A child’s thanksgiving for mothers

(Giles Harcourt)

Lord, we thank you for our mothers
and the gift of
their tenderness and understanding,
their patience and thoughtfulness,
their kindness and love.

We can be so wilful,
so thoughtless,
so impatient,
and so unkind;
for often we demand without grace
and receive without thanks
and always we expect more.
We expect our mothers to be there
to cater to our selfishness,
and then we wonder why
she gets tired and irritable
and thoroughly fed up.
Yet through all these things she loves us.

Lord, teach us to be thoughtful
and understanding and sensitive to our mother’s needs,
that we may ease her days
and increase her joy.
We ask this through the generous and loving example
of our saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Christian Litany of Humility

(Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val)

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart,
– Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
– Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated,
– Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being forgotten,
– Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being ridiculed,
– Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being wronged,
– Deliver me, Jesus
From the fear of being suspected,
– Deliver me, Jesus
That others may be loved more than I,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase
and I may decrease,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I,
provided that I may become as holy as I should,
– Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

Amen.

A Magnificat (tr. from German by Olga Warneke IBVM)

My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour!
For he has blessed me lavishly
and makes me ready to respond.
He shatters my little world
and lets me be poor before him.
He takes from me all my plans
and gives me more than I can hope for or ask.
He gives me opportunities and the ability to become free
and to burst through my boundaries.
He gives the strength to be daring, to build on him alone,
for he shows himself as the ever greater One in my life.
He has made known to me this;
It is in my being servant that it becomes possible.
For God’s kingdom to break through
here and now.

Amen.

A Prayer for The Future

Loving God,
each day as I step further into my future,
give me the courage, knowledge and
patience that I need on my journey.
Remind me that you always journey with me
and that you will never lead me into anything
that you won’t lead me through.
Thank you for the gift of my life.
May the way I live it be my gift to you –
with your love and guidance
In Jesus’ name. Amen

A Prayer Giving Thanks

(Rev O. Eugene Pickett, UUA)

For the expanding grandeur of Creation, worlds known and unknown, galaxies beyond galaxies, filling us with awe and challenging our imaginations:
We give thanks this day.
For this fragile planet earth, its times and tides, its sunsets and seasons:
We give thanks this day.
For the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises, its hopes and achievements:
We give thanks this day.
For our human community, our common past and future hope, our oneness transcending all separation, our capacity to work for peace and justice in the midst of hostility and oppression:
We give thanks this day.
For high hopes and noble causes, for faith without fanaticism, for understanding of views not shared:
We give thanks this day.
For all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world, who have lived so that others might live in dignity and freedom:
We give thanks this day
For human liberty and sacred rites; for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose:
We give thanks this day.
We pray that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes, not by our words but by our deeds.
We give thanks this day.

Amen.

A Sick Person’s Morning Prayer

(From The Book of Common Prayer)

This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen

Act of Charity

My God,
I love you with my whole heart and above all things,
Because you are infinitely good and perfect;
And I love my neighbour as myself for love of you.
Grant that I may love you more and more in this life,
And in the next for all eternity.

Act of Contrition (2)

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart;
in choosing to do wrong and in failing to do good,
I have sinned against you whom I should love above all else.
I firmly intend with your help to do penance,
to sin no more and to avoid whatever leads me into sin.
Our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for me:
in his name, my God, have mercy.

Amen.

Act of Faith

My God, I believe in you and in all the your Church teaches,
because you have said it, and your word is true.

Amen.

Act of Hope

My God, I hope in you for grace and for glory,
because of your promises, your mercy and power.

Amen.

An Orthodox Prayer

Set our hearts on fire with love for you, O Christ our God,
that in that flame we may love you
with all our heart,
with all our mind,
with all our soul,
with all our strength,
and our neighbour as ourselves;
so that keeping your commandments,
we may glorify you, the giver of all good gifts.

Amen.

