Thursday, April 2, 2026
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Prayer for the Church

by Pope Saint Gregory the Great (6th Century)

O God, the most gracious Maker and most merciful Redeemer of mankind, who, when man, by envy of the devil, was cast down from Eternal Life, did redeem him with the Blood of your only Son: Give life to your servants, whose death you in no wise desire; and as you did not leave them when they went astray, so do you receive them when they are brought back. Let the sorrowful sighings of your servants move your pity. Heal their wounds. Extend your saving hand to the prostrate, lest your Church should be despoiled of any portion of her body, lest your flock should suffer loss, lest those who were born again to the salutary waters should be possessed by the second death. Spare those who confess, that in this mortal life they may, by your help, so mourn over their sins, that in the day of dreadful Judgment they may escape the sentence of eternal damnation, and may know neither the terrors of the darkness nor the fury of the flame, and that, having returned from the path of error to the way of righteousness, they may be pierced with no more wounds, but may retain, in fullness and perpetually, both what your grace has vouchsafed and what your mercy has restored: Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, eternally. Amen.

Prayer for the Faithful Departed

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O gentlest Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the soul of Thy servant, N. Be not severe in Thy judgment, but let some drops of Thy Precious Blood fall upon our beloved departed, and do Thou, O merciful Savior, send Thy angels to conduct the soul of Thy servant to a place of refreshment and peace. Amen.

Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

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O Spirit of Wisdom, preside over all my thoughts, words and actions, from this hour until the moment of my death. Spirit of Understanding, enlighten and teach me. Spirit of Counsel, direct my inexperience. Spirit of Fortitude, strengthen my weakness. Spirit of Knowledge, instruct my ignorance. Spirit of Piety, make me fervent in good works. Heavenly Spirit, make me persevere in the service of God, and enable me to act on all occasions with goodness and kindness, charity and joy, with long-suffering, mildness and fidelity. Let the heavenly virtues of modesty, continency and chastity, adorn the temple you have chosen for your abode. Spirit of Holiness, by your all powerful grace, preserve me from the misfortune of sin. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Basil the Great (329-379)

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O Lord our God, we beseech you, to ask for the gift we need. Steer the ship of our life to yourself, the quiet harbor of all storm-stressed souls. Show us the course which we are to take. Renew in us the spirit of docility. Let your Spirit curb our fickleness; guide and strengthen us to perform what is for our own good, to keep your commandments and ever to rejoice in your glorious and vivifying presence. Yours is the glory and praise for all eternity. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Bonaventure (1217-1274)

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Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of your love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for you, that it may yearn for you and faint for your courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with you. Grant that my soul may hunger after you, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon you, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of your savor; may it thirst after you, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God; may it ever compass you, seek you, find you, run to you, attain you, meditate upon you, speak of you, and do all things to the praise and glory of your name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end; may you alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firm and rooted immovably hence forth and for ever. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Edmund of Abingdon (1170-1240)

Into Thy hands, O Lord, and into the hands of Thy holy angels, I commit and entrust this day my soul, my relations, my benefactors, my friends and my enemies, and all Thy people. Keep us, O Lord, through the day, by the merits and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, from all vicious and unruly desires, from all sins and temptations of the devil, and from sudden and unprovided death and the pains of hell. Illuminate my heart with the grace of Thy Holy Spirit; grant that I may ever be obedient to Thy commandments; suffer me not to be separated from Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian (306-373)

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Blessed Virgin, immaculate and pure, you are the sinless Mother of your Son, who is the mighty Lord of the universe. Since you are holy and inviolate, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, I sing your praises. I praise you as full of every grace, for you bore the God-Man. I venerate you; I invoke you and implore your aid. Holy and Immaculate Virgin, help me in every need that presses upon me and free me from all the temptations of the devil. Be my intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment. Deliver me from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness. Make me worthy of the glory of your Son. O dearest and most kind Virgin Mother. You indeed are my most secure and only hope, for you are holy in the sight of God, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and power forever. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Ephrem for Lent

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from the Byzantine Liturgy of the Presanctified

O Lord and Master of my life, spare me from the spirit of apathy and meddling, of idle chatter and love of power. Instead, grant to me, your servant, the spirit of integrity and humility, of patience and love. Yes, O Lord and God, grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and not to judge others, for you are blessed, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

from his Spiritual Exercises

Eternal Lord of all things, I feel your gaze on me. I sense that your Mother stands near, watching and that with you are all the great beings of heaven: angels and powers and martyrs and saints. Lord Jesus, I think you have put a desire in me. If you will help me, please, I would like to make my offering. I want it to be my desire and my choice, provided that you want it, too, to live my life as you lived yours. I know that you lived an insignificant person in a little, despised town. I know that you rarely tasted luxury and never privilege, and that you resolutely refused to accept power.

I know that you suffered rejection by leaders, abandonment by friends, and failure. I know. I can hardly bear the thought of it all. But it seems a toweringly wonderful thing that you might call me to follow you and stand with you. I will labor to bring God’s reign if you will give me the gift to do it. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Jane de Chantal (1572-1641)

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O Holy Mother of the children of God! When shall I rest in your immortal arms? Our souls should be wholly consumed by this desire. But I will restrain myself and peacefully await the hour which the divine Savior has destined for me, to overwhelm me with that bliss. In the meantime let us have only one desire, to please Him by doing His holy will in all things. What God wishes for us, let it be done: we are His for time and eternity. Amen.