Novena for the gift of prayer to St. Charles de Foucauld

Father, 
I abandon myself into your hands; 
do with me what you will. 
Whatever you may do, I thank you: 
I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me, 
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul: 
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, 
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, 
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve, 
and with boundless confidence, 
for you are my Father.

Charles de Foucauld  1858-1916





First Saturdays - 5 Days that change the world!

O Mary, Virgin most powerful and Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and Refuge of Sinners,
we consecrate ourselves to thy Immaculate Heart.
We consecrate to thee our very being and our whole life: all that we have, all that we love, all that we are.
To thee we give our bodies, our hearts, and our souls; to thee we give our homes, our families and our country. We desire that all that is in us and around us may belong to thee and may share in the benefits of thy motherly blessing.
And, that this act of consecration may be truly fruitful and lasting, we renew this day at thy feet the promises of our Baptism and Confirmation.
We pledge ourselves to profess courageously and at all times the truths of our holy Faith, and to live as befits Catholics, who are submissive to all directions of the Pope and the bishops in communion with him.
We pledge ourselves to keep the Commandments of God and His Church, in particular to keep holy the Lord's Day.
We pledge ourselves to make the consoling practices of the Christian religion, and above all, Holy Communion, an important part of our lives, in so far as we shall be able to do. Finally, we promise thee, O glorious Mother of God and loving Mother of all, to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the spreading of devotion to thy Immaculate Heart, in order to hasten and assure, through the queenly rule of thy Immaculate Heart, the coming of the kingdom of the Sacred Heart of thy adorable Son, in our own hearts and in those of all people, in our country, and in all the world, as in Heaven, so on earth. Amen.

7 days with the Saints - but not your usual!

Father, All-Powerful and ever-living God,
today we rejoice in the holy men and women
of every time and place.
May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A week with Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini

Give to my heart, O Lord,
Compassion and understanding.
Give to my hands kindness and gentleness.
Give to my ears the ability to listen.
Give to my lips words of comfort.

Give me, O Lord,
Strength for this selfless service.
And enable me to give hope
To those I am called to serve.

Amen.

Praying with Saint Rita

O holy Rita, advocate of desperate causes,
I appeal to your miraculous gift
that Jesus Christ our Lord has entrusted to you
by stigmatizing you with the thorn.

O glorious holy Rita,
I leave it to you
and implore your charity and kindness
to take care of my desperate case.

Saint Rita, protector of the needy, ease my spirit.
Saint Rita, anchor of salvation, lighten the load on my shoulders.
Saint Rita, daisy of Paradise, open my hands.
Saint Rita, chosen by Heaven, change my gaze.
Saint Rita, model of purity, dry my tears.
Saint Rita, advocate of desperate causes, listen to my prayer.

O blessed Saint Rita,
I call on you today and I will call on you tomorrow.

May your benevolence intercede for me with the Lord
so that he protects me and guides me.

Saint Rita, advocate of desperate causes, pray for me.
Amen.