Anima Christi (1)

Soul of Christ, sanctify me, Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me Water from Christ’s side wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within thy wounds hide me suffer me not to be separated from Thee from the malicious enemy defend me. In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come to Thee that I may praise Thee with Thy saints and with Thy angels forever and ever.

Amen.

Anima Christi (2)  Pope John XXII (translated by Blessed John Henry Newman)

Soul of Christ, be my sanctification,
Body of Christ, be my salvation,
Blood of Christ, fill my veins
Water from the side of Christ, wash out my stains.
May Christ’s Passion strengthen me,
O good Jesus, hear me.
In thy wounds I fain would hide,
Never to be parted from thy side.
Guard me when my foes assail me,
Call me when my life shall fail me.
Command me then to come to thee.
That I for all eternity
With thy saints may praise thee.

Amen.

Be with Me Today, O Lord (by John Henry Newman)

May all I do today begin with you, O Lord.
Plant dreams and hopes within my soul,
revive my tired spirit:
be with me today.May all I do today continue with your help, O Lord.
Be at my side and walk with me:
Be my support today. May all I do today reach far and wide, O Lord.
My thoughts, my work, my life:
make them blessings for your kingdom;
let them go beyond today,O God Today is new unlike any other day,
for God makes each day different.
Today God’s everyday grace falls on my soul like abundant seed,
though I may hardly see it.Today is one of those days Jesus promised to be with me,
a companion on my journey,
And my life today, if I trust him,
has consequences unseen.
My life has a purpose.”I have a mission…
“I am a link in a chain,
a bond of connection between persons.
God has not created me for naught…
Therefore I will trust him.
Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away.
God does nothing in vain.”He knows what he is about.”

Amen.

Beginning the Day

Heavenly Father,
I offer you this day:
All that I think and do and say,
uniting it with what was done
by Jesus Christ, your only Son. Amen.

Blessing to Brother Leo (St Francis of Assisi)

May God bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you
and have compassion upon you.
May He turn His face toward you
and give you peace.

Amen.

Child’s Prayer to Find God in All Things

(Jared Kiley, St. Xavier High School Cincinnati, Ohio)

Under a leaf, in a snowflake
In a blade of grass, in a raindrop
All parts of nature

In your parents’ loving embrace
In the phone call from your grandparents
All family relationships

In working and sharing with others
In helping the unfortunate
All volunteering jobs

Where are you able to find God?

Lord, help me to find you in all ways and walks of life.

Amen.

Come, My Light

(St Dimitrii of Rostov, Russian Orthodox, 1651-1709)

Come, my Light,
and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life,
and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician,
and heal my wounds.
Come Flame of divine love,
and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart
with the flame of thy love.

Amen.

For children who live in fear

Oh God,
You are filled with tender love
for those who live in fear
– bless all children who live in fear;
afraid of someone at home;
afraid of someone at school;
afraid of a relation;
afraid of someone who has treated them wrongly.
Give all those children the wisdom
they need to know whom they can trust,
so that their fears can be heard,
and justice and truth prevail.
and then bring to their wounded minds and souls
the healing of your peace. Amen.

For Humility – Disturb Us, Lord

(Attr. to Sir Francis Drake, 1577)

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

Amen.

For Peace in the Middle-East

(Rev. Said)

God of mercy and compassion,
of grace and reconciliation,
pour your power upon all your children
in the Middle East:
Jews, Muslims and Christians,
Palestinians and Israelis.
Let hatred be turned into love,
fear to trust,
despair to hope,
oppression to freedom,
occupation to liberation,
that violent encounters be replaced
by loving embraces,
and peace and justice be experienced by all.

Amen.

For the Beauty of God’s Peace

(John Greenleaf Whittier)

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.

Amen.

For the riches of inclusion and treasures of diversity

(Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.)

Ever present God,
you called us to be in relationship with one another
and promised to dwell wherever two or three are gathered.

In our community, we are many different people;
we come from many different places,
have many different cultures.

