"Step-By-Step" Instructions for Praying The Rosary

I. Beginning with the Rosary's Cross: Begin as with all prayers In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. (making the sign of the Cross while doing that)

II. On the single bead just above the cross, pray the Apostles Creed. This and all prayers of the rosary are meditative prayers

VIDEO: Background on the Holy Rosary

III. The next cluster of beads are 3 bead, the "Hail Mary" prayer is said on these three beads. You pray the 3 Hail Marys while meditating on the three divine virtues of faith, hope, and love/charity.

IV. On the next bead, which is a single bead, you announce the first divine mystery of contemplation. For example, if it were a Monday, you would say the first Joyful Mystery is "The Annunciation", at this point you pray the "Our Father" prayer.

V. Now this will bring you to the first decade, or set of 10 beads of the Rosary. You will then pray 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the first mystery, example: The Annunciation.

VI. After the 10th Hail Mary you will have completed the first of 5 decades which make up a Chaplet of the Rosary. You now come to another single bead, at this point, you pray the... Glory be to the Father... then (on the same bead) pray the O My Jesus... then (on the same bead) announce the next or second mystery. For example: if its Monday and your praying the Joyful Mysteries, the second Joyful Mystery is The Visitation. At this point you pray the Our Father....

VII. You will now come to the second decade or group of 10 beads, you will now pray the 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the appropriate mystery.

VIII. You continue to pray the rosary the same way throughout. If your intention is to pray a Chaplet (a single set of mysteries) at the end of the fifth mystery you will come back to the joiner, this is where the decades all join with the lower part of the rosary which contains the cross. When you come to the joiner, you decide whether or not you wish to say another Chaplet or end. If you decide to say another Chaplet you simply announce the next mystery and continue. If you wish to end, you simply say the Glory Be To The Father, the O My Jesus, The Our Father and end the rosary with the Hail Holy Queen and the sign of the Cross ...


Various Rosary Prayers in approximate order as prayed in the Rosary


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 life everlasting. Amen.

THE 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.

THE DOXOLOGY: Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. (this prayer is optional and may be said after all Glory Be to the Fathers.....)
O my Jesus, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Take all souls into heaven, especially, those most in need of thy mercy. Amen.
THE 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.

DECADE PRAYER - (prayer for priests): God, our Father, please send us holy priests, all for the sacred and eucharistic heart of Jesus, all for the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary, in union with saint Joseph. Amen.

THE SALVE REGINA (Hail Holy Queen): Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God

R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY: O God, by the life, death and resurrection of Your only begotten Son, You purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech You that while meditation on these mysteries of the Holy rosary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

FATIMA PRAYER: Most Holy Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - I adore thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners.

"Let this prayer be echoed all over the world." - Mary

Fatima Prayer: My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I beg pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You.
Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, pray for us. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us. Mary, Our Loving Mother, pray for us.

MEMORARE: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary that never was it known that anyone who fled to Your protection, implored Your help, or sought Your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To You we come; before You we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in Your mercy, hear and answer us. Amen.


The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Rosary

• Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the rosary, shall receive signal graces.
• I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the rosary.
• The rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
• It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the heart of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
• The soul which recommend itself to me by the recitation of the rosary, shall not perish.
• Whoever shall recite the rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
• Whoever shall have a true devotion for the rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
• Those who are faithful to recite the rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
• I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the rosary.
• The faithful children of the rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
• You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the rosary.
• All those who propagate the holy rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
• I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
• All who recite the rosary are my son, and brothers of my only son Jesus Christ.
• Devotion of my rosary is a great sign of predestination.
(Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan) Imprimatur: Patrick J. Hayes DD Archbishop of New York)
WHY the Daily Rosary?
• Our Lady has 117 titles. She selected this title at Fatima: "I am the Lady of the Rosary."
• St. Francis de Sales said the greatest method of praying IS- Pray the Rosary.
• St. Thomas Aquinas preached 40 straight days in Rome Italy on just the Hail Mary.
• St. John Vianney, patron of priest, was seldom seen without a rosary in his hand.
• "The rosary is the scourge of the devil" -- Pope Adrian VI
• "The rosary is a treasure of graces" -- Pope Paul V
• Padre Pio the stigmatic priest said: "The Rosary is THE WEAPON"
• Pope Leo XIII wrote 9 encyclicals on the rosary.
• Pope John XXIII spoke 38 times about our Lady and the Rosary. he prayed 15 decades daily.
• St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort wrote: "The rosary is the most powerful weapon to touch the Heart of Jesus, Our Redeemer, who so loves His Mother."
• MARY, QUEEN OF THE HOLY ANGELS -- PRAY FOR US!
• "Jesus, Mary, I Love You, Save Souls"
• J.M.J. = JESUS, MARY, JOSEPH - the Holy Family ...

