GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA

PRAYER FOR ALL VOCATIONS

Heavenly Father, bless your Church with an abundance of holy and zealous priests, deacons, brothers and sisters.  Give those you have called to the married state and those you have chosen to live as single persons in the world, the special graces that their lives require.  Form us all in the likeness of your Son so that in him, with him and through him we may love you more deeply and serve you more faithfully, always and everywhere.  With Mary we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Vocations Committee – Supreme Council, Knights of Columbus)

 

PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS FROM OUR PARISH

O Jesus, Good and Gentle Shepherd grant that the men and women from our community, may have the grace and the courage to hear and answer Your call to priesthood and religious life. Give them the wisdom to realize that life is a gift. Let them realize their life is part of YOUR plan. Call forth those You have chosen to spread the gospel message, and help them to freely respond to a life of service in the church. May the parents and families of our parish, support and encourage our young men and women to search for, follow and answer the call of God in their lives. Amen.

 

DISCERNMENT PRAYER

Lord, let me know clearly the work, which you are calling me to do in life.  And grant me every grace I need to answer Your call with courage and love, and lasting dedication to your will.  Amen.

 

PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH

O Great St. Joseph, so docile to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, obtain for me the grace to know what state of life Divine Providence destines for me. Do not allow me to be deceived with regard to so important a choice, upon which depends my happiness in this world, and even my eternal salvation. Obtain for me that, being enlightened to know the Divine Will and being faithful in accomplishing it, I may embrace the state of life which God has destined for me and which will lead me to a happy eternity. Amen.

 

PRAYER FOR PRIESTLY VOCATIONS

Father, in Your plan for our salvation You provide shepherds for Your people.  Fill Your Church with the spirit of courage and love. Raise up worthy ministers for Your altars and ardent but gentle servants of the gospel. Amen.

​

THE PRIEST

The Priest is the representative of Christ on earth; He must think the thoughts of Christ and speak His words. He must be tender as Christ was tender; pure and holy like his Lord; he must shine like a star in the world.

(Pope St. Pius X)

​

A PRIEST'S PRAYER

Lord Jesus, Who called me to share in your priesthood, keep me always mindful of Your life within me.

Let me accept every difficulty or trial with trust that Your grace is sufficient for everything made one with You in faith.

Give me a kind and sensitive heart in the service of my brothers and sisters, especially the most wounded in spirit.

Let me have a special love for the poor.  May my own style of life offer them witness to Him who sent me.

Keep me chaste in my vision of begetting children of the spirit – always accepting celibacy as a true gift of the spirit.

 

A DEACON'S PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you came to serve, not to be served, form within us your generous spirit; Fill us with your love,
that we may love the Father as your love him.  Fill us with your compassion, that we may see our brothers and sisters as you see them.  Fill us with your courage, that we may give our lives in service to the Church as you gave your life for her.  Fill us with that Spirit which will make us preachers of your Word, ministers of your Sacrifice, servants of your Bride, friends of the poor, and the voice of the forgotten. Transform us through your Holy Spirit so that we may transform the world into Your Kingdom of justice and faith.  Amen.

(Deacon G. LaForce)

 

PRAYER FOR DEACONS AND THEIR WIVES

Lord Jesus Christ, Servant of all, Send your Spirit upon [our deacons and their wives] as [they] serve your Church. Give [them] eyes to see the needs of your people.  Give [them] a discerning mind to know your truth.

Give [them] a generous spirit when [they are] tired but needed.  Give [them] a humble heart when [their] work goes unnoticed.  Give [them] peace of mind in obedience and service.  Give [them] health of body so [they] may serve with strength. Make [them] fertile ground for your inspiration and love.  Comfort [them] when [they] question [themselves and their] ministry. Grant [them] grace as [they] age so [they] may share your wisdom. Make [their] heart[s] like yours so [they] may love your people. Amen.

(Amy Ekeh)

 

PRAYER FOR ENGAGED COUPLES

Lord, my heart is on fire with love for a person you know and love.  You yourself enabled us to meet each other and brought us together.  Thank you for this gift, which fills me with deep joy, makes me resemble you- for you are Love- and leads me to understand the value of the life you gave me.  Never let me squander this treasure you have stored in my heart.  Lord, hear my prayer for the one who is waiting for my hand in marriage and is thinking about me, the one who has placed in me all his (her) trust for the future, the one who walks by my side.  Make us worthy of each other. May we truly be a help and example for each other.  Help us in our preparation for marriage, with the dignity and responsibility it entails, so that from now on our souls will master our bodies and guide them to express true love.  Amen.

