O blessed disciples of Paul

and shepherds of the Church

who imitated so well

your father in the faith

who imitated only

the Lord Jesus Christ

and thirsted for His Cross –

pray this holy Apostle

be our father, too,

and you with him,

that we too might embrace the Cross;

teach us the sound doctrine

handed on to you

that we may hand it on

and all souls

might fight the good fight

and run the race with Jesus

unto eternal life.

Pray for all the shepherds of the Church

that they be faithful as you have been

to rightful authority.

O you who persecuted

the Church of God

but then preached the faith

in earnest,

you upon whom

abundant mercy fell,

whose weakness became strength

as each day in bearing

extraordinary torments

you grew closer to God –

show us the way

to Heaven.

Pray we fall continually

from our horse,

from our pride,

and allow the Lord

to change our lives.

Pray repentance

be our constant food,

that the love of Jesus

and His forgiveness

we shall ever know

in greater measure.

O most devout spiritual guide,

great pastor of your flock

and of all souls,

you who speak to us

even this day

with your words of wisdom

and blessed direction –

pray every branch

of Jesus’ vine

may aspire to His perfection;

in whatever state we find ourselves,

let us set our hearts

on loving the Lord

and serving Him and neighbor

prayerfully.

Teach us to pray faithfully,

to offer our lives

in all situations,

all for the glory of God.

Our call may we hear

and heed by your intercession,

following the Christ and carrying His Cross

as He leads.

O lover of the least,

the most wretched of society,

whom you embraced

when no one else would;

how like St. Francis you were

in your care for the lepers,

in your living the Gospel

as an image of Christ:

He was hungry and you fed Him,

thirsty and you gave Him drink,

naked and you clothed Him

and cared for Him when He was sick –

pray our hearts will burn

with the same sacrificial love

you bore so well

for those most abandoned,

that truly we shall see Christ in them

and welcome Him

into our homes…

may their suffering be our own.

How else shall we become holy?

How else shall we be welcomed

into the kingdom with you?

O martyr of the Lord extraordinaire

who suffered unspeakable torture

but was not bowed

by such savagery,

who spoke of great faith,

singing of God’s glory

even as your limbs

were crushed,

even as all the brutality

the world could inflict

sought to break

your spirit –

help us to conquer the world

as you have done,

as the Lord has done in you,

not to be afraid

but rather to serve

our Savior and His Cross

in joy

as His blessed disciples;

pray we, too, shall enter the heavenly gates

open to those in whom the Spirit speaks

even unto death.

O holy virgin martyr,

O innocent child

who offered your life

more freely than a bride

to her husband,

more courageously than a warrior

in battle,

who though lacking in years

was not lacking in faith

nor desire to honor

your only Spouse…

you who were honored

by the Fathers of the Church

and are remembered to this day

as a holy offering,

a lamb of God sacrificed in flames

yet professing ever

your love for Christ –

but a small measure of your courage

would save our souls.

Pray but a drop of His blood

we may know

falling from our veins.

O soldier for Christ

who sought with such courage

to embrace His Cross,

to die a death

worthy of such a Lord,

you whose heart

was so set

on imitating the suffering

only He knew

and so were rewarded

with the crown of martyrdom –

where is our courage;

where is our strength?

Pray for us,

O warrior of our Lord and God,

that our lives

may bear witness

to approach your own,

that we shall not shrink

from the Cross before us

but with your same zeal

seek to make it our own.

Pray the blood of Christ upon us.

O Holy Father of the Church,

Pastor of the sheep of our Lord

who have given your life freely

for the name of Christ

and its spreading

throughout the earth,

you whose blood was shed

by the persecutors

of the body

but whose soul

was ever in the Hand of God –

pray our lives

shall be lived in integrity

and our death correspond,

that a blessed witness

we too shall give

to the glory of God

and His Son Jesus Christ,

and so lead others

to that same glory.

May none of the flock

or their shepherds

fear the sacrifice of their lives.

O father of monks

and all who would give themselves

completely to the Lord,

you who have been so obedient

to the word of God,

to His call

to sell everything,

to renounce all possessions

and follow Him –

how we need your prayers

this day,

when love for material things

possesses our very bodies

and souls,

when prayer and penance

seem things of the distant past.

Make present to us

the blessed call of the Lord,

the renunciation of the world,

that we too might find

the riches of Heaven

you knew so well.

Pray we give up all for God.

O shepherd and doctor

of God’s holy Church,

is this not what you would declare

with all your breath

to the ends of the earth:

“Jesus is the Son of God

and God Himself”?

Would you not proclaim

the true light of Scripture

and the Word, the Light,

become flesh in our midst?

Know, O saint of the Lord,

that your words reach our ears

and our hearts

even to this day,

and this day we proclaim you holy

and your words true –

continue to speak to us;

please intercede for us,

that the Truth you declared

so fearlessly

will be taken up again

by those in His stead today.  

O redeemer of captive slaves,

those enslaved to sin

and those enslaved

by the clutches of the world –

preach to us this day

the freedom found

under the Cross of Christ

and in the repentance of heart

blessed by the grace

upon the Church.

Teach us well

the path to Heaven,

which is wrought not in comfort and peace

but in struggle against sin,

in the laying down of our lives

before our persecutors.

Ransom us from wayward

thoughts and actions,

and from the snares

of the adversary

who waits for our misstep.

In Christ alone

may we find our rest.

O friend of the lowly,

humble child of St. Joseph,

servant of the poor

and counsel to the afflicted

through whom the Lord worked miracles…

how He blessed your ignorance

with His wisdom,

your weakness with His strength;

unattached

to this passing world,

you drew souls

to the world to come –

pray we be as poor and lowly

as the dust you swept each day,

as the Child Jesus

in the manger at Bethlehem.

Pray we, too, have ears

to hear and answer

the needs of others

and that good St. Joseph

will hold us in his arms

and carry us with you

unto Heaven.

O shepherd who walked

in the humble stead

of your flock,

who worked so diligently

among those in your care,

speaking to their hearts;

you who gathered into schools

the little ones,

who saw to the education

of the children…

and all this in a foreign land –

pray for the country in which you ministered,

that its lambs

once again be raised

in the faith

and its strangers

be once again shepherded

by one as anxious as you

for their well-being.

Here let us find the grace of Christ

to redeem

the lowly

and the lost.

O mother through marriage

and religious Mother,

who indeed became mother of many,

many sisters whom you led

in the faith

and many children whom you taught

in your schools –

in your wisdom

teach many still

the path of Christ,

the way of charity He has trod,

that renewed will those be

who call you Mother,

and instructed well

those in their classrooms

throughout the land.

What should we teach our children,

dear Mother?

Have we not forgotten the lesson of Christ?

Pray for us, I beg,

this day,

that the way and the truth

we shall follow.

O bishops and doctors,

O brothers so united in Christ,

united in your desire

to find His wisdom

and live His virtue,

for you what mattered

but to be like Christ?

All you would have given up

to find His way;

nothing of this world

did you wish

but to leave it behind.

One in heart and mind,

one in word and work

and in the food of which you partook…

how blessed it is

when men live as brothers,

when nothing they desire

but the other’s good –

teach us this way of union

in the love of God.

O Blessed Virgin

in whose womb was conceived

the only Son of God,

who by such grace

has brought salvation

to our race…

What faith is yours

in God the Father!

What power is upon you

by the Holy Spirit!

What unutterable wonder we find

in your Son!

How is it one of our own number

could give birth

to our Creator?

Such glorious union

with the Godhead

we could never merit

nor discover

except that the Lord

has chosen you –

pray this day

He shall be born in us, too.

O blessed martyr

who died in the cathedral,

murdered by the king of this world

as you defended the Chair of Peter

and the true faith of the Church –

where can we find bishops like yourself;

how shall the Church be led

without holy apostles

willing to give their lives

as Christ,

in whose place they stand?

Pray for us, devout shepherd,

that many will be inspired

by your example

to follow in the footsteps of our Lord

and defend the faith

even unto the shedding of blood,

for what is the shedding of blood in this world

compared with the light of Heaven

you now know in our Savior’s presence?

Pray for us and let us pray with you,

seeking truth and love

in our pilgrimage on this earth.

O innocent martyrs of the Christ

who gave your lives

from the cradle

for Him who carries the Cross,

who suffered and died in His place

even before His crucifixion,

even as His martyrs would do

after His death on the Tree –

let our hearts cry not

for the evil that has wrought

your violent death;

pray we not fear

the dark wrath of this world’s king

but set our hearts

on the joy of our Lord’s kingdom,

where you now reign with Him

and to which we hope to come

by the laying down of our own lives

in His Name.