Open our hearts
that we may be bold in finding
the riches of inclusion
and the treasures of diversity among us.

We pray in faith.
Amen.

For the Sick (St Benedict)

(St Benedict’s Prayer Book, Ampleforth)

God our Father,
Your Son accepted our sufferings to teach us the virtue of patience in human illness.
Hear the prayers we offer for our sick brothers and sisters.
May all who suffer pain, illness or disease
realise that they have been chosen to be saints
and know that they are joined to Christ in his suffering
for the salvation of the world.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Forgiveness Prayer

(Rosamond Herklots)

Forgive us Lord, as we forgive, you taught us, Lord, to pray,
But you alone can grant us grace to live the words we say.

How can your pardon reach and bless the unforgiving heart,
That broods on wrongs and will not let old bitterness depart?

In blazing light your cross reveals the truth we dimly knew:
What trivial debts are owed to us, how great our debt to you!

Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls and bid resentment cease.
Then, bound to all in bonds of love, our lives will spread your peace.

Amen.

Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart

Thomas Aquinas (1225-74)

Give me, O Lord,
a steadfast heart,
which no unworthy thought can drag downwards;
an unconquered heart,
which no tribulation can wear out;
an upright heart,
which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.

Bestow upon me also,
O Lord my God,
understanding to know thee
diligence to seek thee,
wisdom to find thee,
and a faithfulness that may finally embrace thee;
through Jesus Chris our Lord.

Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

God be in my head (from The Book of Hours)

God be in my head, and in my undersatnding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,

Hail out life, our sweetness and our hope!

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.

To thee do we send up out sighs mourning and weeping in this vale of tears!

Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hear, O Israel

Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

And these words which I command to you this day  shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise   (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

Holy Light Prayer (from the Liturgy of the Hours)

Lord God,
in your wisdom you created us;
by your providence you rule us;
penetrate our inmost being with your holy light,
so that our way of life may always be one of faithful service to you.
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Holy Spirit Prayer of St Augustine

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
That I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
To defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
That I always may be holy

Amen,

Lead, Kindly Light

(“The Pillar of Cloud”, John Henry Cardinal Newman; last verse Edward Bickersteth, Bishop of Exeter)

Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th’encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!

Meantime, along the narrow rugged path,
Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith,
Home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life.

Live Simply Prayer

Compassionate and loving God,
you created a beautiful world for us to share:
Give us the desire to live simply,
so that our lives show your generosity.
You made us responsible for the earth:
guide us so that those who come after us may enjoy your creation.

Amen.

Love One Another – A Coptic Prayer

God of love, you have given us a new commandment, that we should love one another;

we are unworthy of your love and wander away from you, but we pray that you will give us throughout our lives a mind forgetful of past ill-will, a pure conscience and a heart to love others even as you have loved us;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Morning Offering

O Jesus, through the most pure heart of Mary,
I offer thee all my prayers, works, sufferings and joys of this day for the intentions of thy divine heart in the holy mass and especially for (own intention).

Amen.

Morning Offering (Marian)

O Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer you my prayers, works, joys, sufferings of this day,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world.
I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart:
the salvation of souls, the reparation for sin, the reunion of Christians;
and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month.

Amen.

Native American Prayer for Peace

O Great Spirit of our Ancestors, I raise my pipe to you.
To your messengers the four winds,
and to Mother Earth who provides for your children.

Give us the wisdom to teach our children
to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other
so that they may grow with peace in mind.

Let us learn to share all the good things
that you provide for us on this Earth.

Amen.

Night Prayer

(Thomas Ken, 1637-1711)
Glory to thee, my God, this night,
for all the blessings of the light;
keep me, O keep me, King of Kings,
beneath thine own almighty wings.

Night prayer of St Augustine of Hippo

Watch, dear Lord,
With those who wake or watch or weep this night,
and give your angels charge over those who sleep.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
tend your sick ones,
rest your weary ones,
bless your lonely ones,
soothe your suffering ones,
shield your joyous ones,
and all for your love‘s sake. Amen.

