the stray
sheep and blind up wounds with Your
love, we ask You to guide and protect
every member of the human family.

Bring nations together in peaceful concord
ensuring liberty and justice for all.

Bring peoples of everyday race and creed
to respect one another in faith, hope, and
love as sons and daughters of the
living God.

Bring families a deep spirit of love
and unity, loyalty, mutual encouragement
and understanding.

Gather up all those who have strayed from
Your love, who are bitter and cynical,
defiant and rebelious.

Gather up hardened criminals and perverts,
drug pushers and all those who lead
others astray.

Gather up all young people who have lost
a sense of meaning in life, who wander
aimlessly and hopelessly.

Heal the poor and unwanted, the dejected
and lonely.

Heal the sick and dying, especially those
enduring extreme physical pain and
physical disabilities.

Heal all mental illnesses and handicaps,
the despairing, drug addicts and
alcoholics.

Lord, You have told us many times that
You came to be our Shepherd, to rescue
us from evil and to bring us to springs
of life. We thank You for this promise,
for the blood that You have poured down
upon us as Lamb of God, bringing us to
infinite love as You reconciled us to
the Father through Your Spirit, for ever
and ever. Amen.

~ Sr. Denyse Lavigne, OSB ~ Rickenbach Center Clyde, MO

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Come, Holy Spirit,
fill my heart with Your holy gifts.
Let my weakness be penetrated with Your
strength this very day that I may fulfill
all the duties, of my state conscentiously,
that I may do what is right and just.

Let my charity be such to offend no one,
and hurt no one's feelings; generous as
to pardon sincerely any wrong done to me.

Assist me, O Holy Spirit, in all my
trials of life, enlighten me in my
ignorance, advise me in my doubts,
strengthen me in my weakness, help me in
all my needs, protect me in temptations
and console me in afflictions.

Graciously hear me, O Holy Spirit,
and pour Your light into my heart, my
soul, and my mind.
Assist me to a holy life and to grow in
goodness and grace. Amen.

THE BEATITUDES

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall possess the earth.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they who are hunger and
thirst for justice,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who suffer persecution
for justice's sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when men reproach you,
and persecute you, and speaking falsely,
say all manner of evil against you,
for My sake.

PRAYERS
FOR THE HEALING

Lord, look upon me with the eyes of Your
mercy, may Your healing hand rest upon me,
may Your life-giving powers flow into
every cell of my body and into the depths
of my soul, cleansing, purifying,
restoring me to wholeness and strength for
for service in Your kingdon. Amen.

O God who art the only source of health
and healing, the spirit of calm and the
central peace of this universe, grant
unto me such a consciousness of Your
indwelling and surrounding presence,
that I may permit You to give me health
and strength of peace, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.

BEFORE AN OPERATION

Loving Father, I entrust myself to Your
care this day; guide with wisdom and
skill the minds and hands of those who
minister in Your Name; and grant that
every cause of illness being removed,
I may be restored to soundness of health
and learn to live in more perfect harmony
with You and with my fellow man, through
Jesus Chist. Amen.
Into Your hands I commend my body and
my soul. Amen.

AFTER AN OPERATION

Blessed Savior, I thank You that this
operation is safely past, and now I rest
in Your abiding presence, relaxing every
tension, releasing every care and anxiety,
receiving more and more of Your healing
life into every part of my being; in
moments of pain I turn to You for strength, in times of loneliness; I feel
Your loving nearness; and then grant that
Your life and love and joy may flow
through me for the healing of others
in Your name. Amen.


PRAYER FOR ABANDONMENT

Father,
I abandon myself into Your hands;
do with me what You will.
Whatever You may do, I thank You:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only Your will be done in me,
and in all Yor creatures-
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to You, Lord, and so need to give
myself, to surrender myself into Your hands.
without reserve,
and without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for You are my Father.


