Prayers (A-Z)

Friday after Ascension Thursday thru Saturday, the Vigil of Pentecost 

This is the prototype of all novenas. It commemorates the nine days between the Ascension of Our Lord and the descent of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost Sunday. During this time Our Lady and the twelve Apostles prayed in the Cenacle for the coming of the Paraclete. Our Lord Himself instituted this novena, and it is celebrated every year by the whole Church. 

Primary Intention: Like the Apostles, we pray that the Holy Ghost will come into our lives and set the Church and faithful on fire with true Apostolic zeal. 

Secondary Intention: On Pentecost Sunday every year, we renew our consecration to Jesus through Mary as prescribed by Saint Louis Marie de Montfort. On this solemn occasion, we pray that we may be true to our consecration and live it ever more faithfully during the year to come. Every member of the Crusade should feel that he or she has a special obligation to make this novena. 

Form for the novena: State the intentions given above, and then open your heart to God the Holy Ghost in this prayer: 

O Holy Ghost, O my God, I adore Thee, and acknowledge, here in Thy divine presence, that I am nothing and can do nothing without Thee. Come, great Paraclete, Thou father of the poor, Thou comforter the best, fulfil the promise of our blessed Savior, Who would not leave us orphans, and come into the mind and the heart of Thy poor, unworthy creature, as Thou didst descend on the sacred day of Pentecost on the holy Mother of Jesus and on His first disciples. Grant that I may participate in those gifts which Thou didst communicate to them so wonderfully, and with so much mercy and generosity. Take from my heart whatever is not pleasing to Thee, and make of it a worthy dwelling-place for Thyself. Illumine my mind, that I may see and understand the things that are for my eternal good. Inflame my heart with pure love of Thee, that I may be cleansed from the dross of all inordinate attachments, and that my whole life may be hidden with Jesus in God. Strengthen my will, that I may be made comformable to Thy divine will, and be guided by Thy holy inspirations. Aid me by Thy grace to practice the divine lessons of humility, poverty, obedience, and contempt of the world, which Jesus taught us in His mortal life. 

Oh, rend the heavens, and come down, consoling Spirit! that inspired and encouraged by Thee, I may faithfully comply with the duties of my state, carry my daily cross most patiently, and endeavor to accomplish the divine will with the utmost perfection. Spirit of love! Spirit of purity! Spirit of peace! Sanctify my soul more and more, and give me that heavenly peace which the world cannot give. Bless our Holy Father the Pope, bless the Church, bless our bishops, our priests, all Religious Orders, and all the faithful, that they may be filled with the spirit of Christ and labor earnestly for the spread of His kingdom. 

O Holy Ghost, Thou Giver of every good and perfect gift, grant me, I beseech Thee, the intentions of this novena. May Thy will be done in me and through me. Mayest Thou be praised and glorified forevermore!

Amen.

Be appeased, O Lord, 
by our humble prayers, 
and in Your kindness assist this institution of marriage 
which You have ordained for the propagation of the human race; 
so that this union made here, 
joined by Your authority, 
may be preserved by Your help. 
Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, 
Your Son, 
Who lives and reigns with You 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, 
world without end. 

Amen.

O God, by Your mighty power You made all things out of nothing. First, You set the beginnings of the universe in order. Then, You made man in Your image, and appointed woman to be his inseparable helpmate. Thus You made woman’s body from the flesh of man, thereby teaching that what You have been pleased to institute from one principle might never lawfully be put asunder. O God, You have sanctified marriage by a mystery so excellent that in the marriage union You foreshadowed the union of Christ and the Church. O God, You join woman to man, and You endow that fellowship with a blessing which was not taken away in punishment for original sin nor by the sentence of the flood. Look, in Your mercy, upon this Your handmaid, about to be joined in wedlock, who entreats You to protect and strengthen her. Let the yoke of marriage to her be one of love and peace. Faithful and chaste, let her marry in Christ. Let her ever follow the model of holy women: let her be dear to her husband like Rachel; wise like Rebecca; long-lived and faithful like Sara. Let the author of sin work none of his evil deeds within her; let her ever keep the Faith and the commandments. Let her be true to one wedlock and shun all sinful embraces; let her strengthen weakness by stern discipline. Let her be grave in demeanor, honorable for her modesty, learned in heavenly doctrine, fruitful in children. Let her life be good and innocent. Let her come finally to the rest of the blessed in the kingdom of heaven. May they both see their children’s children to the third and fourth generation, thus attaining the old age which they desire. Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. 

Amen.

O my God, teach me to receive the sick in Thy Name. Give to my efforts success for the glory of Thy Holy Name. It is Thy work; without Thee, I cannot succeed. Grant that the sick Thou hast placed in my care may be abundantly blessed, and not one of them be lost because of any neglect on my part.Help me to overcome every temporal weakness,and strengthen in me whatever may enable me to bring joy to the lives of those I serve. Give me grace, for the sake of Thy sick ones and of those lives that will be influenced by them.

O my God, teach me to receive the sick in Thy Name. Give to my efforts success for the glory of Thy Holy Name. It is Thy work; without Thee, I cannot succeed. Grant that the sick Thou hast placed in my care may be abundantly blessed, and not one of them be lost because of any neglect on my part.Help me to overcome every temporal weakness,and strengthen in me whatever may enable me to bring joy to the lives of those I serve. Give me grace, for the sake of Thy sick ones and of those lives that will be influenced by them. O my God, teach me to receive the sick in Thy Name. Give to my efforts success for the glory of Thy Holy Name. It is Thy work; without Thee, I cannot succeed. Grant that the sick Thou hast placed in my care may be abundantly blessed, and not one of them be lost because of any neglect on my part.Help me to overcome every temporal weakness,and strengthen in me whatever may enable me to bring joy to the lives of those I serve. Give me grace, for the sake of Thy sick ones and of those lives that will be influenced by them.

Dear Lord, please give me strength, To face the day ahead.
Dear Lord, please give me courage, As I approach each hurting bed.
Dear Lord, please give me wisdom With every word I speak.
Dear Lord, please give me patience, As I comfort the sick and weak.
Dear Lord, Please give me assurance, As the day slips into night.
That I have done the best I can, That I have done what’s right.

Be my voice to the deaf. Be my faith where there is doubt. Be my hope where there is despair. Be my light where there is darkness. Be my joy where there is sadness. Be me in the world.

Be my eyes to the blind. Be my consolation to those who need to be consoled. Be my understanding to those who need to be understood. Be my healing to those who need to healed. Be my love to those who need love. Be my forgiveness to those who need to be forgiven. Be my death to those who need me. Be me in the world.