Absolute and all knowing God, Nothing is hidden from Your sight. In the prescience since the beginning, All knowledge existed within You. Kindly share Your knowledge with me, Making me aware of what is meant to be, Permitting my soul to understand it, And wisdom to agree with its outcome. Provide me with the gift of discretion, To prudently apply received knowledge, To ensure the fulfillment of Your Will. Your knowledge shines forth forever!
July 14, 2016
O Lord Jesus Christ, who gave us your Mother Mary, whose renowned image we venerate, to be a Mother ever ready to help us; grant we beseech You, that we who constantly implore her motherly aid, may merit to enjoy perpetually the fruits of Your redemption, Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. – Pope Piux IX
July 13, 2016
Dear Jesus, Difficulties, pain, limitations are part of life but not the heart of life. Some days I find them hard to bear. Your friendship helps to turn my attention away from the hurt. You help me to see all things as gift even those I wish to avoid. You teach me to appreciate myself as I am, and at the same time to value all that exits. You show me how to discern the truth and worth of everyone and everything. Above all, you show me that to live is to love. Amen. – Columban Fr. John Comisky
July 12, 2016
Lord Jesus Christ, You gave your life out of love for all people, help me to believe that Christian love is the greatest power in the world. Let me see that this is not an emotion, but a central attitude of one's being, an attitude of service for others in Your Name. It is the result of your grace, and prompts us to will only good things for others as images of God. Grant that I may always strive to attain this attitude and so live up to the noble vocation to which I am called. Amen.
July 11, 2016
My Lord, I offer you my thoughts: to be fixed on you; My words: to have you for their theme; My actions: to reflect my love for you; My sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory. I want to do what you ask of me: In the way you ask, For as long as you ask, Because you ask it. Lord, enlighten my understanding, Strengthen my will, Purify my heart, and make me holy. Help me to repent of my past sins And to resist temptation in the future. Help me to rise above my human weaknesses And to grow stronger as a Christian. Amen.
July 11, 2016
Almighty God, our Father, you who have given us life and intended us to have it forever, grant us your blessings. Enlighten our minds to an awareness and to a renewed conviction that all human life is sacred because it is created in your image and likeness. Help us to teach by word and the example of our lives that life occupies the first place, that human life is precious because it is the gift of God whose love is infinite. Give us the strength to defend human life against every influence or action that threatens or weakens it, as well as the strength to make every life more human in all its aspects.
July 9, 2016
O Lord, it is through the examples of the Divine model of Nazareth that the Christian family is to be restored in Jesