Marian Prayer of Saint Alphonsus Ligouri

 SHELTER ME UNDER YOUR MANTLE

Marian Prayer of Saint Alphonsus Ligouri

(A.D. 1696-1787)

Shelter Me Under Your Mantle

Most holy Virgin Immaculate,

my Mother Mary,

to you who are the Mother of my Lord,

the Queen of the Universe,

the Advocate,

the hope,

the refuge of sinners,

I who am the most miserable of all sinners,

have recourse this day.

I venerate you,

great queen,

and I thank you for the many graces

you have bestowed upon me

even unto this day;

in particular for having delivered me

from the hell

which I have so often served by my sins.

I love you, my dearest Lady;

and because of that love,

I promise to serve you willingly for ever

and to do what I can

to make you loved by others also.

I place in you all my hopes for salvation;

accept me as your servant

and shelter me under your mantle,

you who are the Mother of Mercy.

And since you are so powerful with God,

deliver me from all temptations,

or at least obtain for me

the strength to overcome them until death.

From you I implore a true love for Jesus Christ.

Through you I hope to die a holy death.

My dear Mother,

by your love for Almighty God,

I pray you to assist me always,

but most of all at the last moment of my life.

Forsake me not then,

until you shall see me safe in heaven,

there to bless you

and sing of your mercies through all eternity.

Such is my hope.

Amen.

Litany of Humility

 Litany of Humility

Lord Jesus. Meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That, in the opinion of the world,

others may increase and I may decrease,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be chosen and I set aside,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be praised and I unnoticed,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be preferred to me in everything,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may become holier than I,

provided that I may become as holy as I should,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

Amen.

– Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930)

HOW TO PRAY THE DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET

 

The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a popular Catholic prayer that is especially meaningful around Easter.
The Divine Mercy Chaplet has its roots in 20th century Poland, when Jesus appeared to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun.

The Divine Mercy Chaplet can be prayed with traditional Rosary beads, though to do so isn’t necessary. The Chaplet only takes a few minutes, and thousands of Catholics around the world pray it every day to ask for God’s mercy.

The period of time from Good Friday to Divine Mercy Sunday (the first Sunday following Easter) is when many Catholics will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet.


"Where, if not in the Divine Mercy, can the world find refuge and the light of hope?" -Pope Saint John Paul II

The Divine Mercy Chaplet, also known as the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy, is a powerful prayer in which we ask for God’s mercy.

The Origin of the Chaplet

In the 1930s, Jesus appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska, a humble and kind Polish nun, and revealed to her the depths of His mercy. St. Faustina entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1925, but she passed away just thirteen years later from tuberculosis in 1938. Throughout her life of holiness, she continually received revelations from Jesus and diligently wrote down what He told her in her diary. St. Faustina was canonized by St. (Pope) John Paul II on April 30, 2000.

In 1935, an angel appeared to St. Faustina, and she heard the call to pray for mercy. The next day, Christ appeared and urged her to pray the Chaplet herself and with others at the hour of death. She wrote down this revelation in her diary:

"Encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the Merciful Savior. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this Chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will."

-St. Faustina’s Diary

We pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for mercy — in our own lives and in our neighbors, too. And we also pray to remind ourselves that we must rely on God; we must recognize our weakness and replace our anxieties and worries with abounding trust in God. We pray so that we might honestly live out the words “Jesus, I trust in You.”


Those who sincerely say ‘Jesus, I trust in You’ will find comfort in all their anxieties and fears … There is nothing more man needs than Divine Mercy – that love which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights to the holiness of God.Saint (Pope) John Paul II (Krakow, Poland – June 7, 1997)

You can pray the Chaplet at any time, but here are three times that are especially impactful when praying for God’s mercy:

After Mass
The Divine Mercy is an intercessory prayer that extends the offering of the Eucharist, so it is especially appropriate to use it after receiving Holy Communion at Mass.

Before the Feast of Mercy
The Chaplet may be prayed at any time, but our Lord specifically told St. Faustina to recite it as a novena during the nine days before the Feast of Mercy (the first Sunday after Easter). He then added: “By this Novena, [of Chaplets] I will grant every possible grace to souls.” (St. Faustina’s Diary, 796)

At 3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. is known as the “hour of great mercy” in remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross at 3:00 p.m. on Good Friday. Similarly, people often pray the Stations of the Cross at this time.

How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

Time needed: 20 minutes.

Using regular Rosary beads (or your ten fingers), follow this structure:Begin with the sign of the cross.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prepare your heart and mind.

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

 
Pray the prayer of St. Faustina.

On each of the three small beads, pray:
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You! (x3)

Pray an 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.

Pray a 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.

Pray 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; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will 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.

