REGNUM CHRISTI

PRAYERS
INTRODUCTION

Prayer should be the atmosphere that envelops every aspect of

our daily life, from putting bread on the table to our other basic
concerns such as love, work, health, friendship, suffering, and
even current events that affect the nation, the world, and the
Church.

The Regnum Christi Movement offers its members this Prayer

Book to help you to pray in the various circumstances of life, and
to promote spiritual communion with Regnum Christi members
worldwide. Besides the Movement's own prayers, it includes a
selection of other prayers from the Church's long tradition,
approved and enriched by the popes.

May it encourage you to personal, family, and team prayer, and

may it spiritually enrich all Regnum Christi members.

INVOCATION ON RISING

Upon waking up, a Christian sanctifies the first moments of the

day by thanking God and putting in his hands all the days
difficulties, activities, concerns, sorrows, and joys.

Christ our King!

Thy Kingdom come!

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy

kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Prayer to Begin the Day

My Lord and Father, inspire my thoughts, words and actions, and

accompany them with your aid, so that I undertake all my
activities and carry them through according to your will and out of
love for you. I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

MORNING OFFERING

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Trinity

My Lord, God of heaven and earth Father and Creator, Son and
Redeemer, Holy Spirit and Sanctifier I adore you and love you
with all my heart. I thank you for creating me, redeeming me,
calling me to the Catholic faith, and watching over me last night. I
offer you on this day my prayer, my work and my struggles, my
sufferings, and my joys. Enable me to do everything out of love
for you and according to your will. Make me steadfast in living my
Christian vocation, patient in suffering, courageous in proclaiming
my faith; fill me with wisdom on lifes journey and charity in
dealing with others. Free me from sin and from all evil. May your
grace always remain with me and with all who are dear to me.
Amen.

Prayer to Jesus Christ

Lord Jesus, faithful friend of my soul and King of Regnum Christi,
once more I offer you my life so you can teach me to do your will,
give me the strength to follow you, and help me to imitate your
virtues, especially those that please you most: charity, humility,
justice, and honesty.

Make me a faithful, zealous apostle of your Church and grant me

the grace that will enable me to proclaim your saving message to
the brothers and sisters I meet on my journey today. May I live my
Catholic faith with such evident conviction, and share it with such
ardent zeal that I become a fruitful and effective fisher of souls for
the Kingdom. Amen.

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

Mother, I come before you on this new day to bless you for the
great things almighty God has done for you, to thank you for the
graces you have obtained for me, to consecrate to you all my
thoughts, words and actions, and to ask your blessing for me and
every Regnum Christi member.

Intercede with God for all of us spread throughout the world, as

we strive to live the faith, hope and charity of which you set us
such admirable and noble example.

Enable me to imitate the life of prayer, obedience, humility,

fidelity, sacrifice, and simplicity that you shared with your Son,
our Brother and Lord.

Help me to form a meek and humble heart like that of your Son,
Jesus Christ, and obtain for me the grace of receiving him in the
sacrament of his love as fervently as you throughout the years of
your solitude.

Mother, tell Jesus how much I want to love him, how ardently I
desire to become holy and be his apostle. Tell him how fervently
and constantly I want to serve him in Regnum Christi, which is
called to be a faithful instrument in extending his Kingdom
throughout the world.
Look Ahead to Prepare Your Day

This is a minute of reflection in Gods presence to go over your

commitments, especially the ones you need to work on. It is also
a moment to check both the regular and special items on your
agenda for the day.

MEDITATION

Overview

Meditation is a personal and intimate conversation with God. It is

meant to enlighten and strengthen, in your heart and soul, your
decision to identify with the purpose of your life: God's holy will. It
is a renewal from God that should encompass your principles,
emotions, motivations, and decisions.

As you begin your meditation, call on the Holy Spirit in faith.

Remember that he is the sweet guest of the soul, and that
however much you strive to become holy and be an apostle, you
will achieve nothing solid or lasting without him.

Put your whole self (your intelligence, will, emotions, imagination,

feelings, problems, weaknesses, interests, longings, etc.) into
your prayer so that these moments of personal contact with God
will bear fruit in your daily life and lead to a continuous renewal of
your principles, motivations, and decisions.

One form of meditation is known as discursive affective prayer. In

it you reflect on an idea or fundamental principle so as to
understand it more deeply and make it your own. It is not simply
a mental exercise, but rather a reflection from the heart on the
mystery of your own life, done in the light of faith and from God's
perspective. The deeper understanding this gives you should lead
you to want to become one with God, express your love for him,
thank him for his gifts, ask for his help, recognize that you are a
sinful creature, and give yourself trustingly to him. This
culminates in conversion of heart that is, the decision to live from
now on in accordance with the truth you have considered in God's
light.

Another form of mental prayer is contemplation. In it you take a

mystery or an event in the life of Christ or the Blessed Virgin, or in
salvation history; you contemplate it (observe the people, listen
to their words, consider their actions) and its implications for your
own life, allowing the movement of grace to stir your heart and
move your will toward giving yourself and imitating what you
have contemplated.

Or finally, prayer may involve all of the above elements:

discursive, affective, and contemplative.

Your choice of one or other of these forms of prayer will depend

on the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and the needs of your soul,
always under the guidance of your spiritual director.

It is not enough to reflect or contemplate. Meditation is above all

an attentive, loving conversation with God. Accordingly, it is
necessary to learn to listen to God in the silence of your soul and
to open your heart to him in a conversation full of faith and love,
entering into personal and sanctifying contact with God. Here,
under the light and power of the Holy Spirit, your will is
conformed to God's, and the decisions that ought to direct your
life emerge.

Begin your meditation by invoking the Holy Spirit.

Invocation of the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them
the fire of your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,

R. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O God, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught
the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit, help us to know
what is truly right and always rejoice in his consolation. We ask
this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Preparatory Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love

Make these acts briefly and spontaneously in direct conversation

with God, without using written prayers, if possible.

Faith: You will be in God's presence, speaking with him. You don't
have to make him present since we are always in God's presence
whether we realize it or not. But you do need to make yourself
aware of this reality.

Hope: It consists in turning to God as your supreme good, your

Savior, in whom you trustfully hope for grace and help in your
need.

Charity: Renew your awareness that God, with whom you are
speaking, is your Father, and that you are his beloved child.
Address him, then, as a child speaking to his father.

Adore God humbly and with all your heart. He is your creator; you
depend on him for everything.

Thank him for all the gifts you have received, especially for this
opportunity to speak with him.

Ask Christ and Mary to help you to do the meditation fruitfully.

Body of the Meditation

The following or similar questions may help you find points to

reflect on and ways to apply your meditation to your life:
What is the Lord trying to tell me in this Gospel passage (or
reading)?

- What resonance does it have in my heart?

- What implications does it entail for my life? Why so?

- How have I behaved up to now in this respect?

- How should I behave from now on?

- What difficulties will I have to overcome?

- What means do I need to use to do so?

Talk to the Father, Christ, and the Blessed Virgin about these
points in order to evoke the movements that stir the heart and
move the will to make some practical resolutions, which are the
fruit of your meditation.

Conclusion

To evaluate the meditation, you could ask yourself the following or

similar questions:

Is there anything in me that is not as God would have it?

Do I detest whatever keeps me from doing God's will?
Do I desire to follow his will always, out of love for Christ and
souls?
Did I prepare myself well for the meditation? Did I create an
atmosphere of prayer before I started?
Did I use well all the time I had, from start to finish?
Did I concentrate on the meditation, fighting against
laziness, distractions, tiredness, and difficulties?
Was my meditation a conversation with Christ?
Did I remain humble before God?

CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST

Christ's sacrifice, his love to the end, becomes present in the

Celebration of the Eucharist as a grace-filled event. His sacrifice is
not repeated, nor is it merely remembered or imagined. In the
Celebration of the Eucharist Christ becomes present, so that we
can make his sacrifice our own and share in it.
It is never enough to attend Mass just to fulfill a Church precept;
the Church tells us to take an active part in it. In order to
participate fully in the Mass, we need to foster the same attitudes
as Christ on the Cross as he offered himself to the Father to save
humanity: glorifying the Father, adoring him, thanking him, and
making reparation for sins. We must also accompany Christ's
offering with our own oblation to God. Communion is the
consummation of our self-giving and union with Christ, and a
source of matchless graces for our lives.

Christians who live the Mass should exemplify truth and kindness
in all their temporal affairs: in family, work, society, politics,
culture, etc. In this way they will find their fulfillment as new men
and women, and make all things new.

THANKSGIVING AFTER HOLY COMMUNION

Prayer to Jesus Crucified

My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before you, asking you most
earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope,
and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve
to make amends.

As I reflect upon your five wounds, and dwell upon them with
deep compassion and grief, I recall, good Jesus, the words the
prophet David spoke long ago concerning yourself: They have
pierced my hands and my feet, they have counted all my bones!

Soul of Christ

Soul of Christ, be my sanctification.

Body of Christ, be my salvation.
Blood of Christ, fill all my veins.
Water of Christ's side, wash out my stains.
Passion of Christ, my comfort be.
O good Jesus, listen to me.
In thy wounds I fain would hide,
Ne'er to be parted from thy side,
Guard me, should the foe assail me.
Call me when my life shall fail me.
Bid me come to thee above,
With thy saints to sing thy love,
World without end. Amen.

Prayer to the Father

Father, you are my Lord and God, unbounded in holiness, power,

and life, and I am your servant. Though weak and sinful, with no
merits of my own to rely on, I thank you because out of sheer
kindness you have fed me with the sacred body and blood of your
Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that this holy Communion, far from condemning me to

punishment, will plead effectively for my pardon. Let it be the
armor of my faith and the shield of my good will. Let it purify me
from my bad habits and put an end to my evil desires. Let it
increase my charity and patience, humility and obedience, and all
the virtues. Let it defend me against the traps of all my enemies,
visible and invisible. Let it calm the passions of my body and
spirit. Let it join me firmly to you, the one true God, and lead me
safely through death to everlasting happiness with you.

And I pray that you will lead me, sinful as I am, to the banquet
where you, with your Son and Holy Spirit, are to your saints true
light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, complete gladness, and
perfect happiness.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Pope Clement XI

Lord, by your grace make my weak faith firm, my wavering hope

secure, set my cold love on fire, grant me passionate repentance
for my sins.
I adore you, the very source of all, I long for you, to whom all
return, I praise you for your constant gifts, I call on you as my
gracious protector.

