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PRAYERS FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES

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Prayer for a Family

O Dear Jesus, I humbly implore You to grant Your special graces to our family. May our home be the shrine of peace, purity, love, labor and faith. I beg You, dear Jesus, to protect and Bless all of us, absent and present, living and dead. O Mary Mother of Jesus, and our Mother, pray to Jesus for our family, for all the families of the world, to guard the cradle of the newborn, the schools of the young and their vocations; Blessed Saint Joseph, holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by your prayers in all our necessities of life. Ask of Jesus that special grace which He granted to you, to watch over our home at the pillow of the sick and dying, so that with Mary and with you, heaven may find our family unbroken in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Amen

Grant, O Lord, that Your Church, as it has one foundation and one head, may verily and indeed be one body, holding forth one faith, proclaiming one truth and following one Lord in holiness of living and love, ever your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, go back into my memory as I sleep. Every hurt that has been done to me, heal that hurt. Every hurt I have caused to someone, heal that hurt. But Jesus, if there is anything I need to do, if a person is still suffering from my wickedness, bring to my awareness that which I have hurt and need to remedy. I choose to forgive others and I ask to be forgiven. Remove whatever bitterness that remains in my heart, and fill it with Your everlasting love. Amen

Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in You all my interest and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by Your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from Your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. So that, having engaged here below Your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating You, and Jesus asleep in Your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near Your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls -- pray for me.

O my God, at the end of this day I thank You most heartily for all the graces I have received from You. I am sorry that I have not made a better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against You. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear Guardian Angel, and all you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory... (followed by an Act of Contrition)

Lord Jesus Christ, You choose to share our human nature, to redeem all people, and to heal the sick. With this in mind I beg you to look with compassion on your humble servant -------, support them with your power, comfort them with your protection, and give them the strength needed to fight against evil. Since you have given ------, a share in your own passion, help them to find hope in suffering, for you Jesus.

Most Merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy Most Sacred Heart and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother, to wash in Thy Most Precious Blood the sinners of the world who are now in their agony, and who will die today. Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying. Amen.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners every where, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

(As said nightly in bed by Sean Hunt, age 8, with his golden toy sword raised above his head. )

St. Michael the ARCHANGEL! DEFEND us in Battle! Be our defense against the WICKEDNESS and SNARES of the DEVIL, May God REBUKE him, we humbly pray! And DO thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts By the Power of GOD! CAST INTO HELL SATAN and all OTHER evil spirits Who prowl about the world, seeking the RUIN of souls, a-MEN!! Amen

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication:

If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered.

I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word. My soul waits for the Lord, more than sentinels wait for the dawn. More than sentinels wait for the dawn, let Israel wait for the Lord;

For with the Lord is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; And he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

Hear us, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God; and graciously send your holy angel from heaven to watch over, to cherish, to protect, to abide with, and to defend all who dwell in this house. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God of Mercy , we willingly accept at your hands, with all its anxieties, pains, joys and sufferings, whatever you will for us today. We believe, we adore, we hope, we love and we trust that the will of God will be accomplished in us this day and that it is good and the best for us. All for the Glory of God and Mary, glorious Queen of Heaven and Earth. Amen. O Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. O God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me this day and every day.

A non-baptized person can be baptized by anyone (regardless of faith or denomination) in case of necessity (e.g. in danger of death) where a priest cannot be found. The adult to be baptized must believe in Christ; he (she) must be truly sorrow for his (her) sins; he (she) must renounce the devil and all his works (i.e. all sin). The person who baptizes must have the use of reason, know how to give baptism, and intend to do what the Roman Catholic Church intends in the giving of the Sacrament. The person who baptizes should pour natural water on the head of the person to be baptized, and say, while pouring the water, "I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Note: the saying of these words must be exact, without adding or subtracting anything). If the person who was baptized by private baptism in case of necessity remains alive afterwards, he (she) should be brought to the Church for the completion of the ceremony of the solemn Baptism.