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"Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible." John Chrysostom

It is through prayer that we develop a strong relationship with God. No matter how young or old we may be our pray continue to keep us “connected” to God. Jesus often went off to pray by himself to stay connected to his Father. Jesus also knew how important this connection was so he taught us to pray. (Mt 5: 5-14)  Prayer is the listening and speaking to God in our hearts. It can be public or private, out loud or in our minds and hearts, sung or read or recited. No matter how prayer is said, the importance is that it IS said. If you think of relationships you have with people…your family, your friends…think about how much you talk or interact with them. The more you share things, the closer you become. So too it is with God.

Prayer is a cornerstone of faith. It is a way of life. There are many different ways to pray yet each is in honor of God. People pray to God in:

Praise– loving God for creating us and because God loves us

Petition– asking God to help us stay true to God and to help othersin need

Contrition- telling God we are sorry for not doing what God asks of us

Thanksgiving– showing God how grateful we are for all that God gives to us

Pray through words or song or thought, vocal or silent, alone or with others. Each prayer is offered as a statement of belief in being one in the family God.

Lent is a special time to spend in strengthening your prayer life. Pray daily. Read a scripture passage every day and spend 5 minutes thinking and praying about it. Say a decade or more of the rosary each week. Using the mission rosary on this page can help you focus on your family who live in distant lands. Or use some of the prayers on this page to help you show your love by connecting with God every day.

"We pray that children and young people may be messengers of the Gospel and that they may be respected and preserved from all violence and exploitation." Pope Benedict XVI

LET US PRAY…

God, You created me and put me on earth for a purpose.

Jesus, You died for me and called me to complete your work.

Holy Spirit, You help me to carry out the work for which I was created and called.

In your presence and name Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I begin my day.

May all my thoughts and actions have their origin in you, and be directed to your glory.

Amen

Lord, our God,

Give us the eyes to see your face

the ears to know your voice among ordinary people,

both the good and the bad.

Let us not be fooled by the wrapping:

by dull brown paper or tawdry ribbon,

but grant us the insight ,the patience and gentleness,

to unwrap, to uncover, the gifts that lie hidden

in all your people.

Help us to share the pain of theirs,

To learn what it means to be fully human.  

Sheila Cassidy from Good Friday People  Orbis Books 1995

St. Theresa’s Prayer

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where

you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities

that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received,

and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be confident knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow

your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.  Amen

HCA Prayer 

O Loving God, help us to be more like Jesus.

As missionaries, we share Your love with all people, especially those who are hungry, hurting and unloved.

May our prayers and good works help our sisters and brothers everywhere, and may we remember they pray for us too.

Bless those who work with the children

we love and support.  Be with us, as together we help create a world where all will be one in Your name.Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us and for all the world’s children.  Amen

Carrying the Cross

Response:  Jesus grant us strength to carry our cross.

+on those days when life seems to demanding with all its cares burdens and concerns…

+When we feel the pain of our World and unite in compassion with the Earth’s suffering people…

+When we struggle with decision-making and the time comes to make good choices in our life…

+When we are asked to go the extra mile, to be generous with our time and presence…

+When we feel weary and worn out, when it seems like all our energy has been drained away…

+When worries and concerns choke our peacefulness and leave us with anxiety and fear…

+When we hold on to old wounds and are called to offer or to receive forgiveness…

+When we lose our way…

Together:

Jesus, help us to take up our cross day by day. Through these crosses we can grow closer to you. Help us to lean on you and to learn from you.  May we not give in to self-pity or self-doubt. Rather let us trust your presence which strengthens us. Remind us of resurrection. Help us, with grace, to find the place where we can keep our vision focused on life, growth and you.  Amen

“Do not be afraid to say “yes” to Jesus…giving yourself completely to the pursuit of holiness, and using all your talents in the service of others.”

Pope Benedict XVI

Father,

Keep before us the wisdom and love

you have revealed in your Son.