Guide me by your wisdom, restrain me with your justice, comfort

me by your mercy, protect me with your power.

Lord, I offer you: my thoughts to be centered on you, my words to

speak of you, my actions to do your will, my sufferings for your
sake.

I want whatever you want, because you want it, the way you want
it, as long as you want it.

Lord, enlighten my mind, inflame my will, purify my heart, sanctify

my soul.

Enable me to regret past offenses, to resist future temptations, to

correct wayward tendencies, to cultivate needed virtues.

Lord, in your goodness, grant me the grace to love you, disregard

myself, seek my neighbor's good, and hold this world as nothing.

Teach me to obey those in authority, serve those under my care,

look after my friends, forgive my enemies.

Lord, help me to overcome sensuality by austerity, greed by

generosity, anger by gentleness, lukewarmness by fervor.

Make me prudent in planning, unwavering in danger, patient in

adversity, unassuming in success.

Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer, moderate in food and drink,

diligent in my duties, firm in my commitments.

Make me concerned to keep an innocent heart, a modest

demeanor, exemplary dealings, and order in my life.
Lord, let me be alert to tame my natural instincts, foster the life of
grace, keep your law, and win salvation.

Teach me how shallow this world is, how magnificent the

Kingdom, how fleeting temporal concerns are, how lasting is life
eternal.

Lord, help me to prepare for death, fear judgment, escape hell,

and reach paradise.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Self-Dedication

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my

understanding, my whole will, all I have, and all I possess. You
gave it all to me; to you, Lord, I return it all. It is all yours: Do with
me entirely as you will. Give me your love and your grace: This is
enough for me.

Prayer to Christ the King

Christ Jesus, I acknowledge you as King of the universe:

Everything that exists was created by you. Exercise over me all
your rights. I renew my baptismal promises, rejecting Satan and
all his works and all the glamour of evil, and I promise to live as
befits a Christian. I specially pledge myself to do all in my power
to further the rights of God and of your Church.

Christ Jesus, I offer you my poor efforts to bring every heart to

accept and live your message of peace, justice, and love.

Prayer for the Pope

Christ Jesus, King and Lord of the Church, in your presence I

renew my unconditional loyalty to your Vicar on earth, the Pope.
In him you have chosen to show us the safe and sure path that we
must follow in the midst of confusion, uneasiness, and unrest. I
firmly believe that through him you govern, teach, and sanctify
us; with him as our shepherd, we form the true Church: one, holy,
catholic, and apostolic.

Grant me the grace to faithfully love, live, and spread our Holy
Father's teachings. Watch over his life, enlighten his mind,
strengthen his spirit, defend him from calumny and evil. Calm the
erosive winds of infidelity and disobedience. Hear our prayer and
keep your Church united around him, firm in her belief and action,
that she may truly be the instrument of your redemption. Amen.
Lord Jesus, King of the Legion and Regnum Christi, instill in the
heart of our general director all the distinctive virtues of your
divine heart, especially prudence, fortitude, and charity. Fill him
with your light, so he can direct and govern us in the most
beneficial way for the salvation of souls and the triumph of your
Kingdom. Amen.

Prayer for Vocations

Lord Jesus, eternal Shepherd, in your kindness look with mercy on

your beloved flock. We cry out to you as orphans: Lord, grant us
vocations! Call many of our young people to be holy priests and
consecrated men and women. We ask you this through the
intercession of Mary, your tender, holy Mother.

Lord Jesus, grant us priests and consecrated persons after your

own heart!

GREETING TO MARY

Angelus

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace,

The Lord is with Thee;
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
 Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary, etc.

V. And the Word was made Flesh.

R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, etc.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts,
that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made
known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same
Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Regina Caeli

V. Queen of heaven, rejoice. Alleluia.

R. The Son whom it was your privilege to bear. Alleluia.
V. Has risen as he said. Alleluia.
R. Pray God for us. Alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, Virgin Mary. Alleluia.
R. For the Lord is truly risen. Alleluia.

Let us pray: O God, you were pleased to give joy to the world
through the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant,
we beseech you, that through the mediation of the Virgin Mary,
his Mother, we may come to possess the joys of life everlasting.
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to the Guardian Angel

Angel sent by God to guide me,
be my light and walk beside me;
be my guardian and protect me;
on the paths of life direct me. Amen.

ROSARY

Initial Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, my Creator and
Redeemer, I love you above all else, and I am sorry with all my
heart for offending you. To make up for my sins, which I firmly
intend to confess in due time, I offer my life, my difficulties and all
I do. I hope in your kindness and boundless mercy, and trust that
you will forgive me and give me the grace never to offend you
again. Amen.

Leader: Today, we will reflect on the (joyful, luminous, sorrowful

or glorious) mysteries.

FIRST MYSTERY

Leader: [Joyful] The first mystery: The incarnation of the Son of

God.

[Luminous] The first mystery: Jesus is baptized in the

Jordan.

[Sorrowful] The first mystery: The agony of Christ in the

garden.

[Glorious] The first mystery: The resurrection of the

Lord.
Reader 1: [Joyful] I am the Lords servant, said Mary, let
what you have said be done to me. (Luke 1:38)

[Luminous] And a voice spoke from heaven, This is my

Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on him. (Matthew
3:17)

[Sorrowful] In his anguish he prayed even more

earnestly. (Luke 22:44)

[Glorious] Why look among the dead for someone who

is alive? He is not here, he has risen. (Luke 24:5-6)

Reader: Our Father,

All: Give us this day

Reader: Hail, Mary,

All: Holy Mary, [Pray Hail Mary 10 times]

Reader: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit:
All: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Amen.

SECOND MYSTERY

Leader: [Joyful] The second mystery: Our Lady visits her cousin
Elizabeth.

[Luminous] The second mystery: Jesus reveals himself

to his disciples at the wedding in Cana.

[Sorrowful] The second mystery: The scourging of Christ

at the pillar.

[Glorious] The second mystery: The ascension of the

Lord.
Reader 2: [Joyful] Mary went into Zechariahs house and
greeted Elizabeth. (Luke 1:40)

[Luminous] This was the first of the signs given by

Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be
seen, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)

[Sorrowful] Pilate then had Jesus taken away and

scourged. (John 19:1)

[Glorious] As he blessed them, he withdrew from them

and was carried up to heaven. (Luke 24:51)

THIRD MYSTERY

Leader: [Joyful] The third mystery: The birth of our Lord Jesus
Christ.

[Luminous] The third mystery: Jesus proclaims the

Kingdom of God.

[Sorrowful] The third mystery: The crowning with

thorns.

[Glorious] The third mystery: The coming of the Holy

Spirit on the apostles.

Reader 3: [Joyful] Mary gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She

wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a
manger. (Luke 2:7)

[Luminous] Jesus went to Galilee. There he proclaimed

the Good News from God. The time has come, he said,
and the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and
believe the Good News. (Mark 1:14-15)

[Sorrowful] The soldiers twisted some thorns into a

crown and put it on his head. (John 19:2)
 [Glorious] Something appeared to them that seemed
like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest
on the head of each of them. They were all filled with
the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:3-4)

FOURTH MYSTERY

Leader: [Joyful] The fourth mystery: The presentation of the

Lord in the temple.

[Luminous] The fourth mystery: Jesus is transfigured.

[Sorrowful] The fourth mystery: Jesus carries his cross.

[Glorious] The fourth mystery: The assumption of Mary

into heaven.

Reader 4: [Joyful] Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to

present him to the Lord. (Luke 2:22)

[Luminous] As he prayed, he was transfigured in their

presence: his face shone like the sun and his clothes
became as white as the light. (Luke 9:29; Matthew 17:
2)

[Sorrowful] Carrying his own cross, Jesus went out of

the city to the place of the skull. (John 19:17)

[Glorious] Blessed is she who believed that the

promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled. (Luke
1:45)

FIFTH MYSTERY

Leader: [Joyful] The fifth mystery: The finding of Jesus in the

Temple.

[Luminous] The fifth mystery: Jesus institutes the

Eucharist.
 [Sorrowful] The fifth mystery: Jesus dies on the cross.

[Glorious] The fifth mystery: The coronation of Mary,

Mother of the Church.

Reader 5: [Joyful] Three days later, they found him in the temple,
sitting among the teachers. (Luke 2:46)

[Luminous] I am the living bread which has come down

from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live
forever. (John 6:51)

[Sorrowful] They crucified with him two others, one on

either side with Jesus in the middle. (John 19:18)

[Glorious] A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman

adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, with
twelve stars on her head for a crown. (Revelation 12:1)

HAIL HOLY QUEEN

Leader: Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, hail, our life, our
sweetness and our hope. To you we cry, the children of
Eve; to you we send up our sighs, mourning and
weeping in this land of exile. Turn, then, most gracious
advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; lead us home
at last and show us the blessed fruit of your womb,
Jesus: O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

Litany of Praise to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Lord, have mercy

Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
God our Father in heaven
Have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world
Have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit
Have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one God
Have mercy on us

Holy Mary
Pray for us
Holy Mother of God
Pray...
Most honored of virgins
Mother of Christ
Mother of the Church
Mother of divine grace
Mother most pure
Mother of chaste love
Mother and virgin
Sinless Mother
Dearest of mothers
Model of motherhood
Mother of good counsel
Mother of our Creator
Mother of our Savior
Mother of Regnum Christi
Virgin most wise
Virgin rightly praised
Virgin rightly renowned
Virgin most powerful
Virgin gentle in mercy
Faithful Virgin
Mirror of justice
Throne of wisdom
Cause of our joy
Shrine of the Spirit
Glory of Israel
Vessel of selfless devotion
Mystical Rose
Tower of David
Tower of ivory
House of gold
Ark of the covenant
Gate of heaven
Morning Star
Health of the sick
Refuge of sinners
Comfort of the troubled
Help of Christians
Queen of angels
Queen of patriarchs and prophets
Queen of apostles and martyrs
Queen of confessors and virgins
Queen of all saints
Queen conceived without sin
Queen assumed into heaven
Queen of the Rosary
Queen of the family
Queen of peace

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world

Have mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us

Leader: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

All: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Leader: Let us pray:

All: O God, whose only begotten Son, by his life, death and
resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of
eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that meditating on
these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and
 obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our
Lord. Amen.