PRAYER TO CHRIST OUR KING

Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the King of the whole world.
All that was made was created by You.
Exercise Your souvereign rights over me.
I renew my baptismal vows,
renouncing Satan with all his works and
all his false glamour,
and I promise to live as a good Christian.
In particular, I pledge myself to do all
in my power to make the rights of God
and of your Church triumph in the world.
Divine heart of Jesus,
I offer You whatever I do, however feeble,
to obtain that all human hearts may admit
Your sacred kingship, so that the kingdom
of Your peace will be established
throughout the world.
Amen.

~ Pope Pius XI ~


A PRAYER TO THE
SACRED HEART
FOR PERSEVERANCE

Eternal Father, Who through Thy beloved
Son dost teach us ever to pray,
"Thy kingdom come," grant us, O Lord,
through His most Sacred Heart, the grace
of final perseverance in Thy love. that
by having with entire devotion promoted
the glory of that Sacred Heart on earth,
we may share the more intimate favors of
its love for all eternity.
Amen.


PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH

We come to thee, O blessed Joseph, in our
sore distress. Having sought the aid of thy
most blessed spouse, we now confidently
implore thy assistance also. We humbly
beg that, mindful of the dutiful affection
which bound thee to tne immaculate Virgin
Mother of God, and the fatherly love with
which thou didst cherish the Child Jesus,
thou wilt lovingly watch over the heritage
which Jesus Christ purchased with His
blood, and by the powerful intercession
help us in our urgent need. Most powerful
guardian of the Holy Family, protect the
chosen race of Jesus Christ; drive far
from us, most loving father, every pest of
error and corrupting sin. From thy place
in heaven, most powerful protector,
graciously come to our aid in this conflict
with the powers of darkness, and as of old
thou didst deliver the Child Jesus from
supreme peril of life, so now defend the
holy Church of God from the snares of her
enemies and from all adversity. Have each
of us always in thy keeping, that,
following thy example, and borne up by thy
strength, we maybe able to live holily,
die happily, and so enter the everlasting
bliss of heaven.
Amen.


GUARDIAN ANGEL

Angel of God, My Guardian Dear, to whom
His love commits me here, ever this day
be at my side, to light and guard,
to rule and guide.
Amen.


A PRAYER FOR LIGHT

O Holy Spirit of God, take me as Thy
disciple; guide me, sanctify me. Bind my
hands, that they may do no evil; cover my
eyes, that they may see it no more;
sanctify my heart, that evil may not
dwell within me. Be Thou my God; be Thou
my guide. Withersoever Thou leadest me
I will go; whatsoever Thou forbiddest me
I will renounce; and whatsoever
commandest me, in Thy strength I will do.
Lead me, then, unto the fullness of
Thy truth.
Amen.

~ Cardinal Manning ~


A PRAYER OF PRAISE

Praise to You, Father
for the innocent eyes of children
for sunlight and flowers and snowfalls
for the muscles of men who build houses
and hospitals and harbors
for the minds of the scholars
who unfold the truth of the universe
for the hearts of parents who teach
us to love.
We praise You for what we have.
We praise You, too, for those things that
Your wise love has decided
to withhold from us.
What we are and have from You.
And our grateful response can only be
to share these treasures
with all your children.
And to praise You, too, Father
for so many brothers and sisters.
Amen.


NO TIME

I knelt to pray, but not for long,
I had too much to do.
Must hurry off and get to work,
For bills would soon be due.

And so I said a hurried prayer,
Jumped, up from off my knees,
My Christian duty now was done.
My soul could be at ease.

And through the day I had not time
to speak a word of Christ to friends
They'd laugh at me I feared.

No time no time too much to do
That was my constant cry
No time to give to those in need
At last t'was time to die.

And when before the Lord I came
I stood with down cast eyes.
Within his hands he held a book.
It was the "Book of Life"

God looked into his book and said
Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down
But never found the time.

~ Msgr. Lawrence Luciana ~


PRAYER FOR ONE'S FAMILY

Father
sometimes the family
gets me down.

The children are noisy
and the bills pile up.
Relatives and friends make demands
on my time and attention.