Thanks to My Guardian Angel.

Thanks to My Guardian Angel

O Angel of God, my blessed protector, to whose care I have been committed by my Creator from the moment of my birth, unite with me in thanking the Almighty for having given me a friend, and instructor, an advocate, and a guardian in thee. Accept, O most charitable guide, my fervent thanksgiving for all thou hast done for me; particularly for the charity with which thou didst undertake to accompany me through life; for the joy with which thou wert filled when I was purified in the waters of Baptism; and for thy anxious solicitude in watching over the treasure of my innocence.

Thou knowest the numberless graces and favors which my Creator has bestowed on me through thee, and the many dangers, both spiritual and temporal from which thou hast preserved me. Thou knowest how often thou didst deplore my sins, animate me to repentance, and intercede with God for my pardon. Ah! why have I so little merited a continuance of thy zealous efforts for my salvation? Why have I so often stained my soul by sin, and thereby rendered myself unworthy of the presence and protection of an angel, of so pure a spirit as thou art, who never sinned? But as my ingratitude and thoughtlessness have not lessened thy charitable interest for my salvation, so neither shall they diminish my confidence in thy goodness, nor prevent me from abandoning myself to thy care, since God Himself has entrusted thee with the charge of my soul. Penetrated with sorrow for the little progress I have made in virtue, though blessed with such a Master, and sincerely determined to correspond in future with thy exertions for my salvation, I most earnestly entreat thee, O protecting spirit, to continue thy zealous efforts for my eternal interest; to fortify my weakness, to shield me from innumerable dangers of the world and to obtain by thy powerful prayers that my life may rather be shortened, than that I should live to commit a mortal sin.

Remember, O most happy spirit, that it was one act of profound humility, and one transport of ardent love for thy Creator, that caused God to establish thee forever in glory; obtain that those virtues may be implanted in my soul, and that I may seriously endeavor to acquire docility, obedience, gentleness and purity of heart. Conduct me safely through this world of sin and misery; watch over me at the awful hour of my death; perform for my soul the last charitable office of thy mission, by strengthening, encouraging, and supporting me in the agonies of dissolution, and then, as the angel Raphael conducted Tobias safely to his father, do thou, my good angel and blessed guide, return with me to Him who sent thee, that we may mutually bless Him, and publish His wonderful works for a happy eternity.
Amen.

Prayers to the Angels of God
Guardian Angel

Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
A Mother's Prayer to the Guardian Angels of her children
I humbly salute you, O you faithful, heavenly Friends of my children! I give you heartfelt thanks for all the love and goodness you show them. At some future day I shall, with thanks more worthy than I can now give, repay your care for them, and before the whole heavenly court acknowledge their indebtedness to your guidance and protection. Continue to watch over them. Provide for all their needs of body and soul. Pray, likewise, for me, for my husband, and my whole family, that we may all one day rejoice in your blessed company.
Amen


Prayer to Our Holy Guardian Angels

Heavenly Father, Your infinite love for us has chosen a blessed angel in heaven and appointed him our guide during this earthly pilgrimage. Accept our thanks for so great ablessing. Grant that we may experience the assistance of our holy protector in all our necessities. And you, holy, loving angel and guide, watch over us with all the tenderness of your angelic heart. Keep us always on the way that leads to heaven, and cease not to pray for us until we have attained our final destiny, eternal salvation. Then we shall love you for all eternity. We shall praise and glorify you unceasingly for all the good you have done for us while here on earth. Especially be a faithful and watchful protector of our children. Take our place, and supply what may be wanting to us through human frailty, short-sightedness, or sinful neglect. Lighten, O you perfect servants of God, our heavy task. Guide our children, that they may become like unto Jesus, may imitate Him faithfully, and persevere till they attain eternal life.
Amen


Another Prayer to the Guardian Angels

My good Angel, Thou comest from heaven; God has sent thee to take care of me. Oh, shelter me under thy wings. Lighten my path, direct my steps. Do not leave me, stay quite near me and defend me against the spirit of evil. But above all come to my help in the last struggle of my life. Deliver my soul so that with thee it may praise, love and contemplate the goodness of God forever and ever.
Amen

Prayer to My Guardian Angel.