Help us to be like him 

in word and deed,

for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Christ has no body now, but ours…

No hands, no feet on earth but ours…

Ours are the eyes through which Christ looks compassion into the world…

Ours are the feet with which Christ walks to do good…

Ours are the hands with which Christ blesses the world…

Amen

To live deeply, with purpose,

To live freely, with detachment,

To live wisely, with humility,

To live justly, with compassion,

To live lovingly, with fidelity,

To live mindfully, with awareness,

To live gratefully, with generosity,

To live fully, with enthusiasm.

Help me to hold this vision

And to daily renew it in my heart.

   - Joyce Rupp, from Out of the Ordinary

Jesus our Savior,

The cross that you accepted for us

carried the weight of all

the sufferings of the world.

Grant that every missionary child

may know how to walk beside you

to share the hard work, the sufferings,

the worries of our brothers and sisters

big and small.

Make us Samaritans of hope in this world

that still does not know your love.

Accept the sufferings of the little ones

and open to humanity new roads

of brotherhood, of peace of acceptance.

Amen

A Prayer for Missions

O almighty God

Lord of all the peoples of the earth, we pray that you

Guide and bless all those who go forth

To preach the Gospel in distant lands.

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon them.

Strengthen their weaknesses.

Embolden them with courage in their faith.

Comfort them in their trials.

Guide them in their actions to fulfill your divine will.

Give them the spirit of power and love to open the

hearts of those they serve to receive the good news.

We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen  

Mary Maney, RDC

O God, to those who have hunger… give bread.

And to those who have bread…give the hunger for justice.

Fasting

May we fast from negatives, and feast on affirmatives

May we fast from complaining, and feast on appreciation

May we fast from selfishness, and feast on compassion for others.

May we fast from gossip, and feast on purposeful silence.

May we fast from judging others, and feast on the Christ light in all.

May we fast from hurtful words, and feast on words that heal.

May we fast from discontent, and feast on gratitude.

May we fast from discouragement, and feast on hope.

May we fast from thoughts that weaken, and feast on promises that inspire.

May we live this Lent attentive to God’s mercy and compassion and share that gift with all.

Stewardship

We thank you, most loving and generous Creator,

for the abundance you have bestowed on us,

           your servant people.

May we use your gifts to build your kingdom;

            to help the poor as you commanded;

                        to bring light to a world of darkness.

May we be faithful to your commandments.

Bless the people in our lives that we may help

            each other grow in your love.

We pray in union with Jesus Christ and the holy Spirit.

                                                Mary Jane Doerr

Offering Oneself

Dear Jesus,

Let me offer this prayer to you my father.

Let me offer my heart to all the suffering people in the world.

Let me offer my hand to anyone who falls or gets hurt.

Let me offer my love to any people who have not treated me kindly.

Let me offer my words to people who call me names.

Let me offer my actions to show the way.

Let me offer this prayer to show my love and bring peace to the world.

 C.Y. 4^th Grade

Mother Earth

Dear mother earth, who day by day

Unfolds rich blessing on our way.

O praise God! Alleluia!

The fruits and flowers that verdant grow,

Let them his praise abundant show.

O praise God, O praise God,

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.   Arturo Aguilar SSC

Earth Day Prayer

Creator God, we praise you for the grandeur of the universe.

We praise you for the gift of this earth.

We praise you for the land, and we praise you for the seas.

We praise you for the great miracle of teeming life on our planet.

We praise you for the cycle of growth and for the beauty

of bursting blooms in the Springtime.

We praise you green growth of summer for the holy harvest in the Fall.

We praise you for the infinity of creatures on the land and sea each a gift

            in the ecosystem dependent on each other and the whole.

We praise you, our Creator. Grace us with a sense of our responsibilities

            To preserve and protect your precious gift - this Garden, this Earth.

We praise you Creator, and offer you our hearts and hands

            For the preservation of your Creation.

 Education for Justice

  “The most potent and acceptable prayer is

       the prayer that leaves the best effects…

 The best effects are those that are followed up by actions.”

                                                        Theresa of Avila   

Peace Prayer

Lord,

Make me an instrument of your peace

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is doubt, faith

Where there is despair, hope

Where there is darkness, light

Where there is sadness joy

O Divine Master

Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love

For it is in giving that we receive

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

                                 Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi

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