Prayer For Virtues To Grow in Holiness

 Grow in Holiness Through this Prayer of Virtues by Saint Thomas Aquinas

If you want to grow in holiness try praying for virtues with this beautiful and humble prayer asking God for assistance by Saint Thomas Aquinas. He is one of the great teachers of the Church, and has been honored with the titles Doctor of the Church and Angelic Doctor.

Grow in Holiness with the Help of God
If you want to grow in holiness you must do two things, work at it, and ask for it. Praying for virtues is important in receiving grace to overcome your sinful habits. But you must also know what the Church teaches about virtue and try to amend your life for love of God and practice living virtuously. On our own we can never hope to change ourselves, but it is through the grace of God that we are able to grow in holiness. Try praying for virtues with this beautiful and humble prayer asking God for assistance by Saint Thomas Aquinas. He is a wonderful resource for us to learn about growing in virtue, and his many writings can teach us about our faith.

A Prayer to Acquire the Virtues by Saint Thomas Aquinas

O God, all-powerful and all-knowing,

without beginning and without end,

You Who are the source,

the sustainer,

and the rewarder of all virtues,

Grant that I may abide on the firm ground of faith,

be sheltered by an impregnable shield of hope,

and be adorned in the bridal garment of charity.

Grant that I may through justice be subject to You,

through prudence avoid the beguilements of the devil,

through temperance exercise restraint,

and through fortitude endure adversity with patience.

Grant that whatever good things I have,

I may share generously with those who have not

and that whatever good things I do not have,

I may request humbly from those who do.

Grant that I may judge rightly

the evil of the wrongs I have done

and bear calmly

the punishments I have brought upon myself,

and that I may never envy my neighbor’s possessions

and ever give thanks for Your good things.

Grant that I may always observe modesty in the way I dress,

the way I walk,

and the gestures I use,

restrain my tongue from frivolous talk,

prevent my feet from leading me astray,

keep my eyes from wandering glances,

shelter my ears from rumors,

lower my gaze in humility,

lift my mind to thoughts of heaven,

contemn all that will pass away,

and love You only.

Grant that I may subdue my flesh

and cleanse my conscience,

honor the saints and praise You worthily,

advance in goodness,

and end a life of good works with a holy death.

Plant deep in me, Lord,

all the virtues,

that I might be devout in divine matters,

discerning in human affairs,

and burdensome to no one in fulfilling my own bodily needs.

Grant to me, Lord,

fervent contrition,

pure confession,

and complete reparation.

Order me inwardly

through a good life,

that I might do what is right

and what will be meritorious for me

and a good example for others.

Grant that I may never crave to do things impulsively,

nor disdain to do what is burdensome,

lest I begin things before I should

or abandon them before finishing.

Amen.

I am all Thine Lord Jesus and all that I have is Thine through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen

About Saint Thomas Aquinas

Born in 1225, Saint Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Catholic priest. He is also honored as a Doctor of the Church. Thomas Aquinas has written extensively on how one can grow in holiness and on prayer. His works on faith and reason are invaluable resources for Christians. He is an immensely influential philosopher and theologian.

Saint Thomas Aquinas has many theological works and prayers that have enriched the faithful for nearly a millennia. During his life of nearly 50 years he had a deep profound love of Christ and worked to grow in holiness himself by praying for virtues and living the gospel teachings with discipline.

POWERFUL HEALING PRAYER BY SAINT PADRE PIO

Click on this video for the healing prayer by Padre Pio

A POWERFUL HEALING PRAYER By PADRE PIO

Born in 1887 in the small farming town of Pietrelcina (Italy), Padre Pio, whose real name was Francesco Forgione, is quite famous all over the world for all the miracles and healing linked to him.

This prayer was written by St. Padre Pio himself. We are told that he believed that many people got healed through this prayer. You can say it for yourself or anyone else that needs healing. Please say this prayer trusting in God’s love for you. He always answers our prayers. Let Him take care of you and you will be healed. Padre Pio Feast Day is on 23 September.

CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or Virgin of Carmel, is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order, particularly within the Catholic Church. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid-13th century.

This is a devotional sacramental signifying the wearer's consecration to Mary and affiliation with the Carmelite order. It symbolizes her special protection and deliverance from purgatory. Whoever wears a scapular must be conscientious of their consecration to God and to the Virgin and be coherent in their thoughts, words, and deeds.

CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

O Mary, Queen of all Saints,

who art the beauty of Carmel,

how sweet it is for me to venerate thee

under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Even from the days of the Apostles,

thou hast been honoured under this mystic title;

I am filled with joy as I consecrate myself to thee, O holy Mary,

most unworthy though I am to be thy servant,

yet touched by thy motherly care for me

and longing to serve thee,

in the presence of my Guardian Angel

and the court of Heaven,

I choose thee this day to be my Queen,

my Advocate, and my Mother,

and I firmly purpose to serve thee ever more

and to do what I can that all may render faithful service to thee.