Prayer to My Guardian Angel


Angel of God's light, whom God sends as a companion for me on earth, protect me from the snares of the devil, and help me to walk always as a child of God, my Creator.
Angel of God's truth, whose perfect knowledge serves what is true, protect me from deceits and temptations. Help me to know the truth, and always to live the truth.
Angel of God's love, who praises Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who sacrificed His life for love of us, sustain me as I learn the ways of Divine love, of sacrificial generosity, of meekness and lowliness of heart.
Thank You, my heavenly friend, for your watchfull care. At the moment of my death, bring me to heaven, where the one true God, Who is light, Truth and Love, lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen.

PRAYER TO ALL GUARDIAN ANGELS.

PRAYER TO ALL GUARDIAN ANGELS


O pure and happy spirits whom the Almighty selected to become the Angels and Guardians of men. I most humbly prostrate myself before thee to thank thee for the charity and zeal with which thou dost execute this commission. Alas, how many pass a long life without ever thanking their invisible friends, to whom they owe a thousand times their preservation!

O charitable Guardians of those souls for whom Christ died, O flaming spirits, who cannot avoid loving those whom Jesus eternally loved, permit me to address thee on behalf of all those committed to thy care, to implore for each of them a grateful sense of thine many favors and also the grace to profit by thine charitable assistance.

O Angels of those happy infants who are as yet "without spot before God," I earnestly beseech thee to preserve their innocence.

O Angels of youth, conduct them, exposed to so many dangers, safely to the bosom of God, as Tobias was conducted back to his father.

O Angels of those who employ themselves in the instruction of youth, animate them with thy zeal and love, teach them to emulate thy purity and continual view of God, that they may worthily and successfully co-operate with the invisible Guardians of their young charges.

O Angels of the clergy, of those "who have the eternal Gospel to preach to them that sit upon the earth," present their words, their actions and their intentions to God, and purify them in that fire of love that consumes thee.

O Angels of the missionaries who have left their native land and all who were dear to them in order to preach the Gospel in foreign fields, protect them from the dangers which threaten them, console in their hours of discouragement and solitude, and lead them to those souls who are in danger of dying without Baptism.

O Angels of the infidels and pagans, whom the True Faith has never enlightened, intercede for them, that they may open their hearts to the rays of grace, respond to the message delivered by God's missioners and acknowledge and adore the one true God.

O Angels of all who travel by air, land or water, be their guides and companions, protect them from all dangers of collision, fire, and explosion and lead them safely to their destination.

O Guardian Angels of sinners, charitable guides of those unhappy mortals whose perseverance in sin would embitter even thine unutterable joys, wert thou not established in the peace of God! Oh join me, I ardently beseech thee, in imploring their conversion!

And thou, O Guardian Angels of the sick, I entreat thee especially to help, console and implore the spirits of joy for all those who are deprived of health, which is among God's most precious gifts to man. Intercede for them, that they may not succumb to despondency or lose by impatience the merits they can gain in carrying with resignation and joy the cross which Christ has laid upon them as a special token of His love.

O Angels of those are at this moment in the agonies of death, strengthen, encourage and defend them against the attacks of their infernal enemy.
O faithful Guides, holy spirits, adorers of the Divinity, Guardian Angels of all creatures, protect us all; teach us to love, to pray, to wage combat on earth, so that one day we may reach Heaven and there be happy for all eternity!
Amen.

O Angels of those who are lingering in Purgatory,intercede for them that God may permit thee to bring them some balm; console them that they may know that we are praying for them and that we ask thee to join in our entreaties.

