Saints' Discussion Forums

Prayer to Our Lady Help of Christions
by St. John Bosco

Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians,
how sweet it is to come to your feet
imploring your perpetual help.
If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children,
how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me?
Grant then to me, I implore you,
your perpetual help in all my necessities,
in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations.
I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering.
Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners.
Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life.
Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians,
that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.

Deliver Me
Libera me
from the Roman Missal

Deliver me, Lord Jesus Christ, from all my iniquities and from every evil, make me hold ever fast to Thy commandments and never allow me to be separated from Thee.

Libera me, Domine, Iesu Christe, ab omnibus iniquitatis meis et universis malis, fac me tuis semper inhaerere mandatis et a te numquam separari permittas.

Act of Love
Actus Caritatis

O My God! I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art infinitely worthy of love; I love also my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee; I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon for all whom I have injured.

Deus meus, ex toto corde amo Te super omnia, quia es infinite bonus et infinite amabilis; et ob amorem Tui proximum meum diligo sicut meipsum, eique, si quid in me offendit, ignosco.

Invocation to the Three Hearts

Heart of Jesus I adore thee; Heart of Mary, I implore thee; Heart of Joseph, pure and just; In these three hearts I put my trust.

Ancient Prayer to St. Joseph

O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most Loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach you while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us.

Prayer in the Beginning of Sickness

O Heavenly Father, who in Thy wisdom knowest what is best for me, glory be to Thee. Lord, if it seem good in Thy sight, remove from me this sickness which I now feel seizing upon me, that I may employ my health to Thy glory, and praise Thy name. But if Thou art pleased it should grow on me, I willingly submit to Thy afflicting hand, for Thou art wont to chasten those whom Thou dost love, and Thou hast promised not to lay on me any more than Thou wilt enable me to bear. I know, O my God, that Thou sendest this sickness on me for my good, even to humble and to prove me; O grant that it may not fail to work that saving effect in me. O Lord, create in me a true sorrow for all my past sins, a firm faith in Thee, and sincere resolutions of amendment for the time to come. Deliver me from all fretfulness and impatience, and give me entire resignations to Thy divine will: O suffer not my sickness to take away my senses, and do Thou continually supply my thoughts with holy aspirations. Lord, bless all the means that are used for my recovery, and restore me to health, if it be Thy will, in Thy good time; but if Thou hast appointed otherwise for me, Thy blessed will be done. O wean my affections from all things of earth, and fill me with ardent desires after heaven: Lord, fit me for Thyself, and then call me, when Thou pleasest, to that joy unspeakable and full of glory; for the sake of Thine Only Son, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour.

Act of Submission

LORD, I submit to all the pains and uneasiness of this my illness: my sins have deserved infinitely more. Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgement is right.

Act of Love
from the Small Roman Missal

As the hart panteth after the fountains of water, so my soul panteth after Thee, O God! "My soul hath thirsted after the strong, living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God?" "For what have I in heaven? And besides Thee, what do I desire on earth?" Let blind and infatuated worldlings intoxicate themselves with the false, transient, and fading happiness of this life; for my part, nothing besides Thyself can content me, either in heaven or on earth. Come then, O Thou Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world! Come, Thou beloved of my heart! Adorable Flesh and precious Blood of my Saviour! Come, to nourish, comfort, and enliven my sickly soul. O God of my heart! Let me neither love, seek, nor think of any other object but Thyself alone; for Thou alone art my consolation, my treasure, my joy, my life, my all!

"My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God... Thou art, O Lord of hosts! My King and my God!" "Who will give me wings like a dove and I will fly and be at rest!"

Prayer for the Faithful in their Agony
from 'With God' by Fr. F.X. Lasance

O most merciful Jesus, Lover of souls! I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy most sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thy immaculate Mother, cleanse in Thine own blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony and about to die this day.

Heart of Jesus, once in agony, pity the dying.

Friends, if you have any questions about a particular prayer's original source, do ask and I will try to look them up.

Angel of God
Angele Dei

Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
to whom God's love commits me here,
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.

Angele Dei,
qui custos es mei,
me, tibi commissum pietate superna,
illumina, custodi,
rege et guberna.

Aspirations to Mary
by St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Knowest thou, sweet Mary,
Whereto I aspire?
Tis my hope to love thee
This is my desire.
I would e'er be near thee,
Queen most fair and sweet;
Do not, do not drive me
From my Mother's feet.

Then, O Rose most lovely,
Let me hear from thee;
Loving Mother, tell me,
What thou wilt of me.
More I cannot offer
Lo, I bring my heart;
Lovingly I give it,
Ne'er from thee to part.
Lady, thou didst take it
Tis no longer mine;
Long since thou didst love it
And its love was thine.
Do not then forsake me,
Mother of sweet Love,

Till one day thou greet me
Safe in heaven above.

The Golden Arrow
May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most mysterious and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified, in heaven, on earth and in the hells, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the most holy Sacrament of the altar.

The Golden Arrow was revealed by Our Lord Jesus Christ to a Carmelite nun of Tours in 1843 as a reparation for blasphemy. The sin of blasphemy was said to be a 'poisoned arrow' more grievous than all other sins. It follows that this prayer would most especially be appropriate after hearing the Holy Name blasphemed, and in reparation for such blasphemy generally.

Jesus said: 'This Golden Arrow will wound My Heart delightfully, and heal the wounds inflicted by blasphemy.'

