An Ancient Prayer to St. Joseph

Holy Mother Church honors St. Joseph during the month of March with a feast day on March 19 but also by devoting the entire month to him.  Many Saints throughout the history of the Church have spoken on the virtuous life of St. Joseph.  

St. Francis de Sales stated, "Truly, I doubt not that the angels, wondering and adoring, came thronging in countless multitudes to that poor workshop to admire the humility of him who guarded that dear and divine child, and labored at his carpenter’s trade to support the son and the mother who were committed to his care."

And following a similar thought, St. Madeleine Sophia Barat spoke of St. Joseph.  "Let us love Jesus above all, let us love Mary as our mother; but then, how could we keep from loving Joseph, who was so intimately united to both Jesus and Mary? And how can we honor him better than by imitating his virtues? Now, what else did he do in all his life but contemplate, study, and adore Jesus, even in the midst of his daily labors? Behold, therefore, our model."

During this month of March and throughout Lent, may we also look to St. Joseph for his example of virtue and love of our Lord and our Lady.  May we strive to imitate him in his service to God and beg his intercession to help us on our journey to heaven.

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An Ancient Prayer to Saint Joseph 

O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. 

O St. Joseph, assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me all spiritual blessings through thy foster Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, so that, having engaged here below thy heavenly power, I may offer thee my thanksgiving and homage. 

O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thine arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near thy 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.  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Devotional to Our Lady of Sorrows

With Lent beginning this next week, I wanted to repost the free devotional I created to Our Lady of Sorrows for your use throughout this penitential season.

I hope this simple devotional helps you truly honor and love our Lady of Sorrows this year during your Lenten journey or whenever you choose to pray it. It is a useful devotional for adults, children, or families. This devotional is free for your use. I simply ask if you post about or share this devotional or one of my other ideas, that you please be kind enough to link back to my original post. My ideas are not to be used for profit, and are to be used for personal use by individuals, families, and teachers.

Image of the Front Cover

I do have it available for download at the following link: Seven Sorrows of Mary. If you have difficulty with the link or prefer to receive it by email, please leave me a message with your email address, and I can send you the document for free. I will NOT post your email online. If you would rather receive a printed copy in the mail, I would have to charge a small fee for printing cost (ink and paper) and postage. If you prefer that method, please message me again with your email, and I will email you back to set it up. I am looking for other reliable methods for downloads, but I have not decided on one yet. If you have any reliable suggestions, please let me know.

Praying you have a blessed Lent!

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to the Most Loving Infant Jesus

 Let us bear in mind, despite the chaotic motions of the world, that Holy Mother Church celebrates the Nativity of our Lord longer than just December 25.  The holy feast of Christmas is celebrated for twelve days, from December 25 through January 5, the vigil of Epiphany.  The season of  Christmastide extends through February 2, the Feasts of the Purification of Mary and Presentation of Jesus, also known as Candlemas.  An explanation can be found here by Fr. Rock, FSSP.

May we continue to keep our focus, then, on honoring the newborn Infant Jesus with extra prayers and acts of love throughout the remainder of Christmastide.  May the innocence and virtue of the Christ Child live in us throughout our lives.

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Prayer to the Most Loving Infant Jesus

O most loving and blessed Infant Jesus! Thou great God and Lord of heaven and earth, Who hast clothed and hidden Thy Divine Majesty under the lovable semblance of a child before Whom the powers of the heavens tremble, the mighty kings of the earth bow and the evil spirits under the earth must bend; Who through the Almighty God, for love of us hast become a little Child, so that we might love Thee more ardently and serve Thee more faithfully and humbly follow Thy example in childlike purity and love. I, a poor sinner, bow down humbly before the great God concealed in this lovable Child and adore Thee! I love Thee as the highest and most loving God; I entrust myself to Thy infinite Goodness. O teach me after Thy example to love humility and crush pride, to desire to grow in virtue and childlike trust; direct and rule me and make me virtuous, that I may please Thee and be little in this world and great in the next. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of St. Philomena

 Holy Mother Church celebrates St. Philomena with a historical feast day on August 11.  Martyred at the age of 13 by Emperor Diocletian, this young Saint endured intense suffering for the love of God.  At the age of 11, St. Philomena consecrated herself to God, and despite the offerings of marriage to the emperor, she remained faithful to her consecration and her Faith.  Angered, Diocletian imprisoned her for 40 days, forcing her to endure tortures of scourging, drowning, and being shot by arrows.  However, each time St. Philomena was either saved or healed from her persecution.  Furious, Diocletian had her beheaded on the 40th day.  She thus began her heavenly reward with her beloved Lord.  She became known as a wonderworker, miraculously answering the prayers of many on earth.  St. John Vianney held a great devotion to her, penning the following Litany of St. Philomena.  