Therefore, most devoted Mother,

through the Precious Blood thy Son poured out for me,

and through the promises of thee as Our Lady of Mount Carmel,

I beg thee, deign to take me among thy clients

and receive me as thy servant forever.

O beauty of Carmel,

glory of Libanus,

thou purest of lilies,

mystic rose in the garden of the Church,

I salute thee!

O Virgin of virgins,

be mindful of me in my misery,

and show thyself my Mother.

Shed upon me ever more and more

the living light of that faith

which made thee blessed;

inflame with that Heavenly love

wherewith thou didst love thy dear Son, Jesus Christ.

Do thou, Mother of God,

who hast such power and might,

obtain for me from blessed Jesus,

the Heavenly gifts of humility, chastity, and meekness,

which were the fairest ornaments of thine Immaculate soul.

Do thou grant me to be strong

in the midst of the temptations and bitterness

which so often overwhelm my spirit.

Aid me in every action,

and beg for me the grace, never,

by word or deed or thought,

to be displeasing in thy sight and that of thy most holy Son.

Think of me my dearest Mother,

and desert me not at the hour of death.

Amen.

(Here, you kiss your Scapular..)

Holy Virgin of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of the Scapular,

pray for us!

PRAYER TO OUR LADY, QUEEN OF ANGELS

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PRAYER

[Please Read]

The faithful are asked to say this prayer frequently and fervently. It is of great importance given the following remarkable background:

[1] The prayer was dictated by the Blessed Mother herself to the holy and venerable priest, Fr. Louis–Édouard Cestac, on January 13, 1863 as a means to combat the powers of Hell.

[2] An exorcism prayer in itself, this is a formidable prayer for “spiritual battle” especially needed for our times when the ravages caused by the fallen angels are everywhere conspicuous and unrelenting.

[3] It is a prayer approved by the Church: It was recommended to the faithful by Pope Pius IX, and later indulgenced by both Popes Leo XIII and Pius X.

PRAYER TO OUR LADY, QUEEN OF ANGELS

[ August Queen of Heaven Prayer ]
An Indulgence of 500 days.
(S. C. Ind., July 8, 1908; S. P. Ap., Mar. 28, 1935)

O, August Queen and our Lady of Angels,

who received from God the power and mission of crushing the head of Satan,

we humbly beg you to send us heavenly legions,

with Saint Michael the Archangel as head

so that under your orders they may chase the demons,

combat them everywhere,

repress their boldness,

and drive them back into the abyss.

“Who is like God?”

O good and tender Mother,

you shall always be our love and our hope.

O Divine Mother, send your holy angels to defend us,

and to drive away from us the cruel enemy.

Holy angels and archangels, defend us and guard us.

Amen.

Pray the Saint Michael Chaplet! Together, let us call upon the angels for their intercession.

The Chaplet of St. Michael is a wonderful way to honor this great Archangel along with the other nine Choirs of Angels.  St. Michael promised that whoever would practice this devotion in his honor would have, when approaching Holy Communion, an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the nine Choirs. In addition, for thoseT who would recite the Chaplet daily, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during life, and after death deliverance from purgatory for themselves and their relations.

THE CHAPLET OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL

L: O God, come to my assistance.

R: O Lord, make haste to help me.

L: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

R: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

[Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of the nine Choirs of Angels.]

Salutation 1: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Salutation 2: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim may the Lord grant us the grace to leave the ways of sin and run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Salutation 3: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Salutation 4: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominations may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and overcome any unruly passions. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Salutation 5: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and falling into temptation. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Salutation 6: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Salutation 7: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Salutation 8: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Salutation 9: By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven. Amen.

Our Father..., Hail Mary... (3x).

Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael and our Guardian Angel.

CONCLUDING PRAYERS:

O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor, you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ, that we may be made worthy of His promises.

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who, by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, has appointed the most glorious Archangel St. Michael Prince of Your Church, make us worthy, we ask You, to be delivered from all our enemies, that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into Your Presence. This we ask through the merits of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Deliverance from Evil

Prayer for Deliverance from Evil

Immaculate Heart! Help us to conquer the menace of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down upon our modern world and seem to block the paths towards the future!

From famine and war, deliver us.

From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.

From sins against the life of man from its very beginning, deliver us.

From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us.

From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.

From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.

From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.

From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.

From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us, deliver us.

Accept, O Mother of Christ, this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies.

Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit to conquer all sin: individual sin and the "sin of the world", sin in all its manifestations.

Let there be revealed, once more, in the history of the world the infinite saving power of the Redemption: the power of merciful Love! May it put a stop to evil! May it transform consciences! May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of Hope!

-Saint John Paul II, Consecration of all Individuals and Peoples of the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 1984

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