O God, We Are One With You

(Thomas Merton 1915-1968)

O God, we are one with you.
You have made us one with you.
You have taught us that if we are open to one another,
you dwell in us.
Help us to preserve this openness
and to fight for it with all our hearts.
Help us to realize that there can be no understanding
where there is mutual rejection.

O God, in accepting one another
wholeheartedly, fully, completely,
we accept you,
and we thank you,
and we adore you,
and we love you with our whole being,
because our being is your being,
our spirit is rooted in your spirit.

Fill us then with love,
and let us be bound together with love
as we go our diverse ways,
united in this one spirit
which makes you present in the world,
and which makes you witness to
the ultimate reality that is love.

Love has overcome.
Love is victorious.

Amen.

O My Lord Jesus (John Henry Newman)

O my Lord Jesus,
low as I am in Your all-holy sight, I am strong in You,
strong through Your Immaculate Mother, through Your saints
and thus I can do much for the Church, for the world, for all I love.

Amen.

Our Father

Our Father,
Who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

Peace Prayer (of Saint Francis of Assisi)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Praise God, Alleluia!

(St. Francis of Assisi)

Dear Mother earth,
Who day by day unfolds rich blessing on our way,

O Praise God! Alleluia!

The fruits and flowers that verdant grow,
Let them his praise abundant show.

O praise God, O praise God, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Prayer before a Crucifix (St Francis of Assisi)

Most High, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart
and give me true faith, certain hope and perfect charity,
sense and knowledge, Lord,
that I may carry out Your holy and true command.

Amen.

Prayer for a Happy Death

(John Henry Cardinal Newman)

Oh, my Lord and Saviour,
support me in that hour in the strong arms of Your Sacraments,
and by the fresh fragrance of Your consolations.
Let the absolving words be said over me,
and the holy oil sign and seal me,
and Your own Body be my food,
and Your Blood my sprinkling;
and let my sweet Mother, Mary, breathe on me,
and my Angel whisper peace to me,
and my glorious Saints smile upon me;
that in them all,
and through them all,
I may receive the gift of perseverance,
and die, as I desire to live,
in Your faith,
in Your Church,
in Your service,
and in Your love. Amen.

Prayer for Christlikeness

(John Henry Cardinal Newman)

Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go;
Flood my soul with your spirit and life;
Penetrate and possess my whole being so completely
That all my life may be only a radiance of yours;
Shine through me and be so in me
That everyone with whom I come into contact
May feel your presence within me.
Let them look up and see no longer me—but only Jesus.

Amen.

Prayer for contentment with my lot

(after John Bunyan 1628-88, Pilgrim’s Progress)

Lord, help me to know that:
He who is down need fear no fall,
He that is low no pride;
He that is humble, ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
Make me content with what I have
Little be it or much;
And Lord, contentment ever crave
Because Thou savest such.

Prayer for Doctors and Nurses

(from The Book of Common Prayer)

Sanctify, O Lord, those whom you have called to the study and practice of the arts of healing, and to the prevention of disease and pain.   Strengthen them by your life-giving Spirit, that by their ministries the health of the community may be promoted and your creation glorified; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Prayer for Forgiveness (Bishop David Konstant)

Lord God,
our loving Father,
you know all my sins and failures,
my weaknesses and temptations.
I come to you with deep sorrow in my heart
for the wrong I have done
and for the good I have failed to do.
Forgive me,
accept me,
stengthen me,
now and always.

Amen.

Prayer for Generosity (Jacques Sevin SJ after St Ignatius of Layola)

Lord, teach me to be generous:
to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek to rest;
to labour and to ask for no reward
save that of knowing I do your will.
Amen.

Prayer for Peace

(Satish Kumar)

O, Lord
Lead me from Death to Life,
from Falsehood to Truth.
Lead me from Despair to Hope,
from Fear to Trust.
Lead me from Hate to Love,
from War to Peace.
Let Peace fill our Hearts,
our World, our Universe.