First decade

On the first large bead: in the traditional Rosary prayer, we say the Our Father for each large bead. In the Divine Mercy Chaplet, we pray the following:

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

On the ten small beads: In a traditional Rosary prayer, we pray the Hail Mary on each small bead. In the Divine Mercy Chaplet, we pray the following:

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. (x10)

Repeat this pattern four times.

For each decade: begin with the “Eternal Father” prayer, and then pray, “For the sake” ten times.
After five decades, pray for mercy.

Repeat the following prayer three times:

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world. (x3)
Close your time in prayer.

Let us pray: Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.


Conclude with the sign of the cross.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.


Reflection
Devotion to God’s Divine Mercy bears some resemblance to devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In both cases, sinners are encouraged not to despair, not to doubt God’s willingness to forgive them if they repent. As Psalm 136 says in each of its 26 verses, “God’s love [mercy] endures forever.”

Catholic Easter Prayers from various prominent Catholic leaders

 

Catholic Easter Prayers

Here are some prayers from various prominent Catholic leaders to consider during Easter:

Today, as pilgrims in search of hope, we cling to you, Risen Jesus. We turn our backs on death and open our hearts to you, for you are Life itself.

-Pope Francis, 2020

"It is only right, with all the powers of our heart and mind, to praise You Father and Your Only-Begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Dear Father, by Your wondrous condescension of Loving-Kindness toward us, Your servants, You gave up Your Son. Dear Jesus You paid the debt of Adam for us to the Eternal Father by Your Blood poured forth in Loving-Kindness. You cleared away the darkness of sin by Your magnificent and radiant Resurrection. You broke the bonds of death and rose from the grave as a Conqueror. You reconciled Heaven and earth. Our life had no hope of Eternal Happiness before You redeemed us. Your Resurrection has washed away our sins, restored our innocence and brought us joy. How inestimable is the tenderness of Your Love!"

-Saint Gregory’s Easter Prayer

"Dear brothers and sisters, Easter does not work magic. Just as the Israelites found the desert awaiting them on the far side of the Red Sea, so the Church, after the resurrection, always finds history filled with joy and hope, grief and anguish. And yet, this history is changed, it is marked by a new and eternal covenant, it is truly open to the future. For this reason, saved by hope, let us continue our pilgrimage, bearing in our hearts the song that is ancient and yet ever new: “Let us sing to the Lord: glorious his triumph!”

-Pope Benedict XVI, 2010

"Blessed are you, O Mary, silent witness of Easter! You, O Mother of the Crucified One now risen, who at the hour of pain and death kept the flame of hope burning, teach us also to be, amongst the incongruities of passing time, convinced and joyful witnesses of the eternal message of life and love brought to the world by the Risen Redeemer."

-Pope John Paul II, 2004

Give Thanks and Glory to Jesus Christ With this Good Friday Prayer of Love For The Crucified Lord

 

Use these Good Friday Prayer to praise our Lord, Jesus Christ, give thanks to His sacrifice on the cross, and request that He have mercy on us. May these prayers help your heart and mind to truly appreciate the glorious gift of redemption from sin that Christ has given mankind.

Good Friday Prayer of Love for the Crucified Lord

O Jesus,

it is not the heavenly reward You have promised

which impels me to love You;

neither is it the threat of hell

that keeps me from offending You.

It is You O Lord,

it is the sight of You

affixed to the Cross and suffering insults;

it is the sight of Your broken body,

as well as Your pains and Your death.

There is nothing You can give me

to make me love You.

For even if there were no heaven and no hell

I would still love you as I do!

Offering of the Precious Blood (The Long Version)

Offering of the Precious Blood 
(The Long Version)

Eternal Father,
we offer Thee the precious Blood of Jesus,
shed for us through exceeding love,
and with exceeding pain
from the wound of His right hand;
through the merits and virtues of which,
we beseech Thy divine Majesty
to bestow on us Thy sacred benediction,
that by its efficacy
we may be protected from our enemies,
and delivered from every evil.
For this purpose we say:
May the blessing of Almighty God,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
descend upon us,
and remain always with us.
Amen.
(Then say Our Father..., Hail Mary..., and Glory be to the
Father.... once, to the Most Adorable Trinity, in
thanksgiving for all the blessings and benefits we
receive.)

The Passion of Jesus Christ

 

THE PASSION OF THE LORD

"When I become immersed in the Lord's Passion, I often see the Lord Jesus, during adoration, in this manner: after the scourging, the torturers took the Lord and stripped Him of His own garment, which had already adhered to the wounds; as they took it off, His wounds reopened; then they threw a dirty and tattered scarlet cloak over the fresh wounds of the Lord. The cloak, in some places, barely reached His knees. They made Him sit on a piece of beam. And then they wove a crown of thorns, which they put on His sacred head. They put a reed in His hand and made fun of Him, bowing to Him as to a king. Some spat in His face, while others took the reed and struck Him on the head with it. Others caused Him pain by slapping Him; still others covered His face and struck Him with their fists. Jesus bore all this with meekness. Who can comprehend Him — comprehend His suffering? Jesus' eyes were downcast. I sensed what was happening in the most sweet Heart of Jesus at that time. Let every soul reflect on what Jesus was suffering at that moment. They tried to outdo each other in insulting the Lord.