And pray for the least among us

who suffer the most this day,

that they who are murdered in the womb

will know the light of Christ’s holy face.

O beloved disciple of the Lord

who saw Him

and touched Him,

who believed in Him

with all your being,

who loved Him so

that no love but His

surpassed your own –

speak to us this day

of the Word of life

who has come among us,

died for us,

and been raised from the grave.

Continue to proclaim that love

which alone saves men from sin,

which alone banishes death from our midst;

let us share in your love for Jesus

and join you in proclaiming

Him who has come

in the joy you knew so well.

Point us to Him even this day,

that we too might see

and believe.

O three holy persons

united as one

in the humble home at Nazareth,

Mary and Joseph

with God’s only Son…

who became your Son,

who became our Son,

who became our Brother

in all things human

and shared with you

the food of your table

and the dust beneath your feet –

you are our model upon this earth;

you we should follow

to find new birth in the Spirit,

to find ourselves sons of the Father,

to be as brother to Christ.

O Holy Family,

what a blessed trinity you form

in the love of God and neighbor;

pray we not fall short of your grace.

O first martyr,

model of Christ’s love

and bearer of His Holy Spirit

in wisdom and in truth,

you who spoke as the Lord Himself

and died as He died,

with the forgiveness of your persecutors

upon your lips

and utter trust of the Father

in your heart –

pray that we too

will find the grace and strength

to commend our lives

into the Father’s hands,

never holding bitterness

toward those who destroy the body,

who would chain the Word,

but ever loving every soul

even as you have done.

O let our hearts be set on Jesus!

let them bleed as His own,

that united in Heaven with Him we shall be

with you in the glory of God.

O holy teacher of the faith

and pastor of Christ’s flock

who instructed with wisdom

and led by kindness and humility

those in your care

and all those around you –

teach us today

not only to know our faith

but to practice it by holiness of life

as you have done,

so simply,

so thoroughly as a child of the Lord.

Pray for us

and pray for our priests,

for whom you are a model of perfection.

All yourself you have given

in imitation of Jesus;

may the Lord God

be in our hearts and on our lips

just so truly

as He has been

with you,

good teacher.

O great defender of the faith,

of the clear waters,

the wellspring of salvation

that flows from the Sacred Heart

of our Savior

into His holy Church,

thus to nourish the world

and fill it with truth

and wisdom

and love…

you whom the Lord inspired

with apostolic zeal

to teach and lead souls

along His holy way –

teach us today

by your gracious intercession

to be faithful,

to be obedient to the voice of Jesus

and the Spirit speaking in the Mother

the Lord God provides His pilgrim people.

Let us not be separated from His Word

and His precious Body and Blood,

but come together as one in His presence.

O mystical doctor –

help us by way of the Cross

to find wisdom and knowledge of Christ

and union with God;

let us desire to enter

the suffering of the Lord,

that by this means

we may draw closer

to His glorious presence

and there remain in joy.

Let us fear not

the dark night the soul must endure

but bear it well,

that we might be purged of all blindness;

pray the Lord will shine upon us

His holy light

and we might soon look upon

His face

with you.

May the Lord’s Cross overshadow all

and anoint every soul

with the peace that surpasses understanding,

with His undying love.

O bride of our Lord Jesus Christ,

in your virginity

and in your dying

you have given yourself

entirely

to the Lord of Heaven and earth.

O how like Him you were

in your purity

and in your suffering!

and so how close to Him

you must be

in Heaven –

pray that a ray of His light

might come to us

who sit in darkness,

we whose hearts

are not as strong

as your own.

His heavenly light

we wish to enter;

by your prayers

may we see

His glory.

O Patroness of the Americas

and Protectress of the Unborn,

look upon our troubled state,

where lust and greed abound,

where thousands are killed in the womb

every day,

where the poor and the rich

are separated by steel walls

and thirsting souls

die in the desert –

help us, dear Mother,

to discover life,

to find your guidance

in this land of opportunity

and broken dreams,

in these hearts that have grown so cold

that more are sacrificed

on unholy altars

than when you first came

to turn our hearts to the Lord!

Pray for us, Our Lady,

or we shall surely die

in a soulless pride.

O bishop of Rome

who guided the bark of Peter

through difficult waters,

who kept her on the course

set for her by the Lord

even as she grew in this world

from a Church of the blood of martyrs

to one entering the light of day,

of acceptance by the city of man…

you who sought so diligently

to preserve the memory of the martyrs

lest it should pass away,

and the Cross of Christ

with it –

pray that today, too,

the Church will remember its root,

the root of Jesse and His sacrifice,

and that as she grows

our Mother on earth

will be well understood

by those called into her walls.

Pray the martyrs pray for us,

that in their blood we always find our growth.

O humble child of the Lord

whom our Lady blessed

with her presence,

to whom she gave

roses in winter –

pray for us who are not humble as you,

whose obedience is cold

and grown so weak,

that she might come to us, too,

that she might speak a word to our hearts

and we might as children

listen

and do as she directs,

she who directs us only to Jesus,

only to His love.

Pray this continent be once again

renewed

by the grace of God;

may Our Lady’s image

be upon our hearts

that we too might proclaim

the glory of the Lord

and His love for His children.

O pure Mother,

you are she who is full of grace;

it is you who have found the Lord’s favor.

Preserved from all sin from the womb,

overflowing with all His blessings,

you are the hope of our race,

the one created soul most like to God –

pray for us this day, dear Mother,

that we might be kept from the snares of the world,

from the enticements of the devil.

O help us be pure as you,

obedient to the will of the Father,

bringing His Son into this world

by the Holy Spirit’s power.

You who now reign in Heaven

with the Lord, your only Son,

intercede for us who toil on earth

that we too might enter God’s presence;

you who are blessed to be one with Him,

pray the Church you bear be so well founded.

Hail, Full of Grace!

Your name be blessed forever

by all generations.

O good bishop

and wise doctor of the Church –

pray for us,

that the water that is Christ

might pour upon our souls,

especially His chosen apostles,

your fellow bishops,

and fill all with wisdom from on high,

leading us away from all lies

to the truth that is Jesus.

Pray our hearts shall be filled

to overflowing

with this Word,

that the Gospel might be preached

by lips anointed

with the Body and Blood of our Lord;

may the darkness of error

be dispelled

and God’s pure light

shine in our midst.

Pray for us, good doctor,

pray for us;

lead us indeed to the truth that is Christ.

O bishop of Myra,

shepherd of the Lord’s sheep

who has with a generous heart

cared so well

for His little ones…

all became as your children,

for you loved your flock

with the love of Christ Himself;

their needs were your own –

pray our hearts will be like yours,

that just so generously

we will give to those in need,

provide for those in our care.

I pray you will see us now

as your children here

and beg the bearer of all good gifts

to provide for all those most in need,

that in joy all souls

may welcome His coming,

ready for the joys of Heaven.

May our love be one

with the love of our Good Shepherd,

now and in eternity.

O blessed teacher of the faith –

may the nourishing waters of our Mother,

of the true teaching of our Church,

flow upon all souls,

calling them to the Lord

from whom they emanate;

like the waters trickling from the temple

in Ezekiel’s vision,

may they grow and increase

as they travel to the ends of the earth,

making all whole,

pure in the light of God.

Pray that the Mother of Heaven,

through whom flow these waters,

these graces pouring forth

from the Cross of Christ…

will pray for us here on earth

and see that we are nourished well

by the faith

brought to us by the holy apostles

and still fostered

by the shepherds of the Church.

May the Lord keep us in His way.

O holy apostle of the Lord,

model of faith in God

and love of the Church,

has there been a soul

to match your zeal

for the salvation of the world?

Convict us of our laziness,

of our sloth,

of our distraction by the things

not of the kingdom of God;

of what worth are our lives

if not spent in service of the Lord

and of neighbor?

O missionary of missionaries,

by your prayer

let the Church on earth,

which flounders so in empty illusion,

be renewed by a living faith

that reaches to the ends of the world

and banishes all darkness

from the hearts and minds of men.

Pray God’s kingdom come

and reign amongst us.