May we pray to this young, but powerful Saint, asking her to help us remain faithful to our Lord and Catholic Faith amidst the pull of the world.  We would do well to ask St. Philomena to increase in us the virtues of purity, fortitude, and love of God. 

Litany to Saint Philomena  

Lord have mercy on us. 

Christ have mercy on us. 

Lord have mercy on us. 

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. 

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. 

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. 

God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. 

Holy Trinity one God, have mercy on us. 

Holy Mary, Queen of Virgins, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, pray for us. Saint Philomena, filled with the most abundant graces from the cradle, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, model of Virgins, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, temple of the most perfect humility, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, inflamed with zeal for the Glory of God, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, victim of the love of Jesus, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, example of strength and perseverance, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, invincible champion of chastity, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, mirror of the most heroic virtues, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, firm and intrepid in the face of torments, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, scourged like thy Divine Spouse, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, pierced by a shower of arrows, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, consoled by the Mother of God when in chains, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, cured miraculously in prison, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, comforted by Angels in thy torments, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, who preferred torments and death to the splendors of a throne, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, who converted the witnesses of thy Martyrdom, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, who wore out the fury of thy executioners, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, protectress of the innocent, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, patron of youth, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, refuge of the unfortunate, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, health of the sick and the weak, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, new light of the Church Militant, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, who confounds the impiety of the world, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, who stimulates the faith and courage of the faithful, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, whose name is glorified in Heaven and feared in Hell, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, made illustrious by the most striking miracles, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, all powerful with God, pray for us. 

Saint Philomena, who reigns in glory, pray for us. 

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. 

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. 

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. 

V. Pray for us, Great Saint Philomena, R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray. We implore Thee, O Lord, by the intercession of Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, who was ever most pleasing to Thine eyes by reason of her eminent purity and the practice of all the virtues, pardon us our sins and grant us all the graces we need [name any special grace you may require]. Amen.

                                                                                 --Composed by Saint John Vianney

God bless!

                                                                                                                +JMJ+

Prayer after Holy Communion by St. Bonaventure

 Holy Mother Church honors St. Bonaventure with a feast day on July 14. Born in Italy in 1221, as a young child Bonaventure was saved from death through the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi, to whom Bonaventure’s mother had prayed, vowing to give her son to the Saint’s Order if he was healed. Later Bonaventure did join the order of his intercessor, the Order of Friars Minor. In his studies St. Bonaventure quickly portrayed qualities of great intelligence, wisdom, and virtue. What St. Thomas Aquinas was for the Dominican Order, so, too, St. Bonaventure was for the Franciscan Order.

St. Bonaventure not only inspired through preaching; his written works were great sources of knowledge as well. Included in his writings were works about the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Francis of Assisi, and love of God. St. Bonaventure desired always to love God through each action and thought he had and to inflame the hearts of others with that same intense love of God he possessed. Later named the Seraphic Doctor, St. Bonaventure died at age 53 and was canonized by Pope Sixtus IV. The following prayer written by the Saint illustrates this love of God that St. Bonaventure strove to live each moment. 

 Prayer after Holy Communion

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee. Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste. 

May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God; may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of St. Leo I

 St. Leo I is honored by Holy Mother Church with a feast day on April 11. St. Leo is one of  four Popes given the title of the Great.  The other three popes are St. Basil, St. Gregory, and St. Nicholas.  A great defender of the Church, St. Leo, whose name means lion, protected the Faith from two heresies against the Incarnation-- the Nestorian Heresy and the Eutychian Heresy.  This holy Pontiff governed the Church during the time of Attila the Hun's rule.  Known as the Scourge of God, Attila, marching toward Rome, was met by Pope Leo I.  Speaking with calm eloquence, Pope Leo awed Attila, who agreed to spare Rome.  Attila not only admired the Pontiff, but he also feared him, recognizing a heavenly power on the side of the virtuous Pope. The following hymn was written to honor Pope Leo I on his feast day. 