 

PRAYER FOR MARRIED COUPLES

Almighty and eternal God, You blessed the union of husband and wife so that we might reflect the union of Christ with His Church: look with kindness on us.  Renew our marriage covenant.  Increase your love in us, and strengthen our bond of peace so that, [with our children], we may always rejoice in the gift of your blessing. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

A SPOUSE'S PRAYER

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we thank you and bless your holy Name, for you created man and woman to be a help and support for each other.  Remember us today.  Protect us and enable our love to be the mutual gift of self in the image of Christ and the Church.  Enlighten and strengthen us for the mission of teaching our children to be authentic Christians and energetic builders of the earthly city.  Enable us to grow old together in joy and peace so we can always praise and thank you in our hearts through your Son in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

​

A PARENT'S PRAYER

Lord, enlighten our children’s minds so they will find the path you have marked out for them, for your glory and their salvation. Support them with your strength, so that the ideals of your Kingdom will inspire their lives.  Give us light so that we, their parents, can help them to recognize their Christian vocation and to follow it generously by co-operating with your inspirations.  Amen.

 

CHILDREN'S PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

Jesus, I know that You love me.  Teach me how to talk to You, how to listen to You, and how to follow You.  Bless religious sisters, brothers, and priests.  Bless my family.  Keep all of us close to Your heart.  Amen.

 

PRAYER FOR THE SINGLE LIFE

Creator of the Universe, God of the Nations, Your people are longing to hear your word.  Send laborers into your harvest -women and men on fire with your love:  Dedicated single people -who incarnate your presence in their daily lives, whose availability enables them to respond to a diversity of needs.  May each of us respond with courage and generosity to our particular vocations, and may the Church recognize the Spirit's call to men and women of good will, trusting in your abundance to answer all our needs.  Amen.

​

PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

O Almighty Eternal God, look upon the face of Thy Son, and for the love of Him who is the eternal High Priest, have pity on Thy priests. Remember, O most compassionate God that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation that is in them by the imposition of the bishop's hands. Keep them close to Thee, lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation.

​

O Jesus, I pray Thee for Thy faithful and fervent priests; for Thy unfaithful and tepid priests; for Thy priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for Thy tempted priests; for Thy lonely priests; for Thy dying priests; for the souls of Thy priests in purgatory. But above all I commend to Thee the priests dearest to me; the priest who baptized me; the priests who absolved me from my sins; the priests at whose Masses I assisted, and who gave me Thy Body and Blood in Holy Communion; the priests who taught and instructed me, or helped and encouraged me; all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way, particularly N.   O Jesus, keep them all close to Thy Heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen.

 

For all Priests:

 

— Let them be the light of souls.

— Let them be the salt of the earth.

— Let them practice sacrifice and self denial.

— Let them enkindle hearts with the love of Mary.

— Let them be other Christs.

— Let them be holy in body and soul.

— May they be men of prayer.

— May faith shine forth in them.

— May they be faithful to their priestly vocation.

— May their hands know only how to bless.

— May they burn with love for You and for Mary.

— May all their steps be for the glory of God.

— May the Holy Spirit possess them, and give them His gifts and fruits in abundance.

— Give them Your wisdom, Lord.                   

— Give them virtues.

— Give them patience and charity.

— Give them obedience and kindness.

— Give them a burning zeal for souls.

— Give them an intense love for the Eucharist.

— Give them loyalty to the Pope and their Bishops.

— Give them respect for their dignity.

— Give them a great love for Mary.

— Give them rectitude for justice.

— Give them the gift of counsel.

— Give them strength in their labors.

--- Give them peace in their sufferings.

--- Give them humility and generosity.

 

Let us pray, O God, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit You are the soul and the life of the Church.   Hear the prayers we offer for priests.  We ask this through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, their protector and guide.  Amen.

 

Let Us Pray For:

The Holy Father:  fill him with Your grace, Lord;

Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops:  give them your gifts, Lord;

Diocesan Priests:  never leave them, Lord;

Priests in seminary work:  give them Your wisdom, Lord;

Priests in hospital work:  give them constancy, Lord;

Priests who are ill:  heal them, Lord;

Priests in danger:  deliver them, Lord;

Priests who are weak:  strengthen them, Lord;

Priests who are poor:  relieve them, Lord;

Priests who are zealous:  help them, Lord;

Priests who want to love You:  enkindle their hearts, Lord;

Priests who are sad:  console them, Lord;

Priests who are worried:  give them peace, Lord;

Priests who are old:  sustain them, Lord;

Priests who are young:  impel them for your glory, Lord;

Priests who are alone:  accompany them, Lord;

Missionary priests:  protect them, Lord;

Priests who are preachers:  enlighten them, Lord;

Priests who direct souls:  instruct them, Lord;

Parish priests:  make them perfect, Lord;

Priests and religious who have died:  bring them to Glory, Lord;

All the Church, militant and suffering:  Lord, have mercy.

                                                                            

(Created by Richard Cardinal Cushing (1895-1970), Archbishop of Boston)