O virgin pure and brilliant,

you gave your life

in defense of the faith,

refuting all arguments to its contrary;

though you were but a child yourself,

you stood strong before your tormentors,

enduring the persecution and torture

they struggled in vain to muster against you,

ever shining the light of purity and truth

before their corrupted minds and hearts –

pray for those who defend the faith

and all those who would explain it away,

that the light of pure reason

will dispel all doubt and darkness

and the verity of the faith be known

by all souls on this earth,

undeniable as it is

by the mind of any man.

Pray we not waste words or time

but live a holy life before God,

giving witness to His presence

in the world and in the Church,

and come finally to rest on His mountain.

O you who were martyred

over three centuries of persecution

in a country so bitter toward the faith,

bishops and priests and laymen alike,

native to the land and foreign-born,

all innocent souls

who suffered even torture in joy,

all for the sake of the Lord and His Church –

pray we shall be as ready as you

to bear witness to the faith

with our lives,

that all as one in the Body of Christ

we will be willing even to die

to satiate our thirst for the kingdom

and for the salvation of souls.

O what joy to be as Jesus,

to walk in His steps

even to the Cross!

No greater blessing could any soul know

on this corrupted plane…

Pray we shall come with you to Heaven.

O father of holy monasteries

who dug deeply in the earth,

in the heart of man,

and laid their foundation

on the Rock that is Christ

that they might be made in His image,

in the image of Him who created us –

pray we shall love the Lord as He commands

and so be holy as He is holy,

truly reflecting the image of our God

and living in His surpassing peace.

Pray austerity serve well

to make us in the Lord’s image,

to purge from us all that is not of Him;

may we be blessed to serve

with untiring devotion and care

the will of our Lord in all things,

in worship of Him, in prayer,

and in genuine love of our neighbor,

that the Gospel may go forth

to the ends of the earth

not just in words

but in our very flesh and blood.

O successor to Peter,

Shepherd of God’s Church,

Father of all the churches

in the Body of Christ,

these you instructed well;

these you gave a shepherd’s care…

for these and for the Lord

you shed your blood –

pray for God’s Church even this day,

that she shall remain united

under her one Lord and Savior,

each member serving the good of all

as wholly as you have done.

Pray we all work together in Jesus’ name

and in His blood

to do the Father’s will

and so become as holy as He,

as holy as you were blessed to become.

Pray the teaching of the apostles

ever ring in our ears

that we shall never forget

the way the Christ marks out for us,

the way of truth that leads to life.

O holy virgin and martyr,

you sang a song of love to Jesus,

a song that could not be dimmed,

could not be taken away,

for you were protected

by an angel of the Lord

and willing to give your life

to maintain your love for Him –

pray for us poor souls

of this day and age

from whom purity is so far removed,

who need deep conversion to believe,

to see the angel at your side,

to know the path

to which the Lord calls us,

the Cross which is every Christian’s song.

So far removed, so far removed are we,

and so impassible is the way to Him…

inspire in our souls, dear saint,

the desire for the incorruptible

that beat in your heart,

that we too might sing a song to Jesus

pleasing to His ears.

O holy Temple of the Lord,

preeminent member of His Church,

you who were destined from all ages

to bear the Son of God,

to be His chosen dwelling place…

you were weaned into His Temple;

there you ever remained,

becoming yourself the House of God,

where He now ever stays –

pray we be built into His Temple;

pray we become sons and daughters

unto you.

In you let us make our home, dear Mother,

that the holiness of Jesus

we shall ever share.

We cannot live in Him

if apart from you;

we cannot be as Christ’s Body,

blessed by the Holy Spirit

and doing the Father’s will on earth,

if you are not our Mother,

if you are not the Temple in which we dwell.

Pray our holiness mirror your own.

O woman who prayed always

and had great mercy on souls,

whose missionary zeal

led you across the ocean,

thousands of miles from your home,

to educate the poor

and care for the sick,

to bring the love of Jesus

to those most in need –

pray we too shall have a heart

set on service of the Lord

and remembrance of His presence,

that our concern for those apart from Christ

will drive us to great ends,

even to the ends of the earth,

where certainly He dwells.

Pray we shall have your courage

in facing the unknown,

in calling all home

to the Heart of God;

and through all we do for Him

let us remain in prayer,

knowing His Heaven here on earth.

O charitable soul

who gave all you owned

for the sake of the Gospel,

though endowed with great riches

you embraced lady poverty

that you might serve the Lord

with a heart beating for the poor.

With your own hands

you tended the sickest;

into your own home

you welcomed the most destitute –

pray that in our small way

we too may follow

in the footsteps of Christ

and give our lives

to the poor whom He loves

and to prayer in His presence.

Pray our hearts, too,

may know His tender care for souls

and our own souls

meditate upon Him night and day;

pray we too shall give up all

to find His holy kingdom.

O blessed mystic of Jesus,

you were saved by Him

from a life of vain pursuit

of the things and thoughts

of this world

to find union with His Sacred Heart,

which holds all heavenly treasures.

You see Him now

(do you not, dear virgin?)

in His perfection,

even as you saw Him,

though only in the shadow of vision,

here upon this plane –

pray we shall also know

His blessed perfection,

the beating of His Sacred Heart

within our own,

the love which surpasses all understanding

illumining our soul…

that no more will we ever desire

than to be with Him

where you are now,

in His eternal glory.

O devout mother and queen

whose concern was ever

for your children and your people,

that they might ever be fed

in body and in soul

and so grow unto the fullness of Christ –

pray for us, O holy queen,

that we the Lord’s poor subjects

might receive from His hand

all we need

to become His sons and daughters.

In prayer and gratitude

let us remain ever before His throne,

that by such holy fear

we might be made fruitful as you,

bearing children unto Him

and raising them to His glory.

A heart for the poor

may we ever nourish

that, as poor as we are,

by our King’s gracious blessing

we might give what He provides

until all enter His reign.

O patron of scientists and philosophers,

you of brilliant mind

who taught with both

human and divine wisdom,

who led your students

to deeper and purer understanding

of God and His world

and most especially His Church –

pray we partake of your teaching this day,

that the light you brought

to the minds of your flock

will not be lost

or forgotten

by eyes blind to the truth.

Pray the word upon your soul

will bring us closer to the Lord

that we might partake of Him

in sacrament and in preaching.

O how shall we see

if you do not pray for us,

if you do not serve to guide us

to the glory that surpasses

our poor ability to comprehend Him?

O mother of the faith

and helper of the stranger

in the New World,

you sought with great diligence

to preserve the true religion

in a land hostile to Mother Church,

to assist those in spiritual

as well as physical need –

pray a measure of your missionary spirit

be poured out upon your daughters,

upon the many houses you established

and all those served by them.

Pray the country you took to heart

and which became your own

will turn resolutely

to the Lord and His blood

and away from the destruction

of its soul,

upon which it seems so set.

Pray the faith shall be restored

from shore to shore

and this nation in truth become

a light on a hill.

O shepherd thirsty for souls,

whose only desire

was the unity of the Church

under Christ her King

and on the Rock of Peter…

for this cause you gave your life;

for this call from the Lord

you shed your blood –

pray this day all may be one,

that none shall shrink

from fulfilling this desire of Jesus

but by the power of the Holy Spirit

work tirelessly

and with great courage

to slake the thirst of the Lord.

We are all children of one Father;

we have but one Brother in Christ

and one Mother in the Catholic faith.

Pray this truth shall prevail

over the deceptions of the devil,

who would separate and conquer souls

but who is turned back from his evil course

when we are willing to die for one another.

O sacrificial shepherd,

you gave your life for your flock;

a poor and humble man,

you gathered the poor and humble

of the Lord

into the arms of His Church,

where they might be fed with His grace.

Ever with arms upraised

you taught your people ever to pray

and founded many houses of prayer;

peace you brought to your church

that all might serve the one true God –

pray we shall be humble and lowly

as you, dear shepherd,

and so mirror the life of our Lord.

Pray our lives be entrusted to Him,

that whatever we do be in His will;

whether we live or die,

let it not matter to us,

but only let matter the laying down of our lives,

that by such sacrificial offering

God’s Word might go forth

and all souls be welcomed into Abraham’s arms.

O true Pastor of God’s Church,

defender of the faith

from forces without

and within her walls,

you proved that this House

founded by Christ the Lord

shall never succumb

to the powers of hell

but ever stand strong

against all tides of the world

and the evil influence of the devil –

pray though the flesh be weak,

though every member be prone to sin,

that all souls set on the Rock

that is the bark of Peter

shall repel every attack

against the integrity of the faith

and stand with Jesus

as king over the flesh,

as priest offering pure sacrifice,

as prophet speaking His words…

and so until the end of time

may God’s Church be ever blessed.

