Prayers

O gracious Father, Maker and Preserver of heaven and earth, who in the beginning didst institute matrimony, thereby foreshadowing the mystical union of the Church with our Savior Christ, who, during His ministry upon earth, did honor marriage with His first miracle: Help me, I pray Thee, by Thy grace to live in holiness and purity with the wife whom Thou hast given me. Mortify in me all violence of earthly passion, all selfishness and inconsideration (here name any besetting sin that may be a hindrance to you), that I may love her as Christ loved His Church, cherish and comfort her as my own body, and have as great care for her happiness as for my own. Grant that we may live in peace, without contention; in unity, without discord.

[Give us, O Lord, discreet heart and understanding minds, to bring up our children in Thy faith and fear, that they may be obedient to Thee and to Thy commandments, and to all that Thou requires of them in their duties towards their parents.]

And give us, O Lord, a sufficiency of those things necessary to maintain ourselves and our family according to that rank and calling wherein Thou hast placed us, without excess or vainglory, in singleness and pureness of heart. Grant this for Jesus Christ’s sake, to Whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

O merciful Lord God, who in the beginning didst take Eve out of the side of Adam and didst give her to him as a helpmate: Grant me the grace to live worthy of the honorable estate of matrimony to which Thou hast called me, that I may love my husband with a pure and chaste love, acknowledging him as my head, and truly reverencing and obeying him in all good things; that thereby I may please him, and live with him in all Christian serenity.

Keep me from all worldliness and vanity. Help me, O Lord, that I may, under him, prudently and discreetly guide and govern his household. Let no fault of mine aggravate any sins by which he may be especially tempted; enable me to soothe him in perplexity, to cheer him in difficulty, to refresh him in weariness, and, as far as may be, to advise him in doubt. Give me understanding so as to fulfill my part in the education of our children, that they may be our joy in this world and our glory in the next. Grant that our perfect union here may be the beginning of the still more perfect and blissful union hereafter in Thy kingdom; and this I pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty Father, we consecrate ourselves and our home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who loves us with a tender and everlasting love. Strengthen us with Your grace that we might return His love in the way we treat, respect, and love each other.

We welcome Jesus as a living member of our family and ask Him to be the Heart of our family. We accept Mary as our heavenly Mother and seek her protection and help in our daily lives.

Heavenly Father, grant that our love may go beyond our home into the world, so that we may do our part to build up Your kingdom, feed the hungry, help the poor, and lead all souls to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Amen.

O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who, having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou protect us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace, and concord in Christian love in order that, by living according to the divine pattern of Thy family, we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain eternal happiness.

 Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by thy kindly intercession, make our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus and obtain for us His graces and blessings. O Saint Joseph, the most holy Guardian of Jesus and Mary, help us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal needs, so we may be enabled to praise our Divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be. (3 times)

(a prayer for a husband and wife to conceive a child)

Father, we long to be parents. Our hope is in You for conception. We wait every day, knowing that You are holding our hands. We trust that You can create in us a fertile land like how You blessed Abraham and Sarah. We rest in Your truth and look forward with hope to the birth of our child. Help us to navigate this barren time into a new season. Guide us as we seek help from the medical world. Help us to be at peace, to look after ourselves, and rest in Your promises. Amen.

Heavenly Father, the gift of being a grandparent is so amazing, yet complex. I pray for insight as I seek to discover my role in my grandchild’s life. Guide me in offering advice when needed, yet refraining from inappropriate interference. Please shield this precious child from all harm, and give me the grace needed to handle times of illness, stress, and challenges. Help me be a source of wisdom, comfort, and strength. May I pass on the faith, share the bond of family traditions, and provide unconditional love. Amen.

God, our loving Father, we thank You for giving us life and uniting us in love. For years You have given us the joy of sharing our life together. Today on our anniversary day, as we rededicate ourselves to live our lives more authentically, we ask You, Lord, to guide us in our life’s journey. May our love for each other be genuine and generous, and may nothing come between us that will bring disharmony and unfaithfulness. As You have brought us to the threshold of another year, give us the grace to live our lives fully and to share our joys and sorrows. Keep us happy and united. Forgive us, Lord, our infidelity to Your love and to each other. Amen.