Leader: For the intentions of the Holy Father: Our Father

EUCHARISTIC VISIT

When we visit the Blessed Sacrament we want to greet our

Redeemer, have a heartfelt conversation with Christ, learn the
lessons he teaches us from the sacrament, and entrust to him our
undertakings and our resolve to give ourselves to him. The fruit of
these brief moments spent with Christ in the Eucharist should be:
gratitude, encouragement in our struggle, trust and joy at being
in his presence, and the desire to imitate him.

Your prayer should preferably be spontaneous and personal.

Renew your faith, hope, and charity, and pray for the Church, the
Pope, the Movement and the world, along with all your personal,
family, and other needs.

When you are unable to visit the Blessed Sacrament in a church,

you can make a spiritual communion.

Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy

Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my
soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You
were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit
me to be separated from You. Amen.

PRAYERS TO BEGIN AND CONCLUDE ACTIVITIES

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

To Begin:
V. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.
R. Amen.

V. Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the memorial

of your suffering and death. May our worship of this
sacrament of your body and blood help us to experience the
salvation you won for us and the peace of the Kingdom
where you live for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

To Conclude:

V. We give thee thanks for all thy benefits, almighty God, who
live and reign forever.

R. Amen.

V. Christ our King!

R. Thy Kingdom come!

V. Virgin most prudent, Mary, Mother of the Church,

R. Pray for us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

PRAYERS TO BEGIN OR CONCLUDE OTHER ACTIVITIES

To Begin:

V. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.
R. Amen.

V. Come, Holy Spirit,

R. fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of
your love.
V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
R. and you shall renew the face of the earth.

V. Let us pray:
O God, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the
hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit, help us to know
what is truly right and always to rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

V. Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art
thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.

R. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at

the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
R. as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world
without end. Amen.

V. Christ our King!

R. Thy Kingdom come!

V. Virgin most prudent, Mary, Mother of the Church,

R. pray for us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

To Conclude:

V. We give thee thanks for all thy benefits, almighty God, who
live and reign forever.

R. Amen.
V. Christ our King!
R. Thy Kingdom come!

V. Virgin most prudent, Mary, Mother of the Church,

R. pray for us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

BEFORE AND AFTER MEALS

To Begin:

V. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.
R. Amen.

V. Our Father,
R. who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom
come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us
this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.

V. Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to
receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

To Conclude:

V. We give thee thanks for all thy benefits, almighty God, who
live and reign forever.
R. Amen.

V. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of

God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.

Prayer to Sanctify Work

Lord, you have called everyone to cooperate, by means of daily
work, in your prodigious plan of creation. Enable us to pursue our
activities with a Christian spirit, and perform them with perfection
and out of love for you, so that through them we will grow in
holiness: glorifying you, collaborating with your work in the world,
and serving our brothers and sisters. We ask this through Christ
our Lord. Amen.

When Going Out or Returning Home

As you kiss the Bible or crucifix, pray the following invocation:

Lord, increase my faith.

NIGHT PRAYERS

Introduction

As the day comes to a close, a Christian should take time to thank

God for the gifts received, make a spiritual evaluation of his day,
and ask forgiveness if he has not used them well. He should pray
for God's protection during the night, entrusting himself into the
Lord's hands.

The spiritual evaluation is an effective means to verify your

progress or shortcomings in decisive areas of your behavior. The
habit of examining yourself rigorously and sincerely in God's light
will help you continually to improve and grow in perfection.

The evaluation should, first and foremost, place you face to face
with yourself and with God in an atmosphere of prayer and
conversation with Christ. The topic of this conversation is God's
will for your life and how you are carrying it out.

Begin the evaluation by asking the Holy Spirit to help you

examine your conscience in God's light and giving heartfelt
thanks for the insights and graces he has granted you.
Then examine your fidelity to God, looking for your good points
and your failures. Compare these to Christ's example and to what
the Holy Spirit is asking of you.

Practice humility and sorrow for sin; be absolutely sincere in

admitting whatever faults you uncover. To conclude the
evaluation, humbly ask forgiveness for your faults and make the
firm decision to rectify the areas in which you have strayed from
God's will. Ask the Lord for his help to set out again encouraged,
at peace, and trusting in his grace.

Spiritual Evaluation

My Lord and my God, I thank you for the countless gifts you have
given me, especially for creating and redeeming me, for calling
me to the Catholic faith, for choosing me to be an apostle among
my brothers and sisters, and for freeing me from so many
dangers of soul and body. Enlighten my mind so I can recognize
my faults, and grant me the grace to be truly sorry and sincerely
mend my ways.

The following questions are suggestions to help you evaluate your

day. It is recommended, however, that you draw up, with the help
of your spiritual director, questions that correspond better and
more directly to your current spiritual and apostolic situation. You
may also use your mission card as a guide to examine your
conscience.

1. Does the awareness that I am a child of God and bear the

seal of this reality on my soul, permeate my day? Do I
behave like his good, faithful son or daughter? Is there
anything in particular that satisfies or displeases God, my
Father? Have I tried to do God's will in my various activities
today? Have I performed them with this intention?

2. Have I tried hard, sincerely, and fervently to use my means

for spiritual growth well?
 3. Have I fulfilled the duties of my state in life (as a son or
daughter, student, parent, spouse, etc.) honestly and
responsibly, in a spirit of service? Have I sought God's glory
and the good of others more than my own personal
interests?

4. Have I lived out Christian charity in thoughts, words,

attitudes, and actions? In other words, have I done good to
others by helping to make them happy, especially those
closest to me being patient, not talking badly of them or
holding grudges, forgiving, and helping out as much as I
could whenever I had the opportunity?

5. How well have I carried out my mission as an apostle? Did I

take the necessary steps and seize the opportunities to win
souls for Christ? Do I have clear apostolic goals, and have I
striven to meet them? Was I generous in giving my time and
resources to further Christ's interests?

6. What omissions was I guilty of today?

7. Have I taken care to form a sensitive conscience?

8. Do I know what my root sin is? Is it lack of devotion? Is it

pride, self-love, vanity, laziness, fault finding, envy, gluttony,
lack of charity, frivolity and superficiality, sensuality,
neglectfulness, irresponsibility in my work, individualism,
indifference to the common good? What have I done today
to improve?

9. What was the most positive thing in my day?

10. What was the most negative thing in my day?

To conclude the evaluation, take a few moments for a trusting,

heartfelt conversation with the Lord: Thank him for what you
have achieved, beg his forgiveness for the failings you detect,
and ask his help to be better tomorrow. Then pray the prayers
that follow. The point of praying the Creed is to profess the
Catholic faith ever more consciously, and to ask God for the grace
to bear witness to it openly and remain faithful to it in its entirety
until the end of your life.
No sin is unforgivable, as long as we approach the throne of
mercy with a humble, contrite heart. No evil is capable of
overpowering God's limitless mercy.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy

kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Creed

I believe in one God,

the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer Before Going to Sleep

Visit this house, we beg you, Lord, and banish from it the deadly
power of the evil one. May your holy angels dwell here to keep us
in peace, and may your blessing be always upon us. We ask this
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Introduction

Frequent confession, as recommended by the Church, gives us

more accurate self-knowledge and makes us grow in Christian
humility. It helps us uproot bad habits and it makes our
conscience more sensitive, so that we do not gradually become
lukewarm or careless. It strengthens our will and leads us to a
constant effort to perfect the grace of baptism in our soul, and to
identify more closely with Christ. It also brings home to us our
own powerlessness in the supernatural life and it helps us to trust
utterly in God's grace.

Aware that conversion of heart is a permanent requirement if you

are to fully accomplish God's will in your life, go to the sacrament
of reconciliation as frequently as needed, and make it a living and
renewing encounter with Christ and with the Church.

Make a conscious act of faith in the sanctifying action of Christ,

present in the priest (preferably a regular confessor). Be simple
and humble. Confess your faults in an orderly, brief, precise, clear
and complete manner. Accept the guidance of your confessor with
faith, and make sure you do the penance in a true spirit of
reparation, as soon as possible. Also offer your daily activities and
hardships in reparation for your sins.

Thank God for the gift of his forgiveness and friendship by

resolving to improve your conduct out of love and holy fear of
God, and by living a life of greater fidelity to the mission he has
entrusted to you.

Prayer for Help

My Lord and my God, you know each person's heart. Give me the
grace to examine mine sincerely and to know it truly so I can
discover all my sins, confess them well, and avoid them from now
on. Thus I hope to win your pardon and grace on earth and
eternal life in heaven. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Rite of Penance

RECEPTION OF THE PENITENT

The priest and penitent may say together:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The priest invites the penitent to trust in God, in these or similar
words:

V. May God, who has enlightened every heart, help you to know
your sins and trust in his mercy.

The penitent answers:

R. Amen.

The penitent confesses his sins. The priest may give him counsel
and assigns a penance. The penitent expresses his sorrow, using
the following or a similar text:

PRAYER OF THE PENITENT

Lord Jesus Christ, true God and man, my Creator and Redeemer, I
love you above all else, and I am sorry with all my heart for the
wrong I have done and the good I have failed to do. By sinning, I
have offended you, the supreme good, worthy of being loved
above all else. To make up for my sins, I offer my life, all I do and
all I suffer. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no
more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Lord, by the merits
of your passion and death, take pity on me and give me the grace
never to offend you again. Amen.

ABSOLUTION

The priest says:

God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of

his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy
Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of
the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve
you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit.

The penitent answers:

R. Amen.

PROCLAMATION OF PRAISE OF GOD AND DISMISSAL

The priest may continue:

V. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

The penitent then concludes:

R. His mercy endures forever.

Then the priest may dismiss the penitent who has been
reconciled, saying these or similar words:

V. Go in peace, and proclaim to the world the wonderful works

of God who has brought you salvation.

Or:

V. The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace.

EXAMINING YOUR CONSCIENCE

In an examination of conscience, before the Sacrament of

Penance, each individual should ask him or herself these
questions in particular:

1. What is my attitude to the sacrament of penance? Do I

sincerely want to be set free from sin, to turn again to God,
to begin a new life, and to enter into a deeper friendship
with God? Or do I look on it as a burden to be undertaken as
seldom as possible?
2. Did I forget to mention, or deliberately conceal, any grave
sins in past confessions?
3. Did I perform the penance I was given? Did I make reparation
for any injury to others? Have I tried to put into practice my
resolution to lead a better life in keeping with the Gospel?
Each individual should examine his or her life in the light of Gods
word.

THE LORD SAYS: YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH
YOUR WHOLE HEART.