O defender of the Catholic faith

in which all the saints

make their home,

O great pastor of souls,

shepherd of Christ’s flock,

who would see all enter fully

into the fold

only the saints know –

pray for the Lord’s Church this day,

that it shall never turn away

from the Truth

which is at its heart,

from the Son of God

who made it,

forming it in His own blood;

pray our souls be set

on prayer to Him,

our minds on meditation

on His life,

that nothing may distract us

from His holy presence

within the walls of Mother Church

and within our own hearts.

O humble and charitable soul

whose healing hands served the poor

and all those the Lord placed

in your care,

with great love you looked upon

Christ on the Cross

and in the Blessed Sacrament,

and so sought to love your neighbor

even as Jesus Himself –

pray we shall somehow learn

to put others before ourselves,

that in this way,

in the way of the Lord,

we will truly love and serve God,

knowing our sins outweigh

those of any other soul,

and yet that the mercy of our Savior

outweighs any human fault.

And so, pray we shall be humble as you,

as kind and as caring,

that we too will lay down our lives

in prayer and in penance,

in the blood and tears of Jesus.

O God’s holy ones,

His apostles and martyrs,

His virgins and confessors,

all who have borne witness to Him

with your lives,

who have washed your robes

in His blood,

whose hands are clean

in His sight

and so are clothed in white,

all you who have suffered

under the Cross

in the flesh in this world

and so now stand in His light

in the Spirit

before His throne in Heaven…

O all holy ones of the Lord

from every age,

from every time and place;

from every nation you come,

speaking in every tongue

of His undying love –

please, pray for us, His pilgrim children!

O zealous apostle

who traveled throughout the earth

driven by the fire of the Holy Spirit,

you labored strenuously,

rejoicing in poverty

and welcoming hardships

as you gave your very life

for the flock in your care –

pray the love of Christ

will urge us on to holy zeal

that we might approach your apostolic spirit,

desiring to inflame all men

with the fire of God’s love.

Concerned always and only

for the glory of God

and the salvation of souls,

may we fulfill our call;

as sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

with her same purity and commitment,

pray we give birth to Christ in souls

by the preaching of the Gospel

until all are formed in His image

in the heavenly kingdom.

O tireless preacher of God’s Word,

how well, how completely,

you called all men,

and especially the priests of the Lord,

to a life of holiness,

to shine the light of Christ;

with patience and sound doctrine

and the example of a blameless life

you sought to save souls

throughout the world

and bring them into the fold

of Holy MotherChurch –

pray this day apostles go forth

in the brightness of holiness

as light to the world,

drawing all men to God.

In such wisdom let truth be known,

the truth of our Savior Jesus Christ,

that every heart might call Him Lord

and proclaim the Church as His own.

Pray not a day pass,

not an hour upon this plane,

wherein His Word is not heard.

          O great Pontiff

          who stood as a bulwark

          against the culture of death

          threatening to overtake mankind,

          who served to bring down the Enemy

          with the sacrifice of your life and your many works:

          under the Mantle of Our Mother,

          you gathered the youth of the world as one

          to hear your ringing exhortation;

          you enlightened minds

          assailed by doubt and despair;

          you taught men and women the language of love

          the Lord wrought into our very bodies…

          for you knew the power of the Cross

          and carried it till the end,

          finding light in the dark night of suffering.

          The gates of Hell could not stand

          against your invocation of the Spirit –

          pray we too shall open wide

          the doors for Christ

          and fear no evil as we entrust ourselves

          entirely to our Redeemer

          and His Divine Mercy.

O true lover of the Crucified,

always you celebrated

the feast of the Cross

in the temple of your soul,

uniting yourself with the will of God

by taking upon yourself

the torments of the Lord

in a silent joy

and so finding the food

of sacrificial love

which sustains us in this world –

pray we shall be as Christ,

that we shall walk the path

He marks out for us,

and so in embracing the Cross

find true joy in the grief we suffer,

in the blessing of oneness

with our crucified Lord

and so with His Father in Heaven.

You who have been transformed

into your Beloved,

pray we shall join you

through the Passion of Christ.

O heroic witnesses

to the faith,

O loyal followers of Jesus

who took up the cup

of torture and death

willingly,

with desire only to join your Lord,

with delight and joy

at the deadly blows…

your offering of body and blood

is unsurpassed

because it was one

with Christ’s own,

done with love for those

who killed you –

pray we shall so completely

embrace our call,

embrace the cross

provided us by the Lord,

that with your same thirst for truth

we shall lay down our lives for our brothers.

O bringer of the Good News,

the light of the Gospel,

to many nations…

a thorough account you have given us

of all Jesus did and taught

and of the Holy Spirit’s work

among His disciples;

and so the Lord’s peace

may enter our homes,

and we embrace Him with Mary –

pray, dear physician,

that the Word of the Lord

may indeed come to our hearts

through the words you declare,

and we be healed by His grace

and illumined by His Spirit;

the glory of the kingdom pray we know.

Though He has been taken from our sight,

let us proclaim His presence

with great joy,

for He yet speaks to all our souls

in the words you have recorded,

in the fire of God that guided your hand.

O wheat of Christ

ground by the teeth of wild beasts

and so made His bread,

His leaven unto Heaven…

by such heroic witness

you became one with the Lord,

joining Him in death

and so in eternal life –

pray we shall find the strength and faith

to follow in your sacrificial footsteps,

that it will also be our sole desire

to die in Jesus’ name,

to be remade in His glory.

Teach us the way,

for it seems so dimmed

by the material things

the devil presents to our vision;

pray for us, blessed victim,

that our thirst for life in Him

will overcome any obstacle

and so our journey to His kingdom

be made straight by His grace.

His flesh and blood be our own this day.

O apostle of Christ’s Sacred Heart,

in mystic wonder you beheld Him

and let Him wash you clean

in the streams that flow

from His Heart divine –

pray indeed we shall unite ourselves

to Jesus and His love,

that we shall submerge

our needs and sorrows

in the abyss of His mercy

and seek perfection

in union with His Sacred Heart.

There let us find salvation,

reparation for all our sins;

there let us find heavenly joy,

the peace that surpasses understanding.

With you let us enter His presence,

let us be bathed in His light,

ever progressing toward His kingdom

till we are devoted entirely

to advancing His eternal glory.

Pray His will and His way be known in us

as we entrust ourselves to His love.

O mother of the unfortunate

and model of prayer and penance,

completely you gave yourself

to service of the Lord

and neighbor,

chastising your flesh

by constant fast and abstinence

and generously offering

your goods and your time

to all those in need –

pray we shall at least desire

to imitate your thorough devotion,

that our lives will be spent

not on things of this world

but for the reign of Heaven.

All we can do for others

let us do,

and let all be done for God,

that He alone

will rule our hearts and lives

and we will worship

Him alone,

dying to ourselves all the while.

O teacher and Mother

who served to reform your sisters

and the lives of all Christians,

you led all souls

along the way of perfection,

which is Christ Himself –

pray his love may fill our hearts

that union with the Father

we indeed may find;

inspire us by your teaching

to seek Him

who makes His home in us…

and pray we shall have your courage,

your faith in the face of trials,

as we work to bring Him to others

and so suffer under His Cross.

Pray we shall know as you

the joy of such persecution,

which brings us only closer to God,

our spirits wed to His surpassing peace.

O pray, dear Mother,

we shall be entirely forgetful of ourselves

as we remember His presence in our lives.

O slave become Shepherd

of the universal Church,

firmly you defended her teaching

and recognized that all sins

may be forgiven

by the Lord through her;

then after serving faithfully

at the helm of Peter’s bark,

you died and were buried

with your martyr brothers,

whose grave you so treasured –

pray we, too, remain firm

through all the difficult trials

and temptations of this world,

that our death may be as blessed

as your own

and we come to rest safely

in God’s arms.

O that by such incorrupt faith

and unshaken courage

we too shall be raised from the dust,

from our humble origins,

to sit with our Lord in His kingdom.

          O humble and joyful Shepherdof loving Mother Church

          who desired so

          to bring her balm of mercy

          to a confused and bitter world,

          that it might become more fully human

          by imbibing of the fountain

          of her life-giving doctrine

          and so discover the love and peace

          it so desperately seeks

          in vain ideologies

          that pass like mist

          in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ –

          pray we all find our dignity

          in Christ and in the Church

          He founded for our salvation;

          pray the eternal Truth

          She teaches in His Name

          will not be obscured by Satan’s wiles

          but take root in the soil of Christian love

          and be welcomed by all souls

          who desire to possess a smile of joy

          in the presence of God.