O God the Father of mankind, who hast given unto me these my children, and committed them to my charge to bring them up for Thee, and to prepare them for eternal life: Help me with Thy heavenly grace, that I may be able to fulfill this most sacred duty and stewardship. Teach me both what to give and what to withhold; when to reprove and when to forbear; make me to be gentle, yet firm; considerate and watchful; and deliver me equally from the weakness of indulgence, and the excess of severity; and grant that, both by word and example, I may be careful to lead them in the ways of wisdom and true piety, so that at last I may, with them, be admitted to the unspeakable joys of our true home in heaven, in the company of the blessed Angels and Saints.

O Heavenly Father, I commend my children to Thy care. Be Thou their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is lacking in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and strengthen and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit, so that they may daily grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter. Amen.

O Lord of all, You alone intimately know the little one I carry. You are the creator, the author of all life, Your touch can transform, heal, and restore. Please touch this little life now that we carry and bring wholeness and life to him/her. Just one touch from Your mighty hand of healing is all that we need. We live, breathe, and hope in You. Amen.

(a prayer for safe delivery during childbirth)

Almighty God, Send Your angels to keep guard as labor begins. Lord, comfort and protect us all. Surround us with Your hope and goodness. Hold us through each wave of delivery. Give us a perfect life. Our Lady, as you looked after Saint Elizabeth, stay beside us this time. Come, hold us safely within your promises, now and forever. Amen.

Lord, bless our family, all of us now together, those far away, all who are gone back to You. May we know joy. May we bear our sorrows in patience. Let love guide our understanding of each other. Let us be grateful to each other. We have all made each other what we are. O family of Jesus, watch over our family. Amen.

Lord Jesus, my family needs Your help today. We need Your peace and tranquility, an end to discord. Give us strength and compassion to understand each other, wisdom and love to help each other, and the trust and patience we need to live peacefully together. Grant that, through the intercession of Your mother, Mary, and Saint Joseph, our family too may become a holy family, a family that works together as one, a family that embraces peace and love, a family whose members are dedicated to each other and to You. Amen.

Father, I pray that my child’s future spouse will experience Your unconditional love at a young age. Help him/her to keep his/her entire self pure: body, mind, and spirit—as a gift to my child in marriage. Give him/her peers who value purity and role models who honor their spouses. Help him/her to learn how to rely on You to resist temptations. Give him/her the desire and the courage to seek You all the days of his/her life. When the time is right, let my child meet his/her future spouse in a place and circumstance ordained by You. Help him/her to recognize and lovingly accept the life partner You have chosen for him/her. Grant them the grace to build a loving and joyful family together with You. Amen.

Dear God, May You watch my sleep as I carry this baby. May Your hand be upon this little life as it develops in my womb. May You fill our hearts with joy, and our bodies with peace. May we feel You so close to us as we sense Your amazing creativity at work. We rest in You. Amen.

Lord Jesus, grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we always bear with one another’s weaknesses and grow from each other’s strengths. Help us to forgive one another’s failings, and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness, and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self. May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both ever closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection. Amen.

Dear Father, It is so hard to watch my child struggle in school. I want to make everything better, but I know I cannot. Please give my child the confidence and patience to work through these challenges. Ease the anxiety he/she feels when a difficult assignment is given. I ask for wisdom in how to serve him/her best, and I ask You to give the teachers the same thing. When he/she questions himself/herself, please be there to comfort him/her, help him/her know he/she can accomplish any task with You by his/her side. Give him/her peace about school. Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom; pray for my child. Amen.

Dear Lord, in this time of great trial in our marriage, do not let my spouse and me succumb to those forces that would weaken or break our bond of love in Holy Matrimony, or our vows to You and each other. In this troubled time, let us not forget our vows to be there for each other for worse, as well as better, and in sickness, as well as in health. Be a friend and confidant to keep us attuned to Your wishes and desires for us. Keep me and my spouse from nourishing grudges over disagreements or becoming irritable with each other in our stressful situation. Help us to remember Saint Paul’s important advice in his letter to the Ephesians not to let the sun go down with us angry at each other. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, you are our mother, protector, and help of the entire human race. We honor you. We accept you as the mother and protector of our family. Protect us and our homes from all dangers, especially from evil spirits, fire, floods, lightning, storms, earthquakes, road accidents, thieves, and evil men. All of us living in this house belong to you. Keep us safe from diseases and all dangers. Help us to stay away from sin and to do God’s will in every sphere of our lives. We consecrate ourselves totally to Jesus through your Immaculate Heart. Amen.