1. Is my heart set on God, so that I really love Him above all

things and am faithful to His commandments, as a child
loves its father? Or am I more concerned about the things of
this world? Have I a right intention in what I do?
2. God spoke to us in Jesus. Is my faith in God firm and secure?
Am I wholehearted in accepting the Church's teaching? Have
I been careful to grow in my understanding of the faith, to
hear God's word, to listen to instructions on the faith, to
avoid dangers to faith? Have I been always strong and
fearless in professing my faith in God and the Church? Have I
been willing to be known as a Christian in private and public
life?
3. Have I prayed morning and evening? When I pray, do I really
raise my mind and heart to God or is it a matter of words
only? Do I offer God my difficulties, my joys, and my
sorrows? Do I turn to God in time of temptation?
4. Have I love and reverence for God's name? Have I offended
Him in blasphemy, swearing falsely, or taking His name in
vain? Have I shown disrespect for the Blessed Virgin Mary
and the Saints?
5. Do I keep Sundays and feast days holy by taking a full part,
with attention and devotion, in the liturgy, and especially in
the Mass? Have I fulfilled the precept of annual confession
and of communion during the Easter season?
6. Are there false gods that I worship by giving them greater
attention and deeper trust than I give to God: money,
superstition spiritism, or other occult practices?

THE LORD SAYS: "LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU."

1. Have I a genuine love for my neighbors? Or do I use them for

my own ends, or do to them what I would not want done to
myself? Have I given grave scandal by my words or actions?
2. In my family life, have I contributed to the well-being and
happiness of the rest of the family by patience and genuine
love? Have I been obedient to parents, showing them proper
respect and giving them help in their spiritual and material
needs? Have I been careful to give a Christian upbringing to
my children, and to help them by good example and by
exercising authority as a parent? Have I been faithful to my
wife (husband) in my heart and in my relations with others?
3. Do I share my possessions with the less fortunate? Do I do
my best to help the victims of oppression, misfortune, and
poverty? Or do I look down on my neighbor, especially the
poor, the sick, the elderly, strangers, and people of other
races?
4. Does my life reflect the mission I received in Confirmation?
Do I share in the apostolic and charitable works of the
Church and in the life of my Parish? Have I helped to meet
the needs of the Church and of the world and prayed for
them: for unity in the Church, for the spread of the Gospel
among the nations, for peace and justice, etc.?
5. Am I concerned for the good and prosperity of the human
community in which I live, or do I spend my life caring only
for myself? Do I share to the best of my ability in the work of
promoting justice, morality, harmony and love in human
relations? Have I done my duty as a citizen? Have I paid my
taxes?
6. In my work or profession am I just, hard-working, honest,
serving society out of love for others? Have I paid a fair wage
to my employees? Have I been faithful to my promises and
contracts?
7. Have I obeyed legitimate authority and given it due respect?
8. If I am in a position of responsibility or authority, do I use this
for my own advantage or for the good of others, in a spirit of
service?
9. Have I been truthful and fair, or have I injured others by
deceit, calumny, detraction, rash judgment, or violation of a
secret?
10. Have I done violence to others by damage to life or
limb, reputation, honor, or material possessions? Have l
involved them in loss? Have I been responsible for advising
 an abortion or procuring one? Have I kept up hatred for
others? . Am I estranged from others through quarrels,
enmity, insults, anger? Have I been guilty of refusing to
testify to the innocence of another because of selfishness?
11. Have I stolen the property of others? Have I desired it
unjustly and inordinately? Have I damaged it? Have I made
restitution of other people's property and made good their
loss?
12. If I have been injured, have I been ready to make peace
for the love of Christ and to forgive, or do I harbor hatred
and the desire for revenge?

CHRIST OUR LORD SAYS: BE PERFECT AS YOUR FATHER IS

PERFECT.

1. Where is my life really leading me? Is the hope of eternal life

my inspiration? Have I tried to grow in the life of the Spirit
through prayer, reading the word of God and meditating on
it, receiving the sacraments, self-denial? Have I been anxious
to control my vices, my bad inclinations and passions, e.g.
envy, love of food and drink? Have I been proud and
boastful, thinking myself better in the sight of God and
despising others as less important than myself? Have I
imposed my own will on others, without respecting their
freedom and rights?
2. What use have I made of time, of health and strength, of the
gifts God has given me to be used like the talents in the
Gospel? Do I use them to become more perfect every day?
Or have I been lazy and too much given to leisure?
3. Have I been patient in accepting the sorrows and
disappointments of life? How have I performed mortification
so as to "fill up what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ"?
Have I kept the precept of fasting and abstinence?
4. Have I kept my senses and my whole body pure and chaste
as a temple of the Holy Spirit consecrated for resurrection
and glory, and as a sign of God's faithful love for men and
women, a sign that is seen most perfectly in the sacrament
of matrimony? Have I dishonored my body by fornication,
impurity, unworthy conversation or thoughts, evil desires, or
 actions? Have I given in to sensuality? Have I indulged in
reading, conversation, shows, and entertainments that
offend against Christian and human decency? Have I
encouraged others to sin by my own failure to maintain
these standards? Have I been faithful to the moral law in my
married life?
5. Have I gone against my conscience out of fear or hypocrisy?
6. Have I always tried to act in the true freedom of the children
of God according to the law of the Spirit, or am I the slave of
forces within me?

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The practice of the Stations of the Cross is deeply rooted in

traditional Catholic piety. The purpose of this prayer is to
contemplate afresh, in our heart and mind, some of the climactic
moments of Christs sacrifice of himself for our redemption, and
to arouse interior attitudes of sorrow for sin, trust, gratitude,
generosity, and identification with Christ.

This kind of almost dramatized meditation, alternating between

hymns and vocal prayers, helps us not only to recall Christs
sufferings, but to discover in some measure their depth, drama
and intricate mystery. Here human suffering in its highest degree,
human sin in its most tragic repercussion, love in its most
generous and heroic expression, and death in its most cruel
victory and definitive defeat are all made starkly visible.

Introduction

Leader: Let us pray.

Holy Father, look kindly on us as we prepare to retrace,
step by step, the luminous path of the cross, alongside
Jesus our Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our
Lord.

Or:
 Father, look kindly on us as we prepare to contemplate,
at Jesus side, the mysteries of his passion. Instruct us
in the school of redemptive suffering, so that we will
recognize and take up our own cross, embracing it with
love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

I
Jesus is Condemned to Death

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: Then Pilate saw that he was making no impression,

that in fact a riot was imminent. So he took some water,
washed his hands in front of the crowd and said, I am
innocent of this mans blood. It is your concern. And
the people, to a man, shouted back, His blood be on us
and on our children! . . . He ordered Jesus to be first
scourged and then handed over to be crucified
(Matthew 27:24-26).

Reader 2: What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will

anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written: For
your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked
upon as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these
things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who
loved us. (Romans 8:35-37)

Reader 3: If you want to be happy, you have to purchase it

through suffering. If you want to find human and
Christian fulfilment, you have to follow spiritual values
and reject the enticements of the flesh. If you want to
be truly free, you have to make yourself a servant of
God. (Centered on Christ, n. 1470)
Leader: Let us pray.
Lord God, teach us to be grateful and to respond to all
that Christ endured and suffered because he loved us,
when he gave up his life for us on the cross, shedding
his blood to save us. We ask this through Christ our
Lord.

All: Amen.

II
Jesus Takes Up His Cross

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is
the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They
clothed him in purple, and weaving a crown of thorns,
placed it on him. They began to salute him with, Hail,
King of the Jews! and kept striking his head with a reed
and spitting on him. They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of
the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and
led him out to crucify him (Mark 15:16-21).

Reader 2: Have among yourselves the same attitude that is

also yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the
form of God, did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness;
and, found human in appearance, he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.
(Philippians 2:5-8)

Reader 3: Human suffering only makes sense when it is

united to Christs suffering. Patient, loving, and faith-
filled suffering is the source of all peace, prayer, and
 union with God, and is the most effective apostolate.
(Centered on Christ, n. 682)

Leader: Let us pray.

Lord, enable us to be faithful not only when everything
goes our way and fidelity is not difficult, but also during
the bitter hours of life when it matters most to be
faithful and to follow Christs footsteps on the way of
the cross. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

III
Jesus Falls the First Time

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: No slave is greater than his master. If they

persecuted me they will persecute you. If they kept my
word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all
these things to you on account of my name (John
15:20-21).

Reader 2: Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to

shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world
to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and
despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to
reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no
human being might boast before God. (I Corinthians
1:27-29)

Reader 3: We will never progress without fighting. It is a

serious error to think that we can reach our ideals, no
matter how beautiful and noble they may be, unless we
decide to fight, and fight to the end. (Centered on
Christ, n. 751)
Leader: Let us pray.
Lord God, never permit us to yearn for a life without
crosses, but a life of crosses with Christ; for the cross is
a given, inherent to human life, and particularly so for
those who have agreed to follow him along the path to
Calvary. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

IV
Jesus Meets His Mother

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: Three days later they found him in the Temple,

sitting among the teachers. They were overcome when
they saw him, and his mother said to him, My child,
why have you done this to us? See how worried your
father and I have been, looking for you. He replied,
Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I
must be busy with my Fathers affairs? (Luke 2:48-49).

Reader 2: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent
his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to
ransom those under the law, so that we might receive
adoption. (Galatians 4:4-5)

Reader 3: No Christian can ever feel abandoned, alone, or

forsaken, for Mary is always beside him to encourage
him with her support and motherly care. (Centered on
Christ, n. 1509)

Leader: Let us pray.

We thank you, Lord, for the clear example of faith Mary
gives us. We pray that by reflecting and suffering with
her we will grow in our understanding of Christs
mysteries, and our faith will be our strength and sure
 hope until lifes end. We ask this through Christ our
Lord.

All: Amen.

V
Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to Carry the Cross

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: They led him out to crucify him. They enlisted a

passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and
Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry his
cross (Mark 15:21-22).

Reader 2: Bear one anothers burdens, and so you will fulfill

the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something
when he is nothing, he is deluding himself. But may I
never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me, and I
to the world. (Galatians 6:2-3, 14)

Reader 3: Give thanks to God for the crosses he has placed

on your path, and then instead of asking him to take
away the mountain in front of you, ask him for the
strength to climb it. (Centered on Christ, n. 620)

Leader: Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, give us the grace to be enthusiastic and
steadfast in carrying the cross that in your kindness you
have given us, so our love for those souls that are far
from you will drive us to walk by your side on the way
to Calvary. You live and reign for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

VI
 Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: Come you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit

the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I
was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you
welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, in prison and
you visited me (Matthew 25:34-36).