I try to keep first things first
and create an atmosphere where
Your name is honored,
Your word observed.

But I get tired
and a hard edge creeps into my voice.
Help me to cope with the daily strains
of living in a family.

Help me to sustain a climate in which
my partner can grow in Your love
to encourage my children to develop fully
and talents You have given them
and to make of my family
the community of love
that Your Son came to bring.
Amen.


PRAYER FOR
HUSBANDS AND WIVES

Lord, inspire those men and women who
bear the titles of "Husband" and "Wives."
Help them to look to You
to themselves
to one another
to rediscover the fullness and mystery
they once felt in their union.
Let them be honest enough to ask:
"Where have we been together
and where are we going?"
Let them be brave enough to question:
"How have we failed?"
Let each be foolhardly enough to say:
"For me, we come first."
Help them, together
to reexamine their commitment
in the light of Your love-
willingly, openly, compassionately.
Help them, together
to believe how fragile, yet powerful-
how weak, yet how strong-
how impossible, yet attainable
their love can be.
Give "Husband" an "Wife" the courage
to be for each other a person
rather than a title.
Amen.


A CHILD'S PRAYER
FOR PARENTS

Heavenly Father, I thank You for
My father and mother, and for our home.

Bless us all, and help us to love You;
And in love to serve one another as Jesus
Taught us to do. Give me strength to do
What is right today, and to do unto others
As I would want them to do unto me.
Amen.

I thank You Lord, for my father.
Grant me to realize the depth of
his love for me
So left so unspoken,
And to appreciate his great and continues
Sacrifices.

His Fatherly care reflects Your divine care:
His strength, Your power;
His understanding, Your wisdom
He is Your faithful servant and image.

Bless him with peace and soul,
health of body,
And success in his life.
Amen.


A PRAYER OF PARENTS
FOR THEIR CHILDREN

Almighty God. You have called us to the holy state of Matrimony and have shared with us Your gift of creation. We thank you for making our love fruitful. May we be worthy representatives of Your dear Lord in forming our children in Your knowledge and love.

You have given us children, Almighty God, to teach in Your ways which wll lead to their eternal home of heaven. May our children ever walk in the ways of our commandments and live according to the teachings of your holy Catholic Church. May our example dear God, be such as to inspire our children to grow into te likeness of Your Son, Jesus Christ. May we be firm but kind in discipline. May we stand as one united in authority so as to be consistent. May we never confuse permissiveness with love. May we teach our children respect for Your authority in ourselves and in all Your representatives upon earth.

May our home be as a Church, for You, Lord Jesus Christ, are present wherever two or three are gathered together in Your Name. May praises of God frequently rise from the lips and hearts of our family and may we all one day be united on our eternal home. Amen.


PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

O Jesus I pray for Your faithful and fervent priests; for Your unfaithful and tepid priests; for Your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for Your tempted priests; for Your lonely and desolate priests; for Your dying priests; for the souls of Your priests in purgatory.

But above all I recommend to You the priests dearest to me; the priest who baptized me; the priest who absolved me from sins; the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion; the priests who taught and instructed me; all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way. O Jesus, keep them close to Your heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen.


THE GREAT COMMANDMENT

You shall love the Lord you God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with all your mind.

This is the greatest and the first commandment.
And the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.


IN TIMES OF GRIEF

Grief is a fact of life, dear friend,
That we all have to meet at times,
It's not easy to accept it,
But we must, though it seems a crime.

We can't see God in any place,
But I assure you He is there.
We hold just some of the pieces
Of Life's Puzzle, so persevere-

God holds all the missing pieces
And in time they will be placed
In your Life's Picture Puzzle-
Then your sorrow will be erased.

Lean heavily upon Our Lord,
For He is always very near,
He's beside you in times of stress,
And in times of grief and fear.

Just pray to Him for acceptance
Of the vacuum death has caused,
He will give you tolerance,
He will pull you from the jaws.

