PRAYERS
The Power of Prayer
An Interview with Patricia N. Donahue, RNC, MSN
General Prayers
Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartfully sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishment, but most of all because I have offended Thee my God, Who is 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 occasion of sin. Amen.
The Apostle's Creed
I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven,
sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Dios te salve, Maria
Dios te salve, María, llena eres de gracia, el Seńor es contigo.
Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres, y bendito es el fruto de tu vientre, Jesús.
Santa María, Madre de Dios,
ruega por nosotros, pecadores,
ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte. Amén
Gloire au Pére
Gloire au Pére, au Fils et au Saint-Esprit. Comme Il état au commencement, maintenant et toujours pour les sičcles des sičcles. Amen.
Ojcze nasz
Ojcze nasz, któryś jest w niebie święć się imię Twoje; przyjdź królestwo Twoje; bądź wola Twoja jako w niebie tak i na ziemi; chleba naszego powszedniego daj nam dzisiaj; i odpuść nam nasze winy, jako i my odpuszczamy naszym winowajcom; i nie wódź nas na pokuszenie; ale nas zbaw od złego. Amen.
Oh mi Jesús
Oh mi Jesús, perdónanos nuestros pecados, líbranos del fuego del infierno, lleva todas las almas al cielo, especialmente las mas necesitadas de tu misericordia. Amen.
Sei gegrüßt
Sei gegrüßt, o Königin! Mutter der Barmherzigkeit, unser Leben, unsere Süßigkeit, unsere Hoffnung, sei gegrüßt. Zu dir seufzen wir, trauernd und weinend in diesem Tale der Tränen! O wende, unsere Fürsprecherin, deine mitleidigen Augen uns zu und zeige uns nach diesem Elende Jesum, die gebenedeite Frucht deines Leibes. O gütige, o milde, o süße Jungfrau Maria! V. Bitte für uns, o Königin vom heiligsten Rosenkranze. R. Auf daß wir würdig werden der Verheißungen Christi. Amen.
Witaj, Królowo
Witaj, Królowo, Matko miłosierdzia, życia, słodyczy i nadziejo nasza, witaj! Do Ciebie wołamy wygnańcy, synowie Ewy; do Ciebie wzdychamy jęcząc i płacząc na tym łez padole. Przeto, Orędowniczko nasza, one miłosierne oczy Twoje na nas zwróć, a Jezusa, błogosławiony owoc żywota Twojego, po tym wygnaniu nam okaż. O łaskawa, o litościwa, o słodka Panno Maryjo!"
Prayers for the Those Who Have Passed
Loving and merciful God,
we entrust our beloved family members and friends your to eternal mercy and eternal love
You loved then greatly in this life:
now that they are freed from all its cares,
give them happiness and peace for ever.
The old order has passed away:
welcome them now into paradise
where there will be no more sorrow,
no more weeping or pain,
but only peace and joy
Names of those Who have Passed
God of power and mercy,
you destroy war and put down earthly pride.
Banish violence from our midst and wipe away our tears,
that we may all deserve to be called your sons and daughters.
Keep in your mercy those men and women
who have died in the cause of freedom
and bring them safely
into your kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this though Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Antiviolence Prayers
Prayer to End Violence
For all who live amidst bloodshed and violence: that the blood of those who have died may spur the living to work for peace and justice for all people
and an end to terrorism, we pray to the Lord.
Prayers for Yummy Sandifer, Dantrell Davis, Ryan Harris, Eric Morse, Derrion Albert, Blair Holt, Jonylah Watkins, and the hundreds of other children murdered and whom continue to be murdered in Chicago
O God, we pray for those who have been murdered on the streets of our city.
We commit to your loving care those who have died, beseeching you to receive
their souls into the mercy of your love. Comfort their loved ones who mourn.
Enable them to meet the lonely and painful days ahead in the strength of your love.
Let the love that you have made known to us lead us to create safer streets for all to walk upon.
Amen
Vienna Cobb Anderson
Prayer for Yemen
All merciful God,take and hold the people of Yemen,especially the children and other vulnerable people.Sustain the people of this war-torn land with your hope.Turn the hearts of aggressors to thoughts of peace.Stir the conscience of the international community, and enable international leaders to work for peace. Let none of us forget our brothers and sisters who struggle and suffer in a distant land,but help all of us to be for each other your true and generous children who know that your grace always outpaces our failures,and who acknowledge you the source of all our good who are our one God forever and ever.