O caretaker of souls

who sought so diligently

and with wisdom and love

to reform the Church

and all her members,

beginning with those in higher office,

and so were persecuted

by men who would not be healed

of their disease –

pray that all will be taught

the true doctrine of the faith,

from early childhood

to adult vocation;

may all know to what they are called

as Christians in this world.

And may that Word go forth

to the ends of the earth,

that the faith will be propagated

in all lands and in all hearts

and the Lord’s holy discipline

serve as treasured guide

for all who would come

to the kingdom of Heaven.

O shepherd of a faithful people,

you shed your blood

with your brothers

as a holy offering unto the Lord

after drawing many souls

into His fold;

beheaded for your success

as Christ’s evangelist,

still you lead faithful souls

to God –

pray we shall be so ready

to lay down our own lives

for the propagation

of the Word of God,

and that on our journey

we shall be protected

from all the snares of the devil,

that nothing shall prevent

our standing at Jesus’ side

both in this world

and the next.

O Mother of prayer

and of this prayer

in which we meditate on the life

of our Lord and Savior

through your blessed intercession,

it is through you

we gain victory in Christ;

His life, death, and resurrection

become fruitful in you,

and united with you,

and so with Jesus,

we repel our enemies.

O dear Lady,

our saving Lord comes not to us

except through you:

He is born in you,

He dies with you at His side,

and He raises you to life

but to draw us all unto Himself,

that we might walk in light with Him

even in this world –

pray, yes, pray for us!

you through whom all Christians come.

O crown of contemplation

whom none excels

in solitude,

in knowing the presence of the Lord

alone in a cell,

apart from the world –

a simple chapel pray we find

in the chambers of our heart

that we might chant His praises

all the time

in the quiet,

in His sight.

Let us ever work

to discover

His breathing in our souls,

that one with Him

and with our brothers

ever we might remain.

Obedience is all we need

and He will lead us there;

then no questions will persist

as we dwell in perfect peace.

Pray such grace upon all souls.

O apostle of mercy,

the mercy of Christ

poured freely upon all souls

for the salvation of the whole world,

especially the worst of sinners…

you suffered with our divine Lord

that souls might indeed be saved;

with His Passion you were intimate,

blessed with fellowship with Jesus

and His Mother

and vision of their presence –

pray a measure of your penitential devotion,

a drop of our Savior’s holy blood,

might fall upon our hearts

and make us fruitful as you in His cause;

pray we shall be blessed

with deeper awareness of our wretchedness,

our misery,

that we might know

the infinite majesty of the Lord

and immerse ourselves and all souls

in His measureless mercy.

Let all sins be atoned for in Him!

O image of Christ,

simple, humble, and pure,

indeed you bore the marks of Jesus

in your own body

and in your own soul;

wed to lady poverty,

you embraced loving chastity

and boasted of nothing

but the Lord alone –

pray, dear brother,

for all children of God,

for all your wayward brothers

distracted by the wealth of this world,

that we may be so blessed by the Spirit

to serve the Lord and our neighbor

as completely as you have done.

May our lives, too, be prayers

rising as a fragrant offering

unto the Lord our God

as we reflect His image in this world.

Pray our hearts be set upon Jesus

that we might follow

in His blood-soaked footsteps in joy.

O messengers of God

sent to protect and guide

we poor humans

on our way to the heavenly kingdom,

you whom He in His grace and wisdom

has appointed to carry us home,

lest we dash our foot against a stone –

keep us ever in the way of the Lord;

stay close to us,

remaining always at our side,

for we are but weak and sinful men

so prone to be led astray.

We entrust ourselves into your hands:

bring us to look upon the Father’s face.

For you behold Him always,

you stand loyally in His light,

and we, how shall we gaze upon Him

without your hand to guide?

Cover us with your wings,

protect us from the heat of day

and temptation’s sway

till we stand with you

in the Lord’s eternal reign.

O little flower of Jesus,

with great innocence and humility

you loved the Lord

and prayed for His Church

and especially His priests;

in all the little things of your day

you gave yourself to God’s service,

and so your work reached

to the ends of the earth –

shower roses upon us from above,

where you now sit with Jesus;

teach us to walk your little way

that we might join you

with our Savior.

Pray we too might find His love

and live in His heart

as deeply as you;

pray all souls shall indeed be saved

by the blood He shed for our sake.

And pray that families

will be blessed as your own

with children who heed so well

the call of the Lord.

O great interpreter of holy Scripture,

seeking the wisdom and power of God

you listened

to what the Lord says

in His Word

and so served to dispel

ignorance of Christ;

from your hermitage you came

to serve the Church just so,

to enlighten the minds of the faithful –

pray the Lord shall send forth today

the light of His wisdom and grace

upon those who turn to the pages

of the Word of God in prayer,

that He may be understood in truth,

that Jesus may walk amongst us again…

that knowing the Christ

we may become more like Him

and live according to His instruction,

as a lamp burning brightly in this world

to draw all men to the Lord

and the salvation of their souls,

which He so deeply desires.

O mighty messengers of the Lord,

ministers of His will,

bringing His word and His power

to all poor souls on earth,

you serve to lead us unto Heaven…

you who do the bidding of God,

you who are first among those

who stand around His throne

and sing His praise,

you who are so faithful

in defending His Kingship

and keeping us from harm –

cast the devil from our midst,

instill the word of Jesus’ coming

in our hearts,

bring His healing to the lost sheep,

and see that we join you

on His holy mountain on high;

carry us in your arms

to the place the Savior prepares for us

with you and all your army in His presence.

O simple and devout layman,

husband and father and clerk,

suddenly you were forced to flee

your homeland and family

with your missionary companions,

but death for the faith

each one of you met

without wavering

upon disembarking in a foreign land –

pray, O blessed martyrs,

our faith shall be strong as your own,

that should we be called

to witness even with our lives

to the faith which gives us life,

we will be ready

to enter eternity

with Christ our Lord and Savior.

If tortures threaten our bodies, too,

intercede for us for grace,

that the face of Jesus alone

we shall look upon that day.

O faithful ruler

whose devotion served

to bring your death,

though you loved all your subjects,

caring especially for the poor,

and loved God and His Church above all,

your care and your faith

caused you to be killed

by those so jealous and selfish –

pray for us, good king,

and for the rulers in our midst,

that they will be inspired as you

with a self-effacing humility

and a desire for the truth of God’s way,

giving their lives in service

of the Lord and His people,

not seeking their own gain.

Pray the Mother of God

guide all leaders

and they turn to her in obedience,

that the will of the Father shall be done

and to this world His kingdom come

by the blood of His only Son.

O blessed help of the poor,

slave to widows and orphans

and all those most outcast

and in need,

the least of Christ’s brothers

you indeed gave your life to serve,

completely spending yourself

in their assistance

and leading your own brother priests

to do the same…

and so Christ Himself you waited upon

day in and day out

upon this earth –

pray that we, too, shall be like Jesus,

filled with compassion

for the needs of our neighbors,

sharing their poverty

as we empty ourselves as the Lord has done.

May all our prayers and desires

lead to such charity for the plight of others,

that we might fulfill with you

our Savior’s call to the Cross

and come, therefore, to the riches of Heaven.

O highly honored martyrs

whose tomb drew many pilgrims

and brought about many miracles,

you laid down your lives as one in the Lord,

taking up His bitter and saving cup

of suffering

all for your faith in Him and His Church,

and so, precious in His sight

was your death in His name –

from beyond the grave

pray for us this day,

that the healing blood of Christ our Savior

be poured upon our souls,

that we too might be raised by His sacrifice,

redeemed by the death He endured;

for He has overcome the world,

and you with Him in His blood.

Pray that we who are so weak of faith

may by the Lord’s grace and your intercession

bear witness to Jesus by our own deaths

upon the Cross with Him.

O holy priest

who bore the wounds of Christ

in your hands

and in your ministry,

who served the Lord so greatly

in casting out many demons

in your confessional,

and whom He thus blessed

with miracles of the Spirit –

pray for us of lukewarm faith

who falter day to day

in following our dear Jesus’ path.

So close to Him you were

in His suffering and His love;

so far are we

from His Cross and so His grace.