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
by St. Gertrude the Great

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary. O my adorable and loving Savior, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Yours is aflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Your love. Let my heart be united with Yours. Let my will be conformed to Yours in all things. May Your Will be the rule of all my desires and actions.

        Act of Humility
        from the Small Roman Missal

        O GOD of sanctity! Who am I, that Thou shouldst come to me? "The heavens are not pure in Thy sight," and wilt Thou dwell in my heart? "Lord! I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof."

        The consciousness of my unworthiness would prompt me to exclaim: "Depart from me, O Lord! For I am a sinner." But oh, the wonderful condescension of Thy love! Thy pressing invitation encourages me, and dispels my fears. "Here I am, for Thou didst call me." Come then, O Jesus! Take possession of a heart that wishes to belong to Thee. "Behold! They that go far from Thee shall perish."

        But, O my God! this house of my heart is too narrow for Thee: do Thou enlarge it; it is falling to ruin; do Thou repair it; it has been defiled by sin: do Thou cleanse and purify it. Look Thou upon me, and have mercy on me. Oh, heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee! Let Thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live!

        Lord! I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; say but the word, and my soul shall be healed.

Angelic Trisagion

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, earth is full of Thy Glory. Glory be to the Father, Glory be to the Son, Glory be to the Holy Ghost.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus exercituum: Plena est terra gloria tua: Gloria Patri, Gloria Filio, Gloria Spiritui Sancto.

Act of Charity
from the Raccolta

O my God, because Thou art the highest and most perfect good, I love Thee with my whole heart, and above all things; and rather than offend Thee, I am ready to lose all things else; and moreover for Thy love I love and desire to love my neighbour as myself.

Prayer to the Most Holy Name of Jesus
by St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Jesus, the very thought of Thee with sweetness fills the breast! Yet sweeter far Thy face to see, and in Thy presence rest. No voice can sing, no heart can frame nor can the memory find, a sweeter sound than Jesus' name, the Savior of mankind. O hope of every contrite heart! O joy of all the meek! To those who fall, how kind Thou art! How good to those who seek! But what to those who find? Ah! this, nor tongue nor pen can show the love of Jesus, what it is, none but His loved ones know. Jesus! our only hope be Thou, as Thou our prize shalt be; In Thee be all our glory now, and through eternity.

Evening Prayer to the Holy Spirit
by St. Antiochus

O Holy Spirit, most merciful Comforter: You proceed from the Father in a manner beyond our understanding. Come, I beseech You, and take up your abode in my heart. Purify and cleanse me from all sin, and sanctify my soul. Cleanse it from every impurity, water its dryness, melt its coldness, and save it from its sinful ways. Make me truly humble and resigned, that I may be pleasing to You, and that You might abide with me forever. Most Blessed Light, most Amiable Light, enlighten me. O Rapturous Joy of Paradise, Fount of Purest Delight, My God, give yourself to me and kindle in my innermost soul the fire of Your love. My Lord, instruct, direct, and defend me in all things. Give me strength against all immoderate fears and against despondency. Bestow upon me a true faith, a firm hope, and a sincere and a perfect love. Grant that I always do Thy Most Gracious Will.

Prayer to St Michael.
Indulgence of 300 Days, once a day.
Pope Leo XIII, Mot. Pr, September 23, A.D. 1888,
[from the Raccolta A.D. 1910]

O GLORIOUS Archangel St Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defence in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and Powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil.

Come to the aid of man, whom GOD created immortal, made in his own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil.

Fight this day the battle of the LORD, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan, who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of his CHRIST, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of
blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.

These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has
been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered.

Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring- help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of GOD, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defence against the malicious power of hell; to thee has GOD entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the GOD of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church.

Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the LORD; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

V/. Behold the Cross of the LORD ; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R/. The Lion of the tribe of Juda has conquered, the root of David.
V/. Let thy mercies be upon us, O LORD.
R/. As we have hoped in thee.
V/. O LORD, hear my prayer.
R/. And let my cry come unto thee.

Let us pray.

O GOD, the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, we call upon thy holy name, and as suppliants we implore thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel St Michael, thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.

An Offering of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary
by St. John Eudes

O Jesus, only Son of God, only Son of Mary,
I offer Thee the most loving Heart of Thy divine Mother
which is more precious and pleasing to Thee than all hearts.
O Mary, Mother of Jesus,
I offer Thee the most adorable Heart of Thy well-beloved Son,
who is the life and love and joy of Thy Heart.
Blessed be the Most Loving Heart
and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ
and the most glorious
Virgin Mary, His Mother,
in eternity and forever.

A Prayer for Daily Neglects

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with all its love, all its sufferings and all its merits.

First, to expiate all the sins I have committed this day and during all my life.

Glory be. . .

Second, to purify the good I have done poorly this day and during all my life.

Glory be. . .

Third, to supply for the good I ought to have done, and that I have neglected this day and all my life.

Glory be. . .

A Poor Clare, who just died, appeared to her Abbess who was praying for her, and said to her: "I went straight to heaven, for, by means of this prayer, recited every evening, I paid all my debts."

Act of Love
from the Small Roman Missal

O LOVING Lord! Who art ever lovable, and never sufficiently loved, I love Thee with all my heart, and above all things. I consider every moment of my life as lost, which has not been consecrated to Thy love. Yes, O divine Jesus! whilst Thou art dwelling within my breast, whilst Thou livest in me I hope Thou knowest that I love Thee.