Reader 2: Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time
we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. So then,
while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all, but
especially to those who belong to the family of the
faith. (Galatians 6:9-10)

Reader 3: Do not waste your life waiting for great

opportunities to love Christ. Love him now in all of the
small, humble things so that you will stay faithful to his
love when those great opportunities arise. (Centered on
Christ, n. 291)

Leader: Let us pray.

Moved by the example of Veronica, who honored Christ
and offered him the sincere homage of her love and
gratitude, we ask you, almighty God, for the strength to
be men and women of the Kingdom who will not shrink
from the prospect of suffering and the cross. We ask
this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

VII
Jesus falls the second time

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the
land. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be
comforted. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the
sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of
heaven (Matthew 5:4,5,10).

Reader 2: I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships,

persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for
when I am weak, then I am strong. (II Corinthians
12:10)

Reader 3: Fighting, even though we fall, shows love, interest,

life, optimism, and trust. For God, it constitutes the
triumph of Gods grace over weak human nature.
(Centered on Christ, n. 797)

Leader: Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, we know that you deserve everything from
us and that anything we offer you will always be
pitifully small. Look with favor on our efforts to spend
our lives for you selflessly and without limit, and be the
guarantee of our final victory, you who live and reign
for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

VIII
Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and

those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.
If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one
 of these little ones because he is a disciple, amen, I say
to you, he will most certainly not lose his reward
(Matthew 10:40, 42).

Reader 2: Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold,

now is the day of salvation. In everything we commend
ourselves as ministers of God, as sorrowful yet always
rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having
nothing and yet possessing all things. (II Corinthians
6:2, 4, 10)

Reader 3: To want something, especially something

supernatural, is to already be capable of achieving it
because you are not the only one acting. God is with
you, and God can do anything; I can do all things in
him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). And to
want something is to have the greatest certainty: I
know in whom I have believed and am confident (2
Tim 1:12). (Centered on Christ, n. 476)

Leader: Let us pray.

Loving Father, enlighten our minds and hearts to
understand all that Christ wants to be for us. Enable us
to enjoy the pardon and peace he won for us by
generously giving himself. We ask this through Christ
our Lord.

All: Amen.

IX
Jesus Falls the Third Time

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: Watch and pray that you may not undergo the
test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, My
 Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my
drinking it, your will be done! (Matthew 26:41-42).

Reader 2: Because Christ himself was tested through what

he suffered, he is able to help those who are being
tested. So let us confidently approach the throne of
grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely
help. (Hebrews 2:18, 4:16)

Reader 3: Temptation is conquered by fighting: this is the law

that Christ sets for us with his example. He chose to
submit to this humiliation so that he may be both our
model and our strength. (Centered on Christ, n. 438)

Leader: Let us pray.

Holy Father, enable us to understand that it matters not
if we fall a thousand times, as long as we love the fight
and not the fall. Grant us the strength to battle on,
knowing for sure that this is more pleasing to Christ
than a cozy victory achieved at no cost. We ask this
through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

X
Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: And when they came to a place called Golgotha

(which means Place of the Skull), they gave Jesus wine
to drink mixed with gall. But when he tasted it, he
refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they
divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat
down and kept watch over him there (Matthew 27:33-
36).
Reader 2: Whatever gains I had, these I have come to
consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even
consider everything as a loss because of the supreme
good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I
have accepted the loss of all things, and I consider
them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
(Philippians 3:7-8)

Reader 3: Jesus Christ gave himself up to death out of love.

He did it fully and constantly; he did it heroically. You
also have to surrender yourself totally to Christs love.
You have to give him your soul, your body, your
strength, your time, and your entire life. (Centered on
Christ, n. 1222)

Leader: Let us pray.

Lord our God, place in the depths of our hearts the firm
conviction that as life advances and eternity draws
near, only Christs love remains. Make this love be the
treasure for which we sell everything, until we
experience the satisfaction and joy of being seeds fallen
in the furrow beside him. We ask this through Christ our
Lord.

All: Amen.

XI
Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: They crucified him, and with him two others, one
on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate also had
an inscription written and put on the cross. It read,
Jesus the Nazorean, King of the Jews. Now many of
the Jews read this inscription, because the place where
 Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written
in Hebrew, Latin and Greek (John 19:18-20).

Reader 2: For through the law I died to the law, that I might
live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live,
no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live
in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has
loved me and given himself up for me. (Galatians 2:19-
20)

Reader 3: May meditating on Christs cross make you decide

to repay his great act of love with a love equally
capable of offering him your own blood and of
crucifying yourself on the other side of his cross.
(Centered on Christ, n. 639)

Leader: Let us pray.

Loving Father, in Christs cross you show us the living
reality of your personal love for man. Enlighten our
consciences so that we will accept that the most fruitful
and beautiful life is spent following Jesus Christ to the
cross in order to accomplish your will. We ask this
through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

XII
Jesus Dies on the Cross

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled

Jesus, saying, Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself
and us. The other, however, rebuking him, said in
reply, Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to
the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been
condemned justly, for the sentence we received
 corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done
nothing criminal. Then he said, Jesus, remember me
when you come into your Kingdom. He replied to him,
Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in
Paradise. . . Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Father,
into your hands I commend my spirit; and when he
had said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:39-43,46).

Reader 2: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did
not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with
him? Christ Jesus, who died for us, indeed intercedes for
us. (Romans 8:31-32, 34)

Reader 3: Christ did it out of love for you so that you can get
to heaven. He gave you his entire self. Now ask
yourself: What are you going to do for Christ? What do
you do for Christ? Is what you do and suffer even close
to what Christ did and suffered for you? (Centered on
Christ, n. 595)

Leader: Let us pray.

Holy Father, we are moved by the sight of your crucified
Son cursed by his enemies, denied by his own and
suffering in silence for love of us; we ask you for the
courage to carry our cross with the optimism of a
Christian who knows by faith the importance of his life
in relation to eternity. Enable us to be Good Samaritans,
helping others to carry their cross as well. We ask this
through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

XIII
Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.
Reader 1: But one of the soldiers thrust his lance into his
side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. An
eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he
knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also
come to believe. For this happened so that the scripture
passage might be fulfilled: Not a bone of it will be
broken. And again another passage says: They will
look on him whom they have pierced. After this, Joseph
of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the
Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus.
And Pilate permitted it. So he came and took his body
(John 19:34-38).

Reader 2: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to
Jews and foolishness to Gentiles; for the foolishness of
God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of
God is stronger than human strength. (I Corinthians
1:22-23, 25)

Reader 3: Christ alone holds the keys of history. The past was
from him, the present is from him, and the future will
also be from him because he will continue reigning from
his privileged throne of the cross. (Centered on Christ,
n. 523)

Leader: Let us pray.

Lord, may our sufferings not drive us away from you but
instead make us better understand what your Son,
Jesus Christ, suffered during his passion, and draw us
closer to him. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

XIV
Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

Presider: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.

Reader 1: After he had taken the body down, he wrapped it

in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in
which no one had yet been buried. Then he rolled a
stone against the entrance to the tomb. Mary
Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched
where he was laid (Luke 23:53-54; Mark 15:46-47).

Reader 2: The time of my departure is at hand. I have

competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the
faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits
me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me. (II
Timothy 4:6-8)

Reader 3: Jesus Christ, the conqueror of sin and death, did

not ascend into heaven to wash his hands of this world.
Rather, he went before us so that we, as members of
his Mystical Body, may ardently hope to meet him in his
Kingdom. (Centered on Christ, n. 739)

Leader: Let us pray.

Father, help us to meditate on the mystery of the cross
and delve into its depths, since therein lie our trust and
our greatness. Grant that by dying and being buried
with Christ, our poor, weak mortal life will be
transfigured and raised with him, who lives and reigns
with you for ever and ever.

All: Amen.

Conclusion

Leader: Let us pray.

Lord, let your blessing descend abundantly on this
family of yours which has commemorated the death of
your Son in the hope of his holy resurrection. Let your
pardon come upon us, grant us your consolation,
 increase our faith, and secure for us eternal
redemption. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Or:

Holy Father, step by step we have retraced the way of

the cross. Grant us the grace of engraving on our minds
and in our hearts the image of your Son crucified in the
supreme act of love with which he shattered the
bitterness and senselessness of suffering and turned it
into joy and an indispensable means to salvation and
holiness. May we respond with constant love to the
constant presence of suffering in our lives, and match
the depth of our suffering with the intensity of our self-
giving. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

EUCHARISTIC HOUR AND ADORATION OF THE BLESSED

SACRAMENT

Introduction

The Eucharistic Hour is an opportunity to dialogue personally with

Christ, to get to know and love him more intimately, to make
reparation for our sins and those of mankind, to thank him for his
testimony of self-giving and love, to offer our own struggles in
favor of his kingdom, and to pray for the needs of the Church, our
own family, the world, and ourselves (RCMH, 253).

Whenever possible, the Eucharistic Hour should be prayed before

the Blessed Sacrament solemnly exposed. The assembly should
be standing while waiting for the priest; once the tabernacle is
opened, everyone kneels and the hymn Pange Lingua or another
appropriate song in English can be sung.

When you do the Eucharistic Hour with your team, you pray the
Rosary followed by a Gospel reading and commentary by one of
the participants. When on your own, you pray the Rosary and
then read a Gospel passage and reflect on it or contemplate it.

Finish with the Invocations and the Litany.

When the Eucharistic Hour has taken place in the presence of the
exposed Blessed Sacrament, Benediction is given after the Litany.
Otherwise, the Eucharistic Hour ends with the closing prayer: "We
give you thanks for all your gifts ..."

When the priest or deacon has finished praying the Litany, the
Tantum Ergo should be sung.

Pange Lingua (English)

Sing, my tongue, the Saviour's glory,

Of His Flesh, the mystery sing;
Of the Blood, all price exceeding,
Shed by our Immortal King,
Destined, for the world's redemption,
From a noble Womb to spring.

Of a pure and spotless Virgin

Born for us on earth below,
He, as Man, with man conversing,
Stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
Then He closed in solemn order
Wondrously His Life of woe.

On the night of that Last Supper,

Seated with His chosen band,
He, the Paschal Victim eating,
First fulfils the Law's command;
Then as Food to all his brethren
Gives Himself with His own Hand.

Word-made-Flesh, the bread of nature

By His Word to Flesh He turns;
 Wine into His Blood He changes:
What though sense no change discerns.
Only be the heart in earnest,
Faith her lesson quickly learns.