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Hymn Honoring Pope Leo I

O happy Pontiff! glorious Leo! thou hast been made companion of the faithful Priests and martyrs; for thou wast most invincible in battle, and immovable as a tower and fortress of religion.  Thou proclaimedst with most perfect orthodoxy and wisdom, the unspeakable generation of Christ.

O ruler of Orthodoxy, teacher of religion and holiness, light of the whole earth, divinely inspired glory of true believers, wise Leo!  thou enlightenest all men by thy teachings, O harp of the Holy Ghost!

Heir of the See of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, thou presidedst over the Church: thou hadst his spirit and was inflamed with zeal for the Faith.

Beaming with most bright light, thou, O holy Leo, didst admirable preach the ineffable and divine incarnation, teaching the two Natures, and the two Wills of the Incarnate God.

Resplendent with the knowledge of divine truths, thou scatteredst on all sides the brightness of orthodoxy, and dispelledst the darkness of heresy.  Departing this life, thou, O blessed one! now dwellest in the Light that knows no setting.

O inspired Minister of God's mysteries, thou admirably preachedst that Christ is the Only son and Lord, begotten of the Father before all ages, born for us of the Virgin, and dwelling on earth like unto us.

Seated with glory upon the throne of the Pontificate, thou didst stop the mouths of lions, and madest to shine upon thy flock the light of the knowledge of God, by proclaiming the divine dogma of the adorable Trinity.  Therefore hast thou been glorified as a holy Pontiff initiated in the grace of God.

Thou as a dazzling sun, didst rise in the west: thou wisely dispelledst the error of Eutyches, who mingled and confused the two Natures, and that of Nestorius, who divided them as though they were two Persons.  Thou taughtest us to adore one Christ in two Natures, inseparably, unchangeably, unconfusedly united.  

Inspired of God, thou appearedst to the people of God as another Moses, showing them the commandments of religion written, as it were on tables.  Thou exclaimedst in the assembly of the venerable Masters:  "Praise, O ye Priests! and bless, and extol Christ forever."

Now, O Priest of Christ! thou art brightly decked with a crown of beauty.  As a faithful Priest, thou hast put on justice. Pray unceasingly for thy flock, now that thou hast entered into the admirable joy of the Paradise of delights.

Thou, O most blessed Leo! hast worthily entered the abode where are the seats and thrones and ranks of the Patriarchs; thou hast entered as a  true Patriarch, all resplendent with faith and grace.  Therefore do we all celebrate thy name forever.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Free Lenten Devotional

  Blessed Lent to all!  

I pray this solemn season is finding you growing in love of our Lord and his most blessed Mother.  May we adore our Lord, meditating on His Passion, and honor our Lady, pierced with swords of sorrow as she stands at the foot of His Cross.

During Lent of last year for my family, I created a devotional to our Lady of Sorrows.  While my children and I focused on one of the sorrows of our Lady each week of Lent, this devotional could be prayed all at once as well.  Lent is a most fitting time to meditate on our Lady of Sorrows and her most tender heart, but this devotion can also be prayed anytime throughout the year.  I love the devotion to our Lady of Sorrows and strive to pray her chaplet daily.  

I hope this simple devotional helps you truly honor and love our Lady of Sorrows this year during your Lenten journey or whenever you choose to pray it.  It is a useful devotional for adults, children, or families.  This devotional is free for your use.  I simply ask if you post about or share this devotional or one of my other ideas, that you please be kind enough to link back to my original post. My ideas are not to be used for profit, and are to be used for personal use by individuals, families, and teachers.

I do have it available for download at the following link:  Seven Sorrows of Mary.  If you have difficulty with the link or prefer to receive it by email, please leave me a message with your email address, and I can send you the document for free.  I will NOT post your email online.  If you would rather receive a printed copy in the mail, I would have to charge a small fee for printing cost (ink and paper) and postage.  If you prefer that method, please message me again with your email, and I will email you back to set it up.  I am looking for other reliable method for downloads, but I have not decided on one yet.  If you have any reliable suggestions, please let me know.

Title page

God bless!

+JMJ+