Amen.

Prayer for Peace and Justice

Lord,
lead us from death to life,
from falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
Let peace fill our hearts, our world and our universe.
Let us dream together, pray together and work together,
to build one world of peace and justice for all. Amen.

Prayer for Serenity

(Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892-1971)

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference;
living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

Prayer for the Bishops (Pope John XXIII)

O Jesus, Eternal Priest,
you who have lit in this world an undying flame,
enable those whom you have chosen for the episcopate
to share in the purposes of your divine Heart.

Give to those generous hearts upon whom you have bestowed
the fullness of your priesthood
the grace of honouring you and your Holy Church,
and multiply around them evermore
new and fervent apostles of your kingdom,
for the salvation of all peoples.

O Lord, grant that as they work in peace
and enjoy tranquillity of order,
the peoples and nations may prosper
under your most generous blessings,
and the Church extend ever more widely
her redeeming mission.

Save your people Lord: and bless your inheritance.
And govern them and lift them up for ever.

Prayer for the Dead (Funeral Liturgy)

Lord, we entrust to your mercy, those who have died:
welcome them into your presence.
You loved them greatly in this life,
now give them happiness and peace for ever.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.

Amen.

Prayer for the dying

Go forth, O Christian soul, out of this world,
in the name of God the Father almighty, who created you;
in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, who suffered for you;
in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was given to you;
in the name of the holy and glorious Mary, Virgin Mother of God;
in the name of blessed Joseph;
in the name of the angels, archangels, thrones and dominations;
in the name of the patriarchs and prophets, of the holy apostles and evangelists,
of the holy martyrs, confessors, monks and hermits,
of the holy virgins and of all the saints of God;
may peace be yours this day,
and may your home be in heaven.
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Holy Catholic Church

William Laud (1573-1645) Archbishop of Cantebury

Most gracious Father,
we most humbly beseech thee
for thy Holy Catholic Church.
Fill it with all truth;
in all truth with all peace.

Where it is corrupt, purge it;
where it is in error, direct it;
where anything is amiss, reform it;
where it is right, strengthen and confirm it;
where it is in want, furnish it;
where it is divided and rent asunder
make up the breaches of it,
O thou Holy One of Israel.

Amen.

Prayer for the needs of others

St Clement of Rome (Pope Clement I AD88-99)

We beg you, Lord,
to help and defend us.
Deliver the oppressed,
pity the insignificant,
raise the fallen,
show yourself to the needy,
heal the sick,
bring back those of your people
who have gone astray,
feed the hungry,
lift up the weak,
take off the prisoner’s chains.

May every nation come to know
that you alone are God,
that Jesus Christ is your child,
that we are your people,
the sheep that you pasture.

Amen.

Prayer for the needs of others

St Anselm (1033-1109)

We bring before Thee, O Lord,
the troubles and perils of peoples and nations,
the sighings of prisoners and captives,
the sorrows of the bereaved,
the necessities of strangers,
the helplessenss of the weak,
the despondency of the weary,
the failing powers of the aged.
O Lord, draw near to each,
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer for the Poor

(US National Catholic Rural Life Conference)

Let us pray for the poor, hungry, and neglected all over the world, that their cries for daily bread may inspire works of compassion and mercy among those to whom much has been given.

Let us pray for the farmers with limited or marginal land throughout the world, for those who lack access to water and other resources, and for the light of research and support services to shine in the lives of all God’s people.

Let us pray for the health of women, children, and families around the world, especially for an end to maternal and child mortality, that in building healthy families, all God’s people may be empowered to strengthen their communities and repair the breaches which divide nations and peoples.

Let us pray for an end to the waste and desecration of God?s creation, for access to the fruits of creation to be shared equally among all people, and for communities and nations to find sustenance in the fruits of the earth and the water God has given us.