Pange Lingua (Latin)

Pange, lingua, glorisi

Crporis mystrium,
Sanguinsque pretisi,
Quem in mundi prtium
Fructus ventris genersi
Rex effdit gntium.

Nobis datus, nobis natus

Ex intcta Vrgine,
Et in mundo converstus,
Sparso verbi smine,
Sui moras incoltus
Miro clausit rdine.

In suprm nocte coen

Recmbens cum frtribus
Observta lege plene
Cibis in leglibus,
Cibum turb duodn
Se dat suis mnibus.

Verbum caro, panem verum

Verbo carnem fficit:
Fitque sanguis Christi merum,
Et si sensus dficit,
Ad firmndum cor sincrum
Sola fides sfficit.

Prayer to Jesus Christ

The Eucharistic hour begins with the following prayer:

Lord Jesus, we are here, gathered around you. We are
overwhelmed by the pain that our sins and the sins of everyone in
the world have caused you. We ask you to purify our hearts.
Come and stay with us, Lord. Teach us the truth of your Gospel
and show us our mission in life so that, in union with you through
sanctifying grace, we can please you in all we do and be effective
apostles of your Kingdom in the world.

Invocations

Lord Jesus, I believe in you.

Lord Jesus, I believe in you.
Lord Jesus, I trust in you.
Lord Jesus, I trust in you.
Lord Jesus, I love you.
Lord Jesus, I love you.
Lord Jesus, help me.
Lord Jesus, help me.
Lord Jesus, give me strength.
Lord Jesus, give me strength.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the eternal Son of the Father.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Savior of all people.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you became flesh in the womb of the
Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you suffered and died on the cross to
redeem us from our sins.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you rose on the third day.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are seated at the right hand of the
Father.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you will come to judge the living and the
dead.
Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the cornerstone of the Church.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you have stayed with us, really present
in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Lord of life and history.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the way, the truth, and the life.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you have called me to the Regnum

Christi Movement to strive tirelessly to build your Kingdom
throughout the world.

Lord Jesus, I believe that with you I can do all things.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the One the Father sent.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are faithful to your

promises.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the friend who lays
down his life for his friends.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you alone have the words of
eternal life.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the Good Shepherd
calling me by name.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are rich in mercy.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you gave your life for us.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the vine that enables
me to bear fruit.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you have called me to be an

apostle of your Kingdom.
Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the light shining on our
pilgrim journey to the Father.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you went to prepare us a place

in the Father's house.

Lord Jesus, I love you for loving me first.

Lord Jesus, I love you for redeeming me from sin.

Lord Jesus, I love you for opening to me the gates of your

Kingdom.

Lord Jesus, I love you for making me a child of God.

Lord Jesus, I love you for enriching me with the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus, I love you for giving your Mother to me at the foot of
the cross.

Lord Jesus, I love you for the gift of the Catholic faith.

Lord Jesus, I love you for the gift of my call to Regnum Christi.

Lord Jesus, I love you for staying in the tabernacle to be with me.

Lord Jesus, I love you for entrusting me with your word to hand it
on to my brothers and sisters.

Lord Jesus, I love you for sending me, as you sent the apostles, to
extend your Kingdom throughout the world.

Lord Jesus, I love you because you are my Lord and my God.

V. Jesus, gentle and humble of heart,

R. make my heart more like yours.

V. Let us pray:
 Father in heaven, we call upon your Son, the center,
standard, and example of our Christian life. Grant our
humble request: Enable us to keep growing in our interior
understanding of the mystery of Christ in order to live it to
the full. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

Litany

V/ Lord, have mercy,

R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Christ, have mercy,

R/ Christ, have mercy.

V/ Lord, have mercy,

R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Christ, hear us,

R/ Christ, hear us.

V/ Lord Jesus, hear our prayer,

R/ Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

V/ God our Father in heaven,

R/ have mercy on us.

V/ God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

R/ have mercy on us.

V/ God the Holy Spirit,

R/ have mercy on us.

V/ Holy Trinity, one God,

R/ have mercy on us.

V/ Holy Mary,
R/ pray for us.

V/ Holy Mother of God,

R/ pray for us.

V/ Holy apostles,
R/ make us apostles for Christ.

V/ Holy Apostles Peter and Paul,

R/ help us to keep the faith.

V/ Holy evangelists,
R/ help us to proclaim Christ.

V/ Holy martyrs,
R/ make us witnesses to Christ.

V/ Holy confessors,
R/ make us faithful followers of Christ.

V/ All holy men and women,

R/ pray for us.

V/ By the mystery of your incarnation,

R/ save us, Lord.

V/ By your birth,
R/ save us, Lord.

V/ By your baptism,
R/ save us, Lord.

V/ By your passion and death,

R/ save us, Lord.

V/ By your resurrection,
R/ save us, Lord.

V/ By your ascension,
R/ save us, Lord.

V/ By the coming of the Holy Spirit,

R/ save us, Lord.

V/ On the Day of Judgment,

R/ save us, Lord.

V/ For the preservation, progress and holiness of your Church,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ Grant the Holy Father the grace to grow in holiness, and help
him through your Spirit to govern the Church,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ Help bishops, priests, religious and lay people to be always

faithful to the teachings and discipline of the Church, and stay
loyal to your Vicar,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ Help priests, religious and consecrated persons to be faithful to

their vocation, to give witness of Christian life and to grow always
in their apostolic zeal,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ Help lay people to be aware of their baptismal commitments,

and strive to build your Kingdom in their hearts, in their families
and in their work,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ Help the members of the Regnum Christi Movement to be

faithful to the charism you have given us, and so be docile
instruments in your hands at the service of the Church and all
people,
R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the unity of Christians in one faith under the authority of

your Vicar,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the conversion of all to the truth of the Gospel,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For all those who are being persecuted for the sake of your
name,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the defense of the Church from her enemies,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the preservation and progress of the Christian family,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the Christian formation and education of young people,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ That the Gospel will guide all those who are dedicated to
science and technology,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ That the workplace will gradually become more according to

Christ,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ That public officials will govern with justice and equity, and
respect for your rights,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the poor, the sick, and everyone suffering in body or in

spirit,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the peace, civic harmony and development of all peoples,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the conversion of sinners,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ Grant eternal rest to all our loved ones, whom you have called
already into your presence,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ For the entire people of God,

R/ Lord, hear our prayer.

V/ Lord, have mercy,

R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Christ, have mercy,

R/ Christ, have mercy.

V/ Lord, have mercy,

R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Let us pray:

Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and
make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the
universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim your glory and
 never cease to praise you. We ask this through Christ our
Lord.

R/ Amen.

Tantum Ergo Sacramntum (Latin)

Venermur crnui:
Et antquum documntum
Novo cedat rtui:
Prstet fides supplemntum
Snsuum defctui.

Genitri, Genitque
Laus et jubiltio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedctio:
Procednti ab utrque
Compar sit laudtio.
Amen. Alleluia.

Tantum Ergo (English)

Down in adoration falling,

Lo, the sacred Host we hail,
Lo, o'er ancient forms departing
Newer rites of grace prevail:
Faith for all defects supplying,
When the feeble senses fail.

To the Everlasting Father

And the Son who comes on high
With the Holy Ghost proceeding
Forth from each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might and endless majesty.
Amen. Alleluia.

The Divine Praises

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy.
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her Glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints. Amen.

PRAYERS TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known

that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or
sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this
confidence I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do
I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the
Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear
and answer me. Amen.

Sub Tuum Praesidium

We fly to your patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our

petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all
dangers, O Glorious and blessed Virgin Mary.

Consecration to the Blessed Virgin

My Queen, my Mother, I give myself entirely to you and to show

my devotion to you, I consecrate to your Immaculate Heart this
day, my life and my eternity, all that I am, all that I do, all those I
love, my whole being without reserve. Wherefore, Good Mother,
as I am your own, keep me, guard me as your property and
possession. Amen.

VARIOUS PRAYERS

Te Deum

You are God: we praise you;

You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,

Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.

The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:

Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory,

the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free

you did not spurn the Virgins womb.

You overcame the sting of death,

and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at Gods right hand in glory.

We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.

R. Govern and uphold them now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you.
R. We praise your name for ever.
V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. for we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope:
R. and we shall never hope in vain.

Hymn to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator, come

From your bright heavenly throne,
Come, take possession of our souls,
And make them all your own.

You who are called the Paraclete,

Best gift of God above,
The living spring, the living fire,
Sweet unction and true love.

You who are sev'nfold in your grace,

Finger of God's right hand;
His promise, teaching little ones
To speak and understand.

O guide our minds with your blest light,

With love our hearts inflame;
And with your strength, which ne'er decays,
Confirm our mortal frame.

Far from us drive our deadly foe;

True peace unto us bring;
And through all perils lead us safe
Beneath your sacred wing.

Through you may we the Father know,

Through you th'eternal Son,
And you the Spirit of them both,
Thrice-blessed Three in One.

V. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

R. And kindle in them the fire of your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created

R. And you will renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

Or:

Creating Spirit, mighty Lord,

find home within our heart and mind.
With warmth and power and gentleness
in grace refashion all mankind.

O Comforter of all who toil,

gift from the fountainhead of light,
O Spirit of all love and fire,
anointing chrism of all might.

O molder of our freedom strong

and gentle finger of God's hand,
come lead our words within the paths
that Wisdom in your love has planned.

Alert our senses, touch our hearts,

and fire us with your gift of love,
that proud and fallen, weak and blind,
your light may lead us from above.

Drive far from us the foe we dread

and grant us your true peace instead;
so shall we not, with you for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.

Oh, may your grace on us bestow

the Father and the Son to know,
and you, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.

All glory to the Father be,

and to the risen Son;
the same to you, O Paraclete,
while endless ages run. Amen.

Sequence of the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, and from heaven
Direct on man the rays of your light.
Come, Father of the poor,
Come, giver of God's gift.
Come, light of men's hearts.

Kindly Advocate,
In your gracious visits to man's soul,
You bring relief and consolation.
If it is weary with toil, you bring it ease;
In the heat of temptation, your grace cools it;
If sorrowful, your words console it.

Light most blessed,

Shine on the hearts of your faithful
Even in their darkest corners;
For without your aid man can do nothing,
And everything is sinful.

Wash clean the sinful soul,

Rain down your grace on the parched soul
And heal the injured soul.
Soften the hard heart,
Cherish and warm the icecold heart,
And give direction to the wayward.