(Saint Faustina's Diary 408)

Prayer for my children to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Virgin Mother, my Mother, watch over them …

Virgin Mother, my Mother, come to the aid of my children!

May your blessing accompany them, guard them, and defend them. May it encourage them, sustain them in every difficulty, and in every place.

When they go off to work or to play, when they move from place to place, at every step they take, Virgin Mother, my Mother, watch over them.

When they face challenges and suffering, when the Evil One tries to seduce them with the attractions of pleasure, of violence, of temptation, of bad example, Virgin Mother, my Mother, watch over them.

Virgin Mother, watch over them and preserve them from every evil.

When they approach the Sacred Banquet to be fed with the Bread of Angels, with the Word that was made flesh in your womb, Virgin Mother, my Mother, bless my children.

When at night they prepare to rest so as to rise again with new energy, watch over their slumber and make each new day a step toward their eternal Homeland.

Virgin Mother, my Mother, bless my children, descend over them, in the day and in the night, in moments of joy and moments of sadness, in health and in sickness, in life and in death.

Bring them to live with you forever in eternity. Amen.

Do you need Generational healing? Here is a Prayer for Healing of Family Tree

 

Prayer for Healing the Family Tree
~ (Fr. John Hampsch)

Heavenly Father, I come before You as Your child, in great need of Your help. I have physical health needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs, and interpersonal needs. Many of my problems have been caused by my own failures, neglect and sinfulness, for which I humbly beg Your forgiveness, Lord. But I also ask You to forgive the sins of my ancestors whose failures have left their effects on me in the form of unwanted tendencies, behavior patterns and defects in body, mind and spirit. Heal me, Lord, of all these disorders.
With Your help I sincerely forgive everyone, especially living or dead members of my family tree, who have directly offended me, or my loved ones in any way, or those whose sins have resulted in our present sufferings and disorders. In the name of Your divine Son Jesus, and in the power of His Holy Spirit, I ask You, Father, to deliver me and my entire family tree from the influence of the evil one. Free all living and dead members of my family tree, including those in adoptive relationships, and those in extended family relationships, from every contaminating form of bondage; By Your loving concern for us, heavenly Father, and by the shed blood of your Precious Son Jesus, I beg You to extend Your blessing to me and all my living and deceased relatives. Heal every negative effect transmitted through all past generations, and prevent such negative effects in future generations of my family tree.
I symbolically place the Cross of Jesus over the head of each person in my family tree, and between each generation; I ask You to let the cleansing blood of Jesus purify the blood lines in my family lineage. Set Your protective angels to encamp around us, and permit Archangel Raphael, the patron of healing, to administer Your divine healing power to all of us, even in areas of genetic disability. Give special power to our family members' guardian angels to heal, protect, guide and encourage each of us in all our needs. Let Your healing power be released at this very moment and let it continue as long as Your sovereignty permits.
In our family tree, Lord, replace all bondage with a holy bonding in family love. And let there be an even deeper bonding with You, Lord, by the Holy Spirit, to Your Son Jesus. Let the family of the Holy Trinity pervade our family with its tender, warm, loving presence, so that our family may recognize and manifest that love in all our relationships. All of our unknown needs we include with this petition that we pray in Jesus precious Name. Amen.

When you find it difficult to be humble, say this prayer to the Blessed Mother

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED MOTHER FOR HUMILITY

(St. John Neumann )

O Mary, Mother of Mercy,
pray to thy Divine Son for me, a poor sinner;
beg Him to make me humble.
Oh, how humble art thou, the purest of Virgins;
thou, my powerful mediatrix;
thou, O most holy among the children of Adam,
who art the exalted Mother of God!
Thou didst declare thyself the handmaid of Him
Whose Mother thou art.
Behold, my dear heavenly Mother,
how gladly I would dedicate myself to thy Divine Son,
that His Will may also be mine.
But my pride, my self-esteem, my vanity,
are always against me.
I struggle against them,
and yet I allow them to surprise and deceive me so often.
Oh, how this afflicts me!
Mary, Refuge of Sinners,
if I were only sincere when I beg of thee
to obtain humiliation for me.
But alas, whilst praying for such helps to humility,
I fear the granting of my prayer.
I clearly see better things;
I even desire their possession
and yet I shrink from what alone can give me true humility.
Behold my trials, my combats in this valley of tears!
O my dearest Mother,
if to be freed from this body would give glory to God,
how gladly would I not lay down my life.