Let us pray for all nations and people who already enjoy the abundance of creation and the blessings of prosperity, that their hearts may be lifted up to the needs of the poor and afflicted, and partnerships between rich and poor for the reconciliation of the world may flourish and grow.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Amen.

Prayer for the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council (Pope John XXIII)

(Excerpted)
May this Council produce abundant fruits:
may the light and power of the Gospel
be more widely diffused in human society;
may new vigour be imparted
to the Catholic religion and its missionary function;
may we all acquire
a more profound knowledge of the Church’s doctrine
and a wholesome increase of Christian morality.

O gentle Guest of our souls,
confirm our mind in the truth
and dispose our hearts to obedience,
that the deliberations of the Council may find in us
generous consent and prompt obedience.

Renew in our days your miracles
as of a second Penetecost;
and grant that Holy Church,
reunited in our prayer,
more fervent than before,
around Mary the Mother of Jesus,
and under the leadership of Peter,
may extend the kingdom of the divine Saviour,
A kingdom of truth, justice, love and peace.

Amen.

Prayer for the Sick (Adrian Porter SJ)

Father, as Jesus cured the sick and raised Lazarus from the dead,
give comfort to those in our community who are sick.
We pray that your Spirit may heal their bodies
and soothe their minds
leading them to find peace and hope in your grace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer for Vocations

Loving God, You speak to us
and nourish us through the
life of this church community.

In the name of Jesus, we ask you
to send your Spirit to us so that
men and women among us, young
and old, will respond to your call to
service and leadership in the church.

We pray for all ministers but, especially, for
those who hear your invitation to
be a priest, sister, brother, or deacon.

May those who are opening their hearts
and minds to your call be encouraged
and strengthened through our enthusiasm
in your service. Amen

Prayer for Vocations (Pope Francis)

LORD of the Harvest,

BLESS young people with the gift of courage to respond to your call.
Open their hearts to great ideals, to great things.

INSPIRE all of your disciples to mutual love and giving—
for vocations blossom in the
good soil of faithful people.

INSTILL those in religious life, parish
ministries, and families with the confidence
and grace to invite others to embrace
the bold and noble path of a life
consecrated to you.

UNITE us to Jesus through prayer and sacrament,
so that we may cooperate
with you in building your reign of mercy
and truth, of justice and peace. Amen.

Prayer for wisdom

William Penn (1644-1718)

O God,
help us not to despise or oppose
what we do not understand.

Prayer for Wisdom

In everything we do, O Lord, give us a desire to seek out the truth;
give us a willingness to heed the advice of others;
give us wisdom in reaching decisions;
give us faith to believe in our conclusions;
give us courage to put our ideas to the test;
and, if we prove ourselves wrong, give us the grace to admit it.

Amen.

Prayer from “The Cloud of Unknowing”

(Anon, 14th Century)

GOD,

unto whom all hearts are open,
unto whom all wills do speak,
from whom no secret thing is hidden,
I beseech thee
so to cleanse the purpose of my heart
with the unutterable gift of thy grace
that I may perfectly love thee,
and worthily praise thee,

AMEN

Prayer of Adoration (St Francis of Assisi)

We adore You,
Lord Jesus Christ,
in all Your churches
throughout the world
and we bless You
because
by Your holy cross
You have
redeemed the world.

Amen.

Prayer of Intercession (William Barclay)

O God our Father,
help us all through this day so to live that we may bring help to others,
credit to ourselves and to the name we bear,
and joy to those that love us, and to thee.
Help us to be cheerful when things go wrong;
persevering when things are difficult;
serene when things are irritating.
Enable us to be helpful to those in difficulties;
kind to those in need;
sympathetic to those whose hearts are sore and sad.
Grant that nothing may make us lose our tempers;
nothing may take away our joy;
nothing may ruffle our peace;
nothing may make us bitter towards anyone.
This we ask for thy love’s sake. Amen.