Give your seven holy gifts to your faithful,

For their trust is in you.
Give them reward for their virtuous acts,
Give them a death that ensures salvation,
And give them unending bliss. Amen.

Invocations of the Lord Jesus

Lord Jesus,I believe in you.

Lord Jesus, I believe in you.
Lord Jesus, I trust in you.
Lord Jesus, I trust in you.
Lord Jesus, I love you.
Lord Jesus, I love you.
Lord Jesus, help me.
Lord Jesus, help me.
Lord Jesus, give me strength.
Lord Jesus, give me strength.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the eternal Son of the Father.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Savior of all people.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you became flesh in the womb of the
Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you suffered and died on the cross to
redeem us from our sins.
Lord Jesus, I believe that you rose on the third day.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are seated at the right hand of the
Father.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you will come to judge the living and the
dead.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the cornerstone of the Church.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you have stayed with us, really present
in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Lord of life and history.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the way, the truth, and the life.

Lord Jesus, I believe that you have called me to the Regnum

Christi Movement to strive tirelessly to build your Kingdom
throughout the world.

Lord Jesus, I believe that with you I can do all things.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the One the Father sent.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are faithful to your

promises.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the friend who lays
down his life for his friends.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you alone have the words of
eternal life.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the Good Shepherd
calling me by name.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are rich in mercy.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you gave your life for us.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the vine that enables
me to bear fruit.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you have called me to be an

apostle of your Kingdom.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you are the light shining on our
pilgrim journey to the Father.

Lord Jesus, I trust in you because you went to prepare us a place

in the Father's house.

Lord Jesus, I love you for loving me first.

Lord Jesus, I love you for redeeming me from sin.

Lord Jesus, I love you for opening to me the gates of your

Kingdom.

Lord Jesus, I love you for making me a child of God.

Lord Jesus, I love you for enriching me with the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus, I love you for giving your Mother to me at the foot of
the cross.

Lord Jesus, I love you for the gift of the Catholic faith.

Lord Jesus, I love you for the gift of my call to Regnum Christi.

Lord Jesus, I love you for staying in the tabernacle to be with me.

Lord Jesus, I love you for entrusting me with your word to hand it
on to my brothers and sisters.
Lord Jesus, I love you for sending me, as you sent the apostles, to
extend your Kingdom throughout the world.

Lord Jesus, I love you because you are my Lord and my God.

V. Jesus, gentle and humble of heart,

R. make my heart more like yours.

V. Let us pray:
Father in heaven, we call upon your Son, the center,
standard, and example of our Christian life. Grant our
humble request: Enable us to keep growing in our interior
understanding of the mystery of Christ in order to live it to
the full. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Act of Faith

My God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine
Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins,
and that he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe these and all the truths that the holy Catholic Church
teaches, because you revealed them, who can neither deceive nor
be deceived.

In accord with this faith I want to live the rest of my life. Lord,
increase my faith.

Act of Hope

My God, relying on your infinite goodness and promises, I hope to

obtain pardon of my sins, the help of your grace, and life
everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and
Redeemer. Lord, may I be happy with you forever. Amen.

Act of Charity
My God, I love you with all my heart above all else, because you
are infinitely good and our everlasting happiness. Out of love for
you, I love my neighbor as myself and I forgive anyone who has
hurt me. Lord, enable me to love you more and more. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication

Lord Jesus,
I give you my hands to do your work.
I give you my feet to follow your path.
I give you my eyes to see as you see.
I give you my tongue to speak your words.
I give you my mind so you can think in me.
I give you my spirit so you can pray in me.
Above all I give you my heart so in me you can love your Father
and all people.
I give you my whole self so you can grow in me, till it is you who
live and work and pray in me. Amen.
Litany of Humility

Jesus, meek and humble of heart! Hear me!

From the desire of being esteemed,

Lord Jesus, free me!
From the desire of being loved,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the desire of being acclaimed,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the desire of being honored,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the desire of being praised,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the desire of being preferred,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the desire of being consulted,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the desire of being approved,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the desire of being valued,
Lord Jesus, free me!

From the fear of being humiliated,

Lord Jesus, free me!
From the fear of being despised,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the fear of being dismissed,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the fear of being rejected,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the fear of being defamed,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the fear of being forgotten,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the fear of being ridiculed,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the fear of being wronged,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From the fear of being suspected,
Lord Jesus, free me!
From resenting that my opinion is not followed.
Lord Jesus, free me!

That others will be loved more than I,

Lord Jesus, make this my prayer!
That others will be esteemed more than I,
Lord Jesus, make this my prayer!
That others will increase in the opinion of the world while I
diminish,
Lord Jesus, make this my prayer!
That others will be chosen while I am set aside,
Lord Jesus, make this my prayer!
That others will be praised while I am overlooked,
Lord Jesus, make this my prayer!
That others will be preferred to me in everything.
Lord Jesus, make this my prayer!
V. Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, though you were God, you humbled yourself to

the extreme of dying on a cross, to set an enduring example
to the shame of my arrogance and vanity. Help me to learn
your example and put it into practice so that, by humbling
myself in accordance with my lowliness here on earth, you
can lift me up to rejoice in you forever in heaven.

R. Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, inspire in me

what I should think,
what I should say,
what I should leave unsaid,
what I should write,
what I should do
and how I should act
to bring about the good of souls,
the fulfillment of my mission
and the triumph of the Kingdom of Christ.
Amen.

Miserere (Psalm 51)

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness,

in your great tenderness wipe away my faults;
wash me clean of my guilt,
purify me from my sin.

For I am well aware of my faults,

I have my sin constantly in mind,
having sinned against none other than you,
having done what you regard as wrong.

You are just when you pass sentence on me,

blameless when you give judgement.
You know I was born guilty,
a sinner from the moment of conception.

Yet, since you love sincerity of heart,

teach me the secrets of wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop until I am clean;
wash me until I am whiter than snow.

Instill some joy and gladness into me,

put into me a new and constant spirit,
do not banish me from your presence,
do not deprive me of your holy spirit.

Be my savior again, renew my joy, keep my spirit steady and

willing;
and I shall teach transgressors the way to you,
and to you the sinners will return.

Save me from death, God my savior, and my tongue will acclaim

your righteousness;
Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will speak out your praise.

Sacrifice gives you no pleasure, Were I to offer holocaust, you

would not have it.
My sacrifice is this broken spirit,
You will not scorn this crushed and broken heart.

Show your favor graciously to Zion.

Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be proper sacrifice to please you
holocaust and whole oblation
and young bulls to be offered on your altar.

Family Prayer before Reading the Word of God

Our Father and Lord, as night falls and the long day calls people
home to spend quiet time together as a family, we enter into the
silence of our hearts to listen to your word.
We need to hear you; we need to listen to you. We are weary of so
many false and too human messages. We now take your
Scriptures to pray together as a family, because it does us good
to recall your salvation history and listen to the Good News of
your Kingdom.

Grant us your light so we can grasp your message in our hearts.

We know you are the Way,the Truth and the Life; help us to
understand what this means. Be the first and last word in this
home.

Speak, Lord, for your servants are listening. Amen.

Magnificat

My + soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me, *
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him *

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, *

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, *

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel *

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *

and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection

against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke
him, we humbly pray; and you, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, by
the power of God, cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits, who
roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Apostles Prayer

Lord, by your grace we belong to your Church and share in her

mission to save all people. Help us to know you better, follow you
more closely, and make you known to everyone. Give us the
courage and enthusiasm to befriend all those we meet and lead
them to you. Never let us offend you by anything we say or do.
Keep us close to you and make us strong and active members of
your Church. Strengthen your life in us and make it grow so that
we will do everything with you and for you. Amen.

Parents Prayer for Vocations to Priesthood and

Consecrated Life

Lord Jesus, we offer you our children, and consecrate them to you.

You, the all-powerful Creator, gave them to us; with a parents'

love, we give them back to you. Keep them free from all sin,
confirm them in your grace and enable them, Lord, to serve you
for the rest of their lives as priests or consecrated persons. Fill us
with your love, so we can bear their leaving in silence. Though it
is hard to let them go, call our children to love and serve you.
Give them a thirst for souls out of love for you. From our arms,
where they first learned to love you, may their guardian angels
guide them as priests to your altars, as missionaries to the
missions, as consecrated persons to your love, as apostles to
souls in need and as saints to heaven. Amen.

Prayer for My Childrens Vocation

Lord, I pray to you for my childrens vocations. Grant them the

grace to discover and accept according to your will whatever path
you have chosen for each one of them. Help them to be docile
and generous in giving themselves to their calling and may they
faithfully carry out the duties it will demand of them.

And if, in your infinite goodness, you choose to call them to serve
you, form in me, Lord, a generous and willing heart, that will
appreciate in all their greatness the matchless gifts of the
priesthood and consecrated life. Lord, give me the joy and
humility gratefully to acknowledge such a fruitful blessing. Amen.

Prayer for the Laity

Lord God, you willed the power of the Gospel to act as a leaven in
the world and you called the lay faithful to live out our lives amid
temporal affairs. Let us be so on fire with Christian spirit that as
we engage in our role in the world we will build and proclaim your
Kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Son or Daughters Prayer

Lord God, you commanded us to honor our father and our mother.
Graciously hear my prayer for them. Grant them a long life, and
keep them healthy in body and soul. Bless their work and their
undertakings. Reward them for all they have done for me. Inspire
them to love and practice your holy law. Help me to do all I can
for them. And grant that after enjoying their loving care on earth,
I will have the joy of living with them for ever in heaven. Amen.

Prayer for the Sick

Lord, you wanted your Son to bear our weaknesses to reveal the
value of illness and patient endurance. Hear, then, the prayers we
offer for our sick brothers and sisters. Give all who suffer pain,
illness or disease the grace of realizing that your Son has chosen
them to be among the ones he called blessed. Make them aware
that their sufferings unite them with Christ's passion to redeem
the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer Before Going on a Journey

Lord, every place is filled with your presence. Keep me company

on this journey, and allow me to reach my destination and return
home safe and sound. May this trip become a proclamation of joy
to everyone I meet, a message of hope and a witness to Christian
life. Amen.

Prayer for the Suffering

Lord God, provident refuge of all who experience suffering, hear

our prayer for them. Calm and comfort the sick, the aged and the
dying. Give those who care for them wisdom and patience, tact
and compassion. Inspire in them the actions that bring relief, the
words that give light, and the love that comforts. We entrust to
you those whose hearts are discouraged, or who rebel against
their suffering; those torn by temptation, tormented by passion,
or wounded or abused by the malice of others.