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who,
before ascending into heaven,
didst promise to send the Holy Ghost
to finish Thy work in the souls
of Thy Apostles and Disciples,
deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me,
that He may perfect in my soul
the work of Thy grace and Thy love.

Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom
that I may despise the perishable things of this world
and aspire only after the things that are eternal,

the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind
with the light of Thy divine truth,

the Spirit of Counsel
that I may ever choose the surest way
of pleasing God and gaining Heaven,

the Spirit of Fortitude
that I may bear my cross with Thee,
and that I may overcome with courage
all the obstacles that oppose my salvation,

the Spirit of Knowledge
that I may know God and know myself
and grow perfect in the science of the Saints,

the Spirit of Piety
that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable,

the Spirit of Fear
that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God,
and may dread in any way to displease Him.
Mark me, dear Lord,
with the sign of Thy true disciples
and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit.

Amen.

Prayer for the Home.

Prayer for the Home

We beseech You, O Lord,
visit this home,
and drive far from it all the snares of the enemy;
let Your holy angels dwell therein
so as to preserve us in peace;
and let Your blessing be always upon us.
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer for Protection Against Fires.

Prayer for Protection Against Fires

Almighty and eternal God, we ask Your protection against destroying fire. Fire is so very necessary for our existence, and yet, when it gets out of control, it can be more damaging than anything else. Keep our homes and buildings and woods and fields safe from this scourge. Help us always to be most careful in our use of it. Help us especially in the winter time when need and use it most. For then, if our homes are destroyed by fire, we suffer more than ever.

Give us, too, we humbly pray You, a saving fear of the fires of passion, and the help of Your grace to control them. Help us also to fear the fires of hell, that we may always keep away from serious sin, and live lives of goodness and virtue, through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer For Courage.

Prayer For Courage


Dear God, give me courage,
for perhaps I lack it more than anything else.

I need courage before men against their threats
and against their seductions.

I need courage to bear unkindness,
mockery, contradiction.

I need courage to fight against the devil,
against terrors and troubles, temptations,
attractions, darkness and false lights,
against tears, depression, and above all fear.

I need Your help, dear God.

Strengthen me with Your love and Your grace.

Console me with Your blessed Presence
and grant me the courage to persevere
until I am with You forever in heaven.

Prayer For Choosing A State Of Life.

Prayer For Choosing A State Of Life

From all eternity, O Lord,
You planned my very existence and my destiny.
You wrapped me in Your love in baptism
and gave me the Faith
to lead me to an eternal life
of happiness with You.
You have showered me with Your graces
and You have been always ready
with Your mercy and forgiveness
when I have fallen.
Now I beg You for the light
I so earnestly need
that I may find the way of life
in which lies the best fulfillment of Your will.
Whatever state this may be,
give me the grace necessary
to embrace it with love of Your holy will,
as devotedly as Your Blessed Mother did Your will.
I offer myself to You now,
trusting in Your wisdom and love
to direct me in working out my salvation
and in helping others
to know and come close to You,
so that I may find my reward
in union with You for ever and ever.

Amen.

Who Recite the Rosary.

The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Rosary

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the rosary, shall receive signal graces.

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the rosary.

3. The rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the heart of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify them- selves by this means.

5. The soul which recommend itself to me by the recitation of the rosary, shall not perish.

6. Whoever shall recite the rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.

7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

8. Those who are faithful to recite the rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.

9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the rosary.

10. The faithful children of the rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.

11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the rosary.

12. All those who propagate the holy rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.

14. All who recite the rosary are my son, and brothers of my only son Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion of my rosary is a great sign of predestination.

Prayer for Protection by the Holy Cross.

Prayer for Protection by the Holy Cross

Assist us, O Lord our God;
and defend us evermore by the might of Thy holy Cross,
in whose honour Thou makest us to rejoice.
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer for Government Leader.

Prayer for Government Leader

God of power and might, wisdom and justice,
through you authority is rightly administered,
laws are enacted, and judgment is decreed.
Assist with your spirit of counsel and fortitude
the President and other government leaders of these United
States.
May they always seek
the ways of righteousness, justice and mercy.
Grant that they may be enabled by your powerful protection
to lead our country with honesty and integrity.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer for Employment.