Prayer of Relief

(From a prayer of Catholic Relief Services following Typhoon Haiyan, November 2013)

Loving and gracious God,

All love and mercy compels us
to the side of our global brothers and sisters.

In our charity, and in our compassion,
-help us stand with them.
In our solidarity and in our sharing,
-help us stand with them.
In our advocacy, and in our prayer,
-help us stand with them.

And as we turn to them in their peril,
we ask your grace go with us;

To feed the hungry:
-give us your grace.
To give drink to the thirsty:
-give us your grace.
To clothe the naked:
-give us your grace.
To shelter the homeless:
-give us your grace.
To care for the sick:
-give us your grace.
To reach the trapped and the stranded:
-give us your grace.
To mourn the dead:
-give us your grace.

And in reaching out, may we find you in them.
And may they find you in us.

Amen.

Prayer of St Augustine

Eternal God, You are the light of the minds that know you,
the joy of the hearts that love you,
and the strength of the wills that serve you;
grant us so to know you, that we may truly serve you,
whom to serve is prefect freedom, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer of St Ignatius of Layola

Take Lord and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding and my entire will;
all that I have and possess.
You have given it all to me:
to you, O Lord, I return it.
All is yours;
do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and grace,
for this is enough for me.
Our one desire and choice in life should be this:
I want and I choose what better leads to God deepening his life in me.

Prayer of St Richard of Chichester

O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,

may  I know you more clearly,

love you more dearly,

follow you more nearly,

day by day. Amen

Prayer of St Teresa of Avila (1)

Christ has no body now on earth but yours:
No hands but yours:
No feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which must look out Christ’s compassion on the world.
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless mankind now.

Prayer of St Teresa of Avila (2)

Let nothing disturb you,
Nothing affright you;
All things are passing,
God never changes.
Patient endurance
Attains to all things;
Who God possesses
In nothing is wanting;
Alone God suffices.

Prayer of St Thomas More (Be With Us Today)

Father in heaven,
you have given us a mind to know you,
a will to serve you,
and a heart to love you.
Be with us today in all that we do,
so that your light may shine out in our lives.
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer of St. Thomas Merton

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire,
and I know that if I do this
you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust you always
though I may need to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Prayer of St. Thomas More

Give me, good Lord, a full and fervent charity,
a love of you, good Lord,
incomparable above the love of myself;
and that I love nothing to your displeasure
but everything in order to you.
Take from me, good Lord, this lukewarm fashion, or rather, this cold manner of meditation, and this dullness in praying to you.
Give me warmth, delight, and life in thinking about you.
And give me your grace to long for your holy sacraments and especially to rejoice in the presence of your blessed body, my sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, in the holy sacrament of the altar,
and duly to thank you for your graciousness in giving yourself to me.

Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Beauty of the Earth

(from The Book of Common Prayer)

We give you thanks, most gracious God,
for the beauty of earth and sky and sea;
for the richness of mountains, plains, and rivers;
for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers.

We praise you for these good gifts,
and pray that we may safeguard them for our posterity.

Grant that we may continue to grow
in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation,
to the honor and glory of your Name,
now and for ever.

Amen.

Prayer that I may be strong in future sickness

(Thomas Fuller)

Lord, teach me the art of patience while I am well, and give me the use of it when I am sick. In that day either lighten my burden or strenthen my back. In my health I have so often discovered my weakness, presuming on my own strength: make me to be strong in my sickness when I rely solely on your assistance.

Amen,

Prayer that Poverty Be Made History

Loving God,
look with mercy upon the human race you have created.
May our hearts see your kingdom
in which the destructive poverty of our world is destroyed
and so that we will make poverty history. Amen.