Lord, pour into our hearts your Spirit of love, understanding and
self-sacrifice, so that when we meet people who are suffering, we
will be able to help them effectively. Enable us to respond to their
plea, for that plea is a plea from you. Amen.

Prayer in Lifes Trials and Tribulations

Lord, help us face our tribulations, duties and responsibilities with

serene, steadfast courage. With you as our consolation may we in
turn be able to comfort our brothers and sisters. We ask this
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for a Happy Death

God our Father, you made us in your image and handed over your
Son to die for us; grant us the grace to remain watchful in prayer,
so we will be free from sin when we leave this world, and find
eternal rest and joy in the depths of your mercy. We ask this
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for a Deceased Person

Lord, remember your son (daughter) N., whom you called from
this world into your presence. In baptism he (she) died with
Christ: May he (she) also share his resurrection, when Christ will
raise our mortal bodies and make them like his own in glory. Grant
this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for the Dead

V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them.

And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy
of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Lord our God, you are the source of all good and the origin of all
we are and do; receive our humble thanks for all your gifts.
Enable us to respond to your loving kindness with the generous
commitment of our lives to the service of your Kingdom. We ask
this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

INDULGENCES

Introduction

A brief summary of the Church's teaching on indulgences is

provided to help make use of these treasures the Church offers
us, purifying our heart from all attachment to sin and guiding it
toward the will of God in every aspect of our lives. Then follows a
list of prayers, works and objects that the Church enriches with a
partial or plenary indulgence.

Every sin involves both guilt and punishment. The guilt is forgiven
in confession, but part of the temporal punishment for sin often
remains and must be remitted in this life or the next. The Church
has the power to remit this punishment by means of indulgences.

An indulgence is the remission in the sight of God of the temporal

punishment due for sins, the guilt of which has already been
forgiven. A member of Christ's faithful who is properly disposed
and who fulfills certain specific conditions, may gain an
indulgence by the help of the Church which, as the minister of
redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of
the merits of Christ and the saints.

An indulgence is partial or plenary, depending on whether it

removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.

No one gaining an indulgence may apply it to other living persons.

Both partial and plenary indulgences can be applied to the dead
by way of suffrage.

To be capable of gaining indulgences a person must be baptized,

not excommunicated, and in the state of grace at least on the
completion of the prescribed work, besides being a subject of the
person who has the power to grant the indulgences. A person
capable of gaining indulgences in order to actually receive them
must have at least the general intention of so doing, and must
fulfill the prescribed works at the time and in the manner
determined by the terms under which it has been granted.

The requirements for gaining a plenary indulgence are the

performance of the indulgenced work and the fulfillment of three
conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and
prayer for the Pope's intentions. A further requirement is the
exclusion of all attachment to sin, even venial sin; that is, there is
no sin which the soul is unwilling to renounce.
The three conditions may be carried out several days preceding or
following performance of the prescribed work. But it is more
fitting that Communion and prayer for the Pope's intentions take
place on the day this work is performed.

The condition requiring prayer for the Pope's intentions is

completely satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary
for his intentions; nevertheless all the faithful are at liberty to
recite other prayers suited to their own customs and devotion.

Any of the faithful who, being at least inwardly contrite, perform a

work enriched with a partial indulgence, receive through the
Church a remission of temporal punishment equivalent to what
they already receive by virtue of the act itself.

A plenary indulgence may be gained only once on any one day;

the rule regarding those on the verge of death is an exception.

A partial indulgence may be gained many times a day unless

something different is explicitly stated. Partial indulgences are
granted to the Christian faithful who:

1. In the performance of their duties and in bearing the trials of

life, raise their minds with humble confidence to God and make,
at least mentally, some pious invocation;

2. Prompted by a spirit of faith, devote themselves or their goods

in compassionate service to their brothers and sisters in need;

3. In a spirit of penance, voluntarily deprive themselves of what is

licit and pleasing to them.

Prayers

Some prayers and works enriched with a partial indulgence:

1. Every act of faith, hope, charity, and contrition, prayed

devoutly in any authorized form
2. A visit to the Blessed Sacrament for the purpose of adoration

3. The Prayer to the Guardian Angel

4. The Angelus and the Regina Caeli recited in their respective

seasons

5. The Anima Christi

6. An act of spiritual communion

7. The Creed

8. Teaching or studying Christian doctrine

9. The litany of the saints, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, etc.

10. The Magnificat

11. The Memorare

12. The Miserere

13. Prayer for priestly and religious vocations

14. Mental prayer or meditation

15. Prayer for the Pope

16. Private recitation of the Rosary

17. A reading from sacred Scripture

18. The Hail Holy Queen

19. The Sign of the Cross

20. The prayer Under Your Protection

21. The Tantum Ergo

22. The Te Deum

23. The Hymn to the Holy Spirit

24. The renewal of baptismal promises

Works

Prayers and works blessed with a plenary indulgence include:

1. A visit in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for at least half an

hour.

2. A devotional visit to one of the four papal basilicas in Rome

(namely, St. Peter's, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran,
and St. Mary Major on their titular feast day, on Sundays and any
holy day of obligation, and once a year on any other day of one's
choice.

3. The papal blessing imparted urbi et orbi, and received piously

and devoutly, even when this takes place solely via radio or
television.

4. Visiting a cemetery between November 18 and praying, even

silently, for the dead. This indulgence is applicable only to the
souls in purgatory.

5. Adoration of the cross during the solemn liturgical ceremony on

Good Friday.

6. The faithful who receive their first Communion or devoutly

participate in that Mass.

7. Priests who celebrate their first Mass with a congregation and

the faithful who devoutly participate in it.
8. Taking part in spiritual exercises at least three days in length.

9. Praying the Rosary in a church or a public oratory, with family

members, in a religious community, or in a prayer group.

10. Reading sacred Scripture for at least half an hour.

11. The Te Deum, when it is said in a public celebration on the last

day of the year.

12. The Veni Creator, when it is said in a public celebration on the

first day of the year and on Pentecost Sunday.

13. The Way of the Cross in the presence of stations legitimately

erected. According to common practice, the Way of the Cross
consists of fourteen readings to which some vocal prayers are
added. This is not indispensable; devout meditation on the
passion and death of the Lord suffices. Unless hindered from
doing so, you should move from one station to another. Whenever
there is a public Way of the Cross, it is enough for the leader to
move from one station to another while the rest of the
participants remain in their places.

14. The renewal of baptismal promises during the celebration of

the Easter Vigil or on the anniversary of your own baptism.

15. The Prayer to Jesus Crucified, recited devoutly in the presence

of a crucifix after Communion on any Friday during Lent or on
Good Friday.

16. Recitation of the Act of Reparation, using the approved text,

during a public celebration on the solemnity of the Sacred Heart.

17. Recitation of the Act of Consecration of Mankind to Christ the

King, using the approved text, during a public celebration on the
feast of Christ the King.
18. A visit to the cathedral of your diocese or to your parish
church, on its titular feast day or on August 2 (unless the local
ordinary determines another date).

19. Devout attendance at the final liturgical celebration of a

Eucharistic congress or a popular mission.

20. If on the verge of death there is no priest available to confer

the sacraments and the apostolic blessing with the plenary
indulgence attached to it, holy Church grants to the dying who are
properly disposed a plenary indulgence, provided they have said
some prayers regularly during their lifetime. In such a case, this
condition substitutes for the three usual conditions.

Religious Articles

Some religious articles blessed with indulgences:

1. A partial indulgence may be gained by devoutly using religious

articles blessed by a priest according to the customary rite. Such
articles include crucifixes or crosses, rosaries, scapulars, and
medals.

2. If these religious articles have been blessed by the Holy Father

or by any bishop, a plenary indulgence may be gained by using
them devoutly on the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, and also
praying any approved text of the profession of faith.

FIRST FRIDAYS

The Church has blessed this pious practice that originated in

Christ's promises to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, underlining the
spirit of reparation and conversion that ought to characterize our
observance of first Fridays.

I promise you, in the exceedingly great mercy of my Heart, that

my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive holy
Communion on the first Friday for nine consecutive months, the
grace of final repentance (Benedict XV recalls these words of
Christ in St. Margaret Mary Alacoque's bull of canonization).

Holy Communion on first Fridays should lead to a deep spiritual

renewal, as reparation for the sins we committed the past month
and as a help to live closer to Christ for the next month. It should
also help us increase our dedication to the apostolate for the
salvation of souls.

FIRST SATURDAYS

The custom of honoring Mary in a special way on the first

Saturday of the month is closely related to the first Friday
observance and follows the same spirit of reparation for one's
own sins and the sins of the whole world. It is a day to
contemplate her fidelity to the will of God and to pay her filial
homage.

In keeping with the Blessed Virgin's wishes, confession and

Communion on these days, along with fifteen minutes of
contemplation of the mysteries of the Rosary, should strengthen
our determination to fulfill God's will faithfully and renew our love
for Mary and our desire to imitate her admirable cooperation with
the redemptive work of her son.

FASTING AND ABSTINENCE

The predominantly internal and religious nature of penance does

not exclude or make any less important the external practice of
this virtue. True penance can never go without ascetical practice,
including physical. The whole person, body and soul, must
actively take part in this religious act by which a creature
acknowledges the holiness and majesty of God. Accordingly, the
Church has maintained the precept of fasting and abstinence on
prescribed days, considering this form of traditional penance one
means but not the only one of practicing penance that is also
external.
All the Christian faithful should be convinced of the need to do
works of penance for the remission of their sins and the good of
the Church.

Lent is a special penitential time set aside by the Church. During

Lent Christians devote themselves more intensely to prayer,
sacrifice, and charitable activities.

The Church's current norms on fasting and abstinence are as

follows:

1. All Fridays of the year and Ash Wednesday are penitential days
par excellence.

2. All Fridays of the year are days of abstinence, unless they fall
on a holy day of obligation.

3. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of abstinence and

fasting.

4. If the bishops' conference of a country has so determined,

abstinence on Fridays that do not fall within Lent may be
substituted by prayer or a charitable activity.

5. Abstinence is obligatory from fourteen years of age, and the

law of fasting from eighteen to fifty-nine years of age.

The bishops' conference in each country has the authority to

specify other forms of Christian penance. You should inquire about
the discipline in force in your own country.