Prayer for Employment

You govern your creation, O God,
and bring it to perfection by the work of our hands.
Hear the prayers of your people who ask for work
that will enhance their human signity
and promote the upbuilding of your kingdom.
Enable them to provide for those confided to their care
either by family ties or by charity we owe to one another
for the betterment of human life.
We ask this blessing in the name of Jesus
who laboured with his own hands while he lived on earth.

Amen.

Prayer for a Sick Person.

Prayer for a Sick Person

Almighty and Eternal God,
You are the everlasting health of those who believe in You.
Hear us for Your sick servant (N...)
for whom we implore the aid of Your tender mercy,
that being restored to bodily health,
he (she) may give thanks to You in Your Church.
Through Christ our Lord.

Prayer for God's Guidance.

Prayer for God's Guidance

Father in Heaven,
You made me Your child
and called me to walk in the Light of Christ.
Free me from darkness
and keep me in the Light of Your Truth.
The Light of Jesus has scattered
the darkness of hatred and sin.
Called to that Light,
I ask for Your guidance.
Form my life in Your Truth,
my heart in Your Love.
Through the Holy Eucharist,
give me the power of Your Grace
that I may walk in the Light of Jesus
and serve Him faithfully.

GOOD NIGHT MY GUARDIAN ANGEL

GOOD NIGHT MY GUARDIAN ANGEL

Good night, my Guardian Angel, The day has sped away;
Well spent or ill, its story Is written down for aye.
And now, of God's kind Providence, Thou image pure and
bright, Watch over me while I'm sleeping. My Angel
dear, Good Night.

A MOTHER'S PRAYER TO THE GUARDIAN ANGELS OF HER CHILDREN

A MOTHER'S PRAYER TO THE GUARDIAN ANGELS OF HER CHILDREN

I humbly salute you, O you faithful, heavenly Friends of my children!
I give you heartfelt thanks for all the love and goodness you show them.
At some future day I shall, with thanks more worthy than I can now give,
repay your care for them, and before the whole heavenly court acknowledge
their indebtedness to your guidance and protection. Continue to watch
over them. Provide for all their needs of body and soul. Pray, likewise,
for me, for my husband, and my whole family, that we may all one day
rejoice in your blessed company.
Amen.

A Guardian Angel Prayer for Friends.

A Guardian Angel Prayer for Friends

Guardian Angel,
watch over those whose names you can read in my heart.
Guard over them with every care
and make their way easy and their labours fruitful.
Dry their tears if they weep;
sanctify their joys;
raise their courage if they weaken;
restore their hope if they lose heart,
their health if they be ill,
truth if they err,
repentance if they fail.

In Time of Danger.

In Time of Danger

O God, Who knowest us to be set in the midst of such great perils, that,
by reason of the weakness of our nature, we cannot stand upright, grant
us such health of mind and body, that those evils which we suffer for our
sins we may overcome through Thine assistance. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer for Vocations.

Prayer for Vocations

O God, you sent your Son, Jesus, to bring eternal life to those who believe.
I join him in praying for laborers for your harvest. May your Holy Spirit
inspire men and women to continue his mission through your priesthood,
diaconate, religious life and lay ministry. May this same Spirit make known
your will for my life.
Amen.

Prayer for the Sanctification of Labor.

Prayer for the Sanctification of Labor

O God, the creator of all things, you framed the law of labor for the human race.
Graciously grant, by the example and patronage of St. Joseph, that we may do the
work you provide us and earn the reward you promise. Sustain us with your grace
to live up to our duties in charity and justice.
Amen.

Prayer for Success in Work.

Prayer for Success in Work

Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor,
obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call
of duty above my many sins; to work with thankfulness and joy,
considering it an honor to employ and develop, by means of labor,
the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, prudence
and patience, never surrendering to weariness or difficulties;
to work, above all, with purity of intention, and with detachment from self,
having always death before my eyes and the account which I must render of time lost,
of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in
success so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary,
all after thy example, O Patriarch Joseph. Such shall be my motto in
life and death.
Amen.