Pray we shall be strengthened to approach Him

and find healing for our weakness,

the frailty of our souls

which keeps us from knowing the Christ

and laying down our lives for Him

as He calls, as you have done…

O pray His blood be upon us!

O faithful apostle

who so readily answered

the call of the Lord,

leaving your station in this world

to follow in His footsteps

and so find your place in Heaven,

who even with these first steps

brought others to the Christ

as you opened your heart

as well as your home

to Him and to the least of His brothers –

pray, dear brother through whom the Spirit has spoken,

that we too shall follow Jesus

and so find His grace and mercy,

and so find our way to the Father.

Pray our hearts will ever be

so open to hear His voice

and invite Him in to our table,

where He may eat and speak with us,

feeding us with His presence.

And pray we may be blessed as you

in drawing others to the Word, our God,

till all are one in His Body.

O blessed, holy martyrs

who won for yourselves

the crown of salvation

by your undying faith in God,

who cherished well

the prize of persecution

the Lord offered your souls,

who stood fast despite the death

that raged around you –

pray we shall know as you

that all the hairs of our head

are numbered by God

and in His all-embracing providence

He has care over us all,

that we might stand as strong

in our little trials

and sufferings

as you did before the face

of the executioner.

To all people be a witness to the faith

that reaches ever unto Heaven.

O protector of your sheep,

you laid down your life

for them,

giving your blood

for the service of souls

that all might witness

the surpassing love of the Lord

and the glory that awaits

those who die in Him –

pray for shepherds

who feed their sheep,

not lording it over them

or seeking what gain they might find

for themselves,

taking the milk and wool

of their flock

and leaving them naked and lifeless…

but living the call of Christ

as you, dear shepherd, have done.

Pray those who govern God’s Church

will be ready even to die for Him

and the people they serve.

Let all be protected by the blood of the Lamb.

O wise doctor

whose intellect served well

in defense of the Church

and her teachings,

who bore well the light yoke of Christ

that leads to eternal life

and shepherded your flock

in following you

along this path of our Lord –

speak to us this day

your words of grace

that the souls of all

within the Church’s gates

might be founded well

on the truths of the faith

and on the love of God.

Pray we shall be wise as you

in knowing the way

the Lord marks out for His sons;

pray we shall have shepherds

so blessed with His light

that all shall be saved from the wolves about

and remain secure in the Father’s arms.

O brothers in Christ,

in death and in life

you gave yourselves as one

for the sake of the flock;

for the cause of the faith

readily you shed your blood

to serve the growth of God’s Church –

pray we today will be zealous as you

in defending the faith with our lives;

by fasting and by prayer,

by standing courageously

before the courts of the world

and offering our flesh in sacrifice,

may we imitate you who imitated Christ

and so come with all our brothers

to His resurrection and life.

Shepherd us well even this day

from where you now stand at the Lord’s side,

that we might be unafraid to speak

and to live the truth in undying love.

O let us lay down our lives with you!

O sorrowful Mother

whose heart was pierced by a sword,

who stood at the foot of the Cross

dying in spirit

as your Son died in the flesh…

Jesus was sent to suffer

and die for our sins,

and how intimately you shared

in the profound pain

He carried about all His life;

how preeminently you filled up

what was lacking in His suffering,

suffering the whole Church must share

with our crucified Lord –

pray we shall indeed enter into

the sacrifice of Christ your Son,

following in your wake,

O Mother of God;

pray we shall meet Him

along His Way of Sorrow

that His blood upon our souls

will carry us to Heaven,

where you stand at His side.

O you of golden tongue,

how well you proved

the Word of God cannot be chained;

how well you revealed

its radiance to our ears and hearts…

unconquered by threats of death

and the sufferings

the world imposes,

you proclaimed the glory of God

and His presence with us

until the very end –

pray, O dear shepherd,

who held your flock

so close to your heart

that they became one body with you

in Christ,

that we all shall be so willing

to lay down our lives,

speaking and walking in

the Word the Lord gives us

to share with all our brothers in light.

Pray indeed God’s will be done

in all His holy children.

O Mary, sweetest of creatures,

whose name on our lips

brings joy to our hearts…

inflamed with love toward God

and you

we become

in speaking your blessed name –

pray we shall call your name,

dear Lady,

in our time of need,

that you will be quick to intercede

with your Son

for our salvation.

Washed in the water from His side

and in His holy blood,

pray we shall rise above the sea,

beyond all rebellion,

that obedient as you, His Handmaid,

we shall find favor with the Lord

and enter into Heaven,

our names written beside your own

in the Book of Life,

dearest Mary.

O slave to the slaves,

to those who came in chains

to the new world,

those whose dark skin

made them seem to eyes of flesh

less than men…

to you these were children of God,

souls to be saved by His love

and through His Church,

and so the thousands

baptized by your hands

celebrate your glorious sacrifice

this day in God’s presence –

pray for us, dear brother,

that the shackles of racial prejudice,

the pride that exalts man above man,

shall fall from our hands,

our tongues and our hearts,

and that all of the Lord’s holy people

will work so diligently

as you, His blessed slave,

for the care of the weakest among us

and the salvation of all souls.

O Virgin who bore the Son of God,

who became the divine dwelling place

for the Creator of us all,

should we not celebrate your birth

this day,

the blessing of the generation

of you who signal our salvation?

Pray for us, dear Mother,

pray for all your children,

all who would call themselves

sons of God

and brothers of our Lord Jesus Christ...

pray that all generations

will call you blessed,

that all will hail you

as Mother of our Savior

and glorify the Lord

who has filled you with His grace.

You are one of us, dear Virgin Mary,

one of the human creation,

yet in you God deigns to dwell;

pray we shall all be made worthy

to be such a temple for the Lord.

          O lover of the poor

          and of the unborn,

          in whom you saw

          the face of Christ,

          by whom you held Him

          close to your heart

          and so comforted His thirst

          for souls –

          pray for us who are so blind

          to the presence of Christ

          in the least among us

          or even in those

          beside us.

          Pray, dear Mother,

          that we will hear their cry,

          which is Jesus’ cry

          from the Cross,

          and that we shall not fear

          the darkness

          as we enter beneath the shadow

          of His loving arms,

          where we shall find

          true light.

O great Shepherd,

watchman of the House of God

and protector of His flock,

though in the monastery you would have stayed,

when called to the Chair of Peter

you guided the Church well

through difficult times –

pray that as difficult days continue

a firm hand may continue to be found

at the helm of MotherChurch.

O pray that the faith be strengthened,

that the Rock upon which this House is set

will remain unshakable

and its light, its wisdom,

serve ever as a beacon

calling straying souls

into the Lord’s welcoming arms.

Humility and holiness

may all our leaders embody,

that by the Word of God on their tongues

and His wounds in their hands

all the poor of the earth

will be carried unto Heaven.

O witness to the Truth,

to the Light that has come among us,

you gave your very life

and death

for the sake of Christ,

who redeemed us in His blood,

blood you shed with your Savior;

you who were a pillar of iron

against the whole land

and against its king,

you who stood so strong

against the lust of the world,

suffering its persecution so willingly,

fortified even in death

by the Lord and His promise –

how can our meager lives

measure up to your blessed sacrifice;

how can we who are so weak of knee

endure our exile so bravely?

Pray for us, O forerunner of the Christ

both in word and in the giving of your life,

that our blood may be joined to your own

and so to that of our holy Lord.

O shepherd made anew

by Him who is within,

Him who made us all,

the Light above and beyond

every soul

who gave His life,

His flesh as food that we might live –

pray that the Lord and God of all

will break through our deafness

and dispel our blindness,

that He will breathe His fragrant Spirit

upon us

and we too will be created

anew,

saved by His grace from the sin

that has kept us from Him

and thirsting for the wisdom

which became your own,

with which you shepherded His people

apart from the things He created

to His very Beauty itself,

that all souls might rest in Him

who made them.

O tearful mother

whose persistent cries

for the soul of your son

were heard in time

by the Lord our God

and so led to his conversion,

to his becoming

not only a Catholic Christian

but a bishop and doctor of the Church,

a saint like yourself –

pray for the prayers of all mothers

who cry for their wayward sons;

pray indeed that all souls may turn

and come to know so deeply

the love of our Lord and God

and the blessing upon

His holy Catholic Church.

Pray that all who stray,

many as they are,

shall be raised from the death of sin

and come to the life of Heaven,

where you wait with your son

to welcome all his brothers.