Prayer to be more Christ-like

(St. John Gabriel Perboyre)

O my Divine Saviour,
Transform me into Yourself.
May my hands be the hands of Jesus.
Grant that every faculty of my body
May serve only to glorify You.
Above all,
Transform my soul and all its powers
So that my memory, will and affection
May be the memory, will and affections
Of Jesus.
I pray You
To destroy in me
All that is not of You.
Grant that I may live
But in You, by You and for You,
So that I may truly say,
With St. Paul,
“I live – now not I –
But Christ lives in me”.

Amen.

Prayer to Jesus

(St John Vianney)

I love You, O my God, and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life.
I love You, O my infinitely lovable God,
and I would rather die loving You, than live without loving You.
I love You, Lord, and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally
My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You,
I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath.

Amen.

Prayer to speak out about our beliefs

St Hilary (315-67)

Almighty God,
bestow upon us the meaning of words,
the light of understanding
the nobiligy of diction
and the faith of the true nature.
And grant that what we believe
we may also speak.

Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.

Amen.

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O sacred heart of Jesus, we implore, make us love you more and more.

Amen.

Prayer when in pain

(from The Book of Common Prayer)

Lord Jesus Christ, by your patience in suffering you hallowed earthly pain and gave us the example of obedience to your Father’s will: Be near me in my time of weakness and pain; sustain me by your grace, that my strength and courage may not fail; heal me according to your will; and help me always to believe that what happens to me here is of little account if you hold me in eternal life, my Lord and my God. Amen.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose.

Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil will I fear.

You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.

You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow mw all the days of my life.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

Amen.

Soul of Christ Prayer (14th Century)

Soul of Christ
A 14th Century prayer used by St Ignatius
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from Christ’s side, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Let me not be separated from you.
From the enemy defend me,
At my death call me
And bid me, come to you
That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever.

Amen.

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening

After Christina Rossetti (1820-94)

Speak, Lord, for your servent is listening.
Grant us ears to hear,
Eyes to see,
Wills to obey,
Hearts to love.
Then declare what you will,
Reveal what you will,
Command what you will,
Demand what you will.

St Joseph, Protector of the Church

Father, you entrusted our Saviour to the care of Saint Joseph.
By the help of his prayers may your Church continue to serve its Lord,
Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Stay With Me (John Henry Newman, Jesus the Light of the Soul)

Stay with me, and then I shall begin to shine as you shine:
so to shine as to be a light to others.
The light, O Jesus, will be all from you.
None of it will be mine.
It will be you who shines through me upon others.
O let me praise you, in the way which you love best,
by shining on all those around me.
Give light to them as well as to me; light them with me, through me.
Teach me to show your praise, your truth, your will.
Make me preach you without preaching; not by words
but by my example and by the catching force, the sympathetic influence, of what I do –
by my visible resemblance to your saints,
and the evident fullness of the love which my heart bears for you.

Sufi Prayer for Peace

O Almighty Sun, whose light clears away all clouds,
We take refuge in you.
Guide of all people, God of all deities, Lord of all angels,
We pray you to dispel the mists of illusion from the hearts of the nations
And lift their lives by your all-sufficient power,
Your ever shining light, your everlasting life,
Your heavenly joy and your perfect peace.

Amen.

Suscipe (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.

Tantum Ergo (Saint Thomas Aquinas)

With heads bowed let us now worship a sacrament so great;
And let the old teaching give way to the new;
Let faith reinforce our belief where the senses cannot.

To the Father and the Son let there be praise and jubilation,
Salvation, honor, virtue, and also blessing;
To the Holy Spirit let there be equal praise.

Thanks for Family and Friends

(Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, A Book of Blessings, Ottawa, Canada: Publications Service, 1981)

Blessed are you, loving Father,
for all your gifts to us.
Blessed are you for giving us family and friends
to be with us in times of joy and sorrow,
to help us in days of need,
and to rejoice with us in moments for celebration.

Father,
we praise you for your Son Jesus,
who knew the happiness of family and friends,
and in the love of your Holy Spirit.
Blessed are you for ever and ever.

Amen.

Thanksgiving

(Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803 – 82)

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

Amen.