Amen
by Father Louis Cameli Profiles in Catholicism
Prayers for the Imprisoned
Prayer To End The Use Of The Death Penalty
Merciful Father, we ask your blessing on all we do to build a culture of life. Hear our prayers for those impacted by the death penalty.
We pray for all people, that their lives and dignity as children of a loving God may be respected and protected in all stages and circumstances.
We pray for victims of violence and their families, that they may experience our love and support and find comfort in your compassion and in the promise of eternal life.
Prayer for Inmates and Correction Officers
Most gracious Father, bless with your special care all jails, penitentiaries and homes of refuge.
Look with pity on those who are housed there. Guide and protect those who have returned to the world. Grant all of them true contrition for past sins, and strengthen them in their good resolutions.
Lead them along from grace to grace so that by the help of the Holy Spirit they may persevere in the ways of obedience and humility, and in the struggle against evil thoughts and desires.
Grant the Holy Spirit to those engaged in teaching and training them, that they might have a right judgment with respect to those entrusted to them. May they labor for love of your with deep humility and singleness of purpose, purity of heart and life, and true zeal for your glory and the salvation of souls.
Give them faith and love to sustain them in disappointment, love and patience toward those under them, and in your own good time crown their work with an eternal recompense.
Prayers for Migrants, Immigrants, and Refugees
Prayer for Child Syrian Refugees
We pray to the Lord to end the abuse of Child Syrian refugees in Turkey and for all other abused children throughout the world.
Prayer for Migrants
For all those who see “home” and all it means
Disappear behind them;
For all those who cannot see a home
In the days ahead of them;
For all those who dwell in
Daily insecurity;
For all those who are weary and
Without a safe place to rest their heads;
For all families in migration we pray.
May the image of the Holy Family
Fleeing oppression stay with us as we enter a New Year,
And stay with us each night as we are blessed
With returning to a home.
May we also be blessed
With compassion for those
Still weary, still seeking,
Still with so far to go.
by Jane Deren, 2007
Prayers for Those Affected by Hurricanes
A Prayer for the Elderly Survivors of Hurricanes
O Lord, the elderly have served you, given birth to, and raised us to serve you, and all who are in need.
They have been placed in harm's way, in the path of swirling winds and torrential floods.
escaping with only their lives.
O Lord, help them as they have in their lifetimes helped others.
Preserve them according to your mercy and love.
They have shed light and love on us.
Give them healing and peace and sustenance in their time of need.
For this we pray, bound to them and to You.
In Love and loving-kindness.
Amen
by Dr. Eugene J. Fisher
A Prayer for those with special needs affected by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey
Good and gracious God,
We offer you our love in this time of weather chaos.
We ask you to embrace in a special way those less able to care for themselves.
We pray especially for those who can’t move or walk and need another for help.
Help us to remember the goodness of water and wind instead of destruction.
Send those who love their neighbor to those with special needs to assist them.
Let us love our neighbor by offering ourselves to them in mind and heart and body.
Be with all of us as we pray for each other and those who can’t.
We ask you to embrace all those who perished in the storms.
We bless all those who reach out to those cognitively unable to speak.
Continue to help us, Lord, in this time of stressful storms.
by Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D.
Prayer for those who died, were injured, or suffered loss from Hurricane Irma
Lord, we pray for all those who died or were injured or suffered loss because of hurricane Irma.
Accompany them in their struggles and suffering.
Reassure them that life is not ended but changed and that you continue to draw them to yourself.
Keep faith, hope, and love alive in all our hearts, especially when we feel tested beyond our strength.
Hold in your loving and provident care all your sons and daughters who make their journey home to you now and forever.
Amen
by Father Louis Cameli
Prayers in an Epidemic
A Prayer Amid an Epidemic
Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages "curing every disease and illness." At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.
Heal those who are sick with virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.
Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.
Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.
Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.
Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.
Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.
Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.
Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.
Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.
Jesus Christ, heal us.
by Kerry Weber,
America Magazine