O guardian angel of poor children

who formed them in the image of Christ,

an education of body and soul

you provided those most in need,

those most impressionable

and thirsting for the Lord’s care,

and led so many others

in this work for the least of our brothers –

pray we shall become fellow workers

with Jesus in the cause of truth

and teach with deep love,

the greatest patience,

and profound humility,

the souls He places in our hands.

May the desire to see all

attain eternal life

be that which most impels us

and especially those whose responsibility

is the formation of Christian youth,

that all men might rejoice at the straight paths

these walk to the kingdom.

Your zeal despite persecution

may we maintain in our call from the Lord.

O loyal subject of the Lord

and of His Church on earth,

though a king

you did not exalt yourself

but listened rather

to the words of your Savior

and chose to serve Him,

doing His work in this world:

the poor you cared for,

your children you raised

in the teaching of Christ,

and for all those in your reign

you sought true justice

and maintained concern

for their spiritual welfare –

pray we poor souls

will emulate your desire

for penance and prayer,

and your faithful obedience

to God and MotherChurch.

May we be blessed as your sons

to have your wisdom in our ears,

a wisdom reflective of Jesus’ own.

O apostle of the Lamb,

man without guile

led by love to the Lord,

you who declared Jesus Son of God

and King of Israel,

whose eyes of faith were illumined

by angels’ wings –

pray we shall be found by the Christ

under our fig tree

in peace, in prayer,

and carry with you His holy Gospel

to the very ends of the earth.

With you as a foundation stone,

one of the Twelve,

may the Bride of the Lamb

be led to her Husband,

her heart burning with love

for Him alone;

her soul thirsting only for God’s presence,

may her eyes be opened

to see her Lord.

To vision of Heaven pray we all come

by an angelic belief in the Son of Man.

O penitential soul

whose eyes saw the Lord,

whose ears heard His voice

calling all to the Cross,

obediently you accepted

the afflictions that are necessary

to attain union with God

and His surpassing glory –

pray that fearful souls

like our own,

which turn in complaint

from every torment and trouble,

however small,

may be blessed with a measure

of your selfless devotion,

that the unfathomable treasure

of the Lord’s grace

might be our own

as we endure,

and even desire as you,

the pains that pave the road to Heaven.

Then we shall know Christ even as you

and proclaim His glory to all creatures.

O Queen of Heaven and earth,

you radiate the glory of God,

for now you stand at His right Hand

in the heavenly kingdom.

Clothed with the sun,

the moon under your feet

and a crown of twelve stars

upon your head,

you give light to all souls

who thirst for the grace

our Lord and King

pours upon us through your intercession.

O how the angels rejoiced,

how the heavens rang with praise

when the Son led you into His presence

clothed in gold

to be forever His Bride!

O pray for us,

dearest Queen and Mother,

that we too shall be led in

among your maiden companions

to stand in God’s glory forever.

Our cause we entrust to your Immaculate Heart.

O simple priest

who became Shepherd

of the universal Church

and defended her with courage

against the errors of the age,

you did not waver before the powers

that would dilute the purity

of the teaching of our Mother

but stood strong against the tide

attempting to wash her away –

are we not yet threatened

by falsehood and sin

being held up as good,

and so do we not yet need

your spirit and your prayers?

Though the tide may be turning,

returning to the solid rock of faith,

yet certainly we need your help

to see the Spirit of Truth

regain and maintain

His place in this House.

Pray indeed all priests and people

be simple and true as children before God.

O great light of the Church

who by word and work

inspired your brothers

and so many others

to a life of virtue,

to peace and unity with one another

and an abiding love

for our Lord and His Mother –

teach us this day, O blessed preacher,

of the way in which Jesus calls us,

of the life and love God offers

if we but respond in kind

in our weak and limited manner.

To all souls in His holy Church

and throughout the world

you brought the Word of God,

you imparted the light of His wisdom;

please pray, dear father in the faith,

that our lives may be conformed

to the loving will of the Lord

and we become children of His light

and bearers of His Good News to the nations,

till we stand with you in His surpassing glory.

O priest of Jesus and Mary

so dedicated to the Hearts

of our Lord and Lady

and the formation of your fellow priests,

how well you preached

of our need to be one

with Christ our Head;

with what zeal you cared

for the poorest among us –

pray that priests and indeed all Christians

will have hearts and souls

beating and breathing as one

with the Lord,

in union with our Blessed Mother;

may all serve and glorify the Father

by using all their faculties

as if they were His alone.

O that we might indeed

belong to the Son of God

and be ruled by Him,

His own eternal life

coursing through our very veins,

His breath upon our tongue!

O faithful king,

loyal son of MotherChurch

and just ruler of your people,

in peace and piety,

humbly and honorably

you executed your duties,

never showing favor to anyone

but always respecting all

and maintaining above all the faith

and the Church which propagates

that faith in Christ –

where is true Christian profession today,

where those in positions of power

truly dedicated to right service

of the Lord and His people?

Do pray for us, dear king,

that others shall follow in your footsteps

as has your son

so that all shall become

faithful followers of our Lord

in whatever position He grants them.

Pray especially for leaders

whose hearts are set on love of God and holy Church.

O glorious Virgin Mary,

preserved from sin

from the moment of your conception

and now raised with your Son unto Heaven,

blessed are you among women,

most blessed of all God’s creatures;

kept from all corruption,

you His lowly servant

now reign with Jesus in His kingdom –

pray all generations will call you blessed

that all may indeed share in your blessing

and come by the grace of the Lord

to stand at His side

in the Father’s presence.

Above the choirs of angels,

where poor mortal man is called

to take his place

in union with the immortal Godhead,

you precede us, O Immaculate Mother,

by virtue of your eternal union with the only Son.

Pray we shall truly follow you to perfection,

conquering death by the Cross

and entering the light of the Lord.

O soldier of the Immaculate Virgin

and martyr for our Lord,

well you spread the fame

of the Mother of all graces,

calling all souls to repentance

that she might apply her Son’s blood

to save the straying among us;

and well you heeded our Savior’s call

to lay down your life for others –

pray this day we have such strength,

such conviction and determination

in serving our Lord and Lady,

in publishing the Good News

of salvation,

that by our dedication

we too may serve well upon this earth

in the army of the faithful,

also leading souls

through the Immaculate Heart of Mary

to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,

that peoples and nations may be converted

and so learn in turn to serve

the surpassing glory of God.

O brothers united in faith

and in offering the ultimate sacrifice

for the sake of that faith,

for the sake of God’s Church –

pray nothing shall separate

Christ’s brothers

one from another,

but that all members of His flock

and all those who lead His flock

will remain ever united

in His blood

under the See of Peter.

O pray that His Body

not be divided

but that it be healed,

made whole

by His Cross.

Into His arms

may we all offer our lives

and so join our Lord

in His kingdom.

O tireless worker for the Lord

who when cut off from everything

dearest to you

gave yourself completely to God,

you who have shown the way

of the martyrdom of love,

of dying entirely to self

and serving our Savior

in the sick and the poor,

in whose guise He comes –

pray our lives shall not wallow

in mediocrity

or sin;

pray we shall have

the same thirst for love as you,

that by our love we may die

and so overcome death

to live forever

in the presence of our Redeemer.

Visit us this day in our weakness

that our hearts, too, might be strong

and our lives be laid down

in the blood of the only Son.

O bride of Christ

whose poverty matched His own,

whose humility made Him known,

whose love indeed approached

His throne

and the embrace of His holy arms –

pray all souls will gaze into the mirror

that is our Lord

born in a manger,

dead upon a Cross,

risen unto Heaven.

Pray we shall be driven on

through the death we all must die,

through His marvelous poverty,

His wondrous humility,

to the indescribable delights

of those who remain at His side.

O that we might be poor as you were poor,

as He is poor

for the sake of every soul,

that we might come to embrace

His blessed sacrifice

and so know the glories of His kingdom.

O generous soul,

you gave your life freely

to the poor

and your death completely

to the Lord;

a grain of wheat fallen to the earth,

you have indeed produced much fruit,

so closely have you followed Christ –

pray for us miserable souls

who cannot seem to draw near

your thorough sacrifice,

made without fear of the fire

ignited by your torturers,

made in joy of uniting

your death to Jesus’ own.

How shall we approach your love,

your blood so closely mingled

with that of our crucified Lord;

how shall we match your generosity

in serving His blessed call?

Pray we will find the courage

to give everything over to God

and know we are in His arms.