Prayer for Choosing a State of Life

Prayer for Choosing a State of Life

From all eternity, O Lord, You planned my very existence and my destiny.
You wrapped me in Your love in baptism and gave me the Faith to lead me
to an eternal life of happiness with You. You have showered me with Your
graces and You have been always ready with Your mercy and forgiveness
when I have fallen. Now I beg You for the light I so earnestly need that
I may find the way of life in which lies the best fulfillment of Your will.
Whatever state this may be, give me the grace necessary to embrace it with
love of Your holy will, as devotedly as Your Blessed Mother did Your will.
I offer myself to You now, trusting in Your wisdom and love to direct me
in working out my salvation and in helping others to know and come close
to You, so that I may find my reward in union with You for ever and ever.
Amen.

Strength

Strength

I ask the Lord to give me the strength to lead my Marines and to retain the knowledge that will help me do my job and bring all my Marines home in one piece.

For Special Intentions

For Special Intentions


Almighty and loving Father, I thank you for giving St. Gerard to us as a most appealing model and powerful friend. By his example, he showed us how to love and trust you. You have showered many blessings on those who call upon him. For your greater glory and my welfare, please grant me the favors which I ask in his name.

(Here mention them privately)

And you, my powerful patron, intercede for me before the throne of God. Draw near to that throne and do not leave it until you have been heard. O good saint, to you I address my feverent prayers; graciously accept them and let me experience in some way the effects of your powerful intercession.

Amen.

Facing Life

Facing Life: A Prayer on Graduation Day - Matthew, 5:13-16


LIGHT

Lord Jesus, you have said that your followers must be the
light to the world*.
Light propagates itself, dispels darkness.
It sows rays of joy and hope. It is life¬giving.
Help me, Lord, to be a light to this world,
so that my life radiate your message of love, hope, and
joy.
May I be the beacon leading to You those who seek truth.


SALT

You also said, Lord Jesus,
that your disciples must be the salt to this earth.
Salt gives taste to food.
It retards spoilage.
It is also a healing agent.
Lord, may I be the salt
that takes away the blandness in the routine of living,
that prevents the rottenness of hatred and greed from
expanding around me,
that brings compassionate healing to anguished souls I
encounter.
Lord, help me to be "worth my salt."
And infuse your "saltiness" in me, so that I do not
become "flat" and useless.


LEAVEN

"Be the leaven to the world," said You to your friends.
Bread, a staple of life, and cakes, always present at
celebrations,
would be dull and lifeless without the tiny bit of yeast.
Without it, the dough remains inert, hard.
Elsewhere, You also told us to multiply our talents.
You thus expect that we use the talents you gave us as the
leaven to this world.
Teach me, Lord Jesus, that alone I am insignificant,
but mixed with the talents of my brothers and sisters,
I can lift this world out of its insipid mediocrity.
May I be a bit of leaven in the Bread of Life,
and a sign of Your celebration in this life and life
eternal.


COMMITMENT

Lord, on this "commencement" day,
let there be a beginning of my life.
In the days of darkness, be my Light,
so that in turn I can radiate your truth and your message
of love, hope, and joy.
In the days of blandness and of blahs,
Lord, be my Salt, so that in turn I can fend off the
corruption,
the staleness, the mediocrity around me.
In the days when I am flat on my back or fall flat on my
face,
Lord, be my Leaven, so that not only can I rise again,
but also raise the downhearted to the celebration of your
Love.
And Lord, thank You, for the school years, for the talents
I received.

Amen.

A Prayer for those whose Lives I've Touched.

A Prayer for those whose Lives I've Touched - F. E. Callaghan


Beloved Shepherd of Souls!
As I tread into the sunset of my life,
I grow anxious for the spiritual welfare of souls
who came to know me.
It grieves me to think
of the offenses they may have committed
because of words or deeds of mine.
I have in mind those who were my close responsibility
as well as those whom I sponsored in Baptism
and whose spiritual condition is no longer known to me.

In Your Merciful Goodness
I now plead for the pardon of the soul
who because of me may have lost Your favour.
humbly I implore You,
let not one of them be lost,
but when they leave this world
may they find glorious entry
into the Kingdom of Heaven!

On behalf of those
who may need to atone for offenses
I may have caused them to commit,
I offer You any infirmities
or sufferings I am to undergo
during the remaining years of my life.
Dear Shepherd of Souls,
grant them life eternal.