Of sorrow that's too hard to bear,
For He understands humanity.
He'll help you carry your despair
Until all souls will be set free.

PRAYER:

My heart is very heavy, Lord,
My burden is too hard to bear,
Take my cross for a little while,
And tell me that you care.

~ Dorothea E McHugh ~


Hear my prayer, O Lord;
Let my cry come to thee!
Do not hide thy face from me
in the day if my distress!
Incline thy ear to me;
answer me speedily on the day I call!

~ Psalm 102 ~


When I call, answer me, O my good God,
you who relieve me when I am in distress;
Have pity on me, and hear my prayer!

~ Psalm 4 ~


PRAYER FOR THE DYING

Most Merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray You, by the agony of Your most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Your Immaculate Mother, to wash in Your Most Precious Bloood, the sinners of the world who are now in their agony, and who will die today.

Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying. Amen.


PRAYER FOR THE
SOULS IN PURGATORY

A gentle Heart o Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on them.

Be not severe in Your judgements, but let some drops of Your Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames.

And, Merciful Savior, send Your angels to conduct them to a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.


PRAYER FOR THE SICK
Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the Sick, we turn to You in this time of illness. O dearest comforter of the Troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with Your gentle love,and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, we place our worries in Your hands. We place our sick under Your care and humbly ask that You restore Your servant to health again. Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge Your holy will and know that whatsoever You do, You do for the love of us.
Amen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Watch Thou, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and give Thine angels charge over those who sleep.

Tend Thy sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest Thy weary ones.
Bless Thy dying ones.
Soothe Thy suffering ones.
Pity Thine afflicted ones.
Shield Thy joyous ones.
And for all Thy love's sake.
Amen.

~ St. Augustine ~


PRAYER IN TIME OF SUFFERING

Behold me, my beloved Jesus, weighed down under the burden of my trials and sufferings, I cast myself at Your feet, and You may renew my strength and my courage, while I rest here in Your presence. Permit me to lay down my cross in Your Sacred Heart, for only Your infinite goodness can sustain me; only Your love can help me bear my cross; only Your powerful hand can lighten its weight. O Divine King, Jesus, whose heart is so compassionate to the afflicted, I wish to live in You; suffer and die in You. During my life be to me my model and my support; At the hour of my death, be my hope and my refuge. Amen.


A PRAYER FOR THOSE IN TEMPTATION

Let me not deceive myself...
I know what I am considering is wrong.
Let me not be swept away by its immediate attraction.
God the Father, watch over me.
Christ our Lord, stengthen me.
The Holy Spirit, live in me.
Amen.


A PRAYER FOR THOSE
WHO NEED COURAGE

Dear Lord, teach me to be generous;
To give and not count the cost;
To fight and not to hide the wounds;
To work and ask for no reward,
Save that of knowing I am doing
Your will.
Amen.


A PRAYER FOR THOSE
IN STRESS

God grant me the serenity to accept the
things I cannot change...
Courage to change the things I can, and
wisdom to know the difference.


A PRAYER FOR
ALL WHO WORK

Direct us, O Lord, in all our work - with pride and craftsmanship, conviction in purpose, and strength in difficulty. Sustain and preserve our good efforts. And, finally, by Your mercy, grant us eternal rest from all labor.
Amen.


PRAYER FOR FAITH

My Jesus, how often I feel very small and inadequate before great tasks and responsibilities. What can I do but bring all that I have, even though it isn't much, and place all this in Your hands, wait for Your blessing, breaking, thanking and receive back again with amazing power to reach all who depend on me, fill them with goodness and still have more than what I started with. May I never hold back my gifts from You. May I believe tht Your blessing multiplies my smallest gifts to maximum powers. May I rejoice that You return the task to me and I have the personal thrill of seeing many satisfied by my ministrations. I adore Your wisdom, Your power, Your sharing.
Amen.

~ Father Gerald Keefe ~


I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart:
I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in thee,
I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High.
~ Psalm 9 ~