O sacrificial victim

seeking to bring peace

to a dark world,

you found your wisdom in love,

in the love of Christ

and in His Cross,

and died three times for His sake:

once in entering His Church,

once in taking His habit,

and once in laying down your life

at the hands of the enemies of His peace –

pray, O blessed teacher

and sister to all men,

that the death of this life

be something we shall not fear

but embrace with the same grace

with which the Lord blessed you.

Why should we hold

to the things of the earth

when Jesus waits to embrace us

in His loving arms

and carry us unto Heaven?

Pray we shall be ready to answer His call.

O humble preacher

who walked in poverty

with Christ your King

and spoke in power

to destroy lie by truth,

you gathered men around you

to be bearers of the grace of God,

to be men of the Gospel

inspired by love divine –

pray we shall be taught well

the faith

and walk with you in Jesus’ way,

that all we do

will be for the salvation of souls,

our lives even as our Savior’s.

May His Word

and deep love for others

lead us in all our work on earth

that always and in all things

we may beseech the Lord

to be with all His brothers.

Pray our hearts be set on His will

and we serve as His apostles.

O reformer of the Church

and leader of her priests and people,

calling all to live the Gospel,

to give their hearts

in the service of Christ,

who alone can save men’s souls –

pray that your love for the Lord

and His holy Church

will be known in all

the members of His Body,

and so that apostles will be sent forth

to preach and to heal

even this day.

Pray we shall be one

with Him who made us,

eating His Body and drinking His Blood

and living according to the Word

He speaks to our souls

through MotherChurch

and all her faithful servants.

It is the Lord alone

who must be our concern;

pray we, too, shall walk in His footsteps.

O martyrs of the faith

ordained by the Lord

to shed blood for His sake

and the sake of His Church,

to give witness to the glory of Christ

and so win the crown

of eternal life…

it is in your blood

and by your sacrifice

the Church has grown

and become strong –

pray it shall always stand firm

in confessing the faith

despite any threat

from the powers of this world;

pray every soul

shall give his life in joy

and so emerge victorious

in the spiritual combat.

Handed over to death for Jesus’ sake,

may we, too, come to life eternal.

O priest exemplar,

O preacher and confessor extraordinaire,

healer of souls

who by prayer and penance

was made holy unto God

and brought others

to that same holiness

before the Lord and Maker

of all poor souls –

pray indeed this day

that our hearts will be set on Heaven,

that our longing will be for the Lord,

and so that by prayer

we shall come to union with Him.

Pray all your fellow priests

will be filled with your same zeal

for the salvation of their flock

and so serve to bring them

to blessed union

with the God of all.

Pray the Lord send out holy priests

to labor in His vineyard

as diligently, as tirelessly, as you.

O priest of the Blessed Sacrament,

you gave your life in sacrifice

at the altar of the Lord

and in all the trials of this earth;

you suffered all for Jesus

and desired only to bring souls,

all the children of God,

to receive Him and His grace

in the Sacrament of Communion,

in oneness with our Lord –

pray, O priest of Christ,

that our very lives

shall also be offered in sacrifice,

especially in the holy sacrifice

of the Mass

and in reception of His Body and Blood

in the Blessed Sacrament.

Pray particularly that our priests will know

the profound call upon their souls

to make Him present in this world

and be as inspired with holy devotion

as were you, dear saint.

Pray our hunger for His Presence increase.

O vigorous defender of the divinity of Christ,

you who suffered exile

for your work for the faith,

you who had a true shepherd’s heart

and cared so deeply

for the priests and people

the Lord placed in your hands –

pray the shepherds of the Church today

will strive with your same selfless zeal

to bring the love of the Son of God

and the blessed demands of His call

to every soul in their care,

that the faith might increase

and be known in all its fullness

even to the ends of the earth.

Pray and weep, O steadfast apostle,

for all the members of Christ’s holy flock,

that we shall be protected

from false and specious claims,

from wolves in sheep’s clothing

who would enter and steal the faith

of this holy Catholic Church

founded by our Lord Jesus Christ.

O patron of moral theologians

and servant of the poor,

how blessed was your loving wisdom,

your understanding of God

and His love for us,

made perfectly known

in His only Son

whom you loved so much

with His Mother and the Church,

and whom you call us all to love

through your blessed words –

pray the redeeming love

of Jesus our Savior

flow in all our veins,

that we might unite our wills

to the Father’s

as perfectly as His only Son

and so be as encompassed by grace and love

as only He could be.

Pray indeed that we shall be saved,

that we will come to the Lord on our knees

and so find His presence filling us

unto eternity.

O strong and holy apostle,

soldier for the Lord Jesus

and defender of His Church,

you gathered together an army

to labor in mission fields,

to educate the masses,

to serve and die as loyal sons

of the Christ and His Pope –

teach us this day

to follow in the way of Jesus,

to meditate on His life

and be fruitful in His works.

Pray your own sons

and all the children of MotherChurch

not waver in the faith

which sustains them on this earth

but that in all truth

steadfast Christ’s disciples shall stand

and proclaim in strength the salvation

that comes only through Jesus

and the Vine He has planted,

through whose teaching and sacraments

His very Spirit and blood flow.

O you of golden words,

of angelic tongue,

of sermons refined

seven times

by the Spirit of God…

O how you made present on earth

the invisible Creator

even as He was made for us

in the womb of the Virgin,

so tangible had His grace become

through the preaching the Lord inspired

in your soul –

pray we shall indeed be vivified

by the eternal grace of God,

by the gift of His becoming Man,

to become like Him,

heavenly spirits in His reign.

How could we comprehend such blessing;

how could such surpassing joy

these earthen vessels hold?

Let us come close to Christ our Savior,

close to Him as now you stand

in His radiant glory.

O servant of the Lord

who welcomed Him

into your home,

fulfilling all the duties

of hospitality,

and yet realized

as He taught

that it is He

who serves us poor creatures,

who is the resurrection and the life…

in whose House we make our home –

pray that even as we fulfill the duties

of our station in life

we too shall come to believe

Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God

who comes to us

to serve us in His need,

allowing Himself to be fed by us

that He might feed our souls

with everlasting life,

with the Spirit that passes not away

with the body.

O parents of the Virgin Mary,

grandparents of the Lord our God,

you who gave birth

to our Blessed Mother,

through whom we are blessed

for all ages…

O you through whom the promise to David

came to be fulfilled,

you whose virtues

found favor with the Lord,

you whom He chose

to bring forth His Mother

and the Mother of all the redeemed –

pray our posterity shall endure

even as your own,

that we shall bear fruit

even in our old age

and see our children’s children

in a happy Jerusalem.

Pray we shall know the Virgin

as intimately as you

and so come to know our Lord

in the kingdom where He reigns.

O martyred apostle,

first to endure the death of Christ,

you have indeed drunk of His cup,

fully accepting the sacrifice

to which all are called,

and so blazed the path of service

for others to follow –

pray all God’s children,

all those blessed to be called as sons,

as brothers of the Lord,

will have the courage and strength

that comes from the Spirit

to lay down their lives

as a ransom for many

and so find a place

beside our Savior Jesus

in His heavenly kingdom.

Pray the blood of Christ

in which you shared so intimately

pour upon His Church

and all souls be blessed

to drink thereof

unto the world’s salvation.

O solitary prayer,

alone with the Lord

in the Blessed Sacrament

you offered your life

for the salvation of souls;

in penance you lived,

and so a light shone

even from your tomb

to show the presence of Christ

and His miraculous powers

at work in the world –

pray all souls

seek perfection in prayer,

the perfection of being with Jesus,

of remaining always in His presence

with a heart of love

poured out for our fellow man.

Pray even now

for the salvation of all,

for what else matters

but that we come to dwell

with you in the light of our Lord,

adoring Him forever?

O seer of the Passion

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

of the scourges and the nails,

of the blows and mockery

He endured,

of the blood which covered

His face and all His skin…

O you who have witnessed

all His suffering

and sought so diligently

to share in it with Him –

pray that we who are so blind

to the pain and anguish

our Savior bore

under the weight of the Cross

we build by our sin

may by His grace

have our eyes opened,

and so turn from our own condemnation

to the blood of redemption

He has shed for our sakes

and take refuge in the penance

that leads all souls to the kingdom.

O woman of great love

whose heart burned

with desire for the Lord,

whose soul thirsted for the living God…

the tears you cried

became the source

of the greatest joy

as from your sins the Christ released you,

as your eyes beheld

your blessed Teacher –

pray for us this day, O Mary,

that our hearts shall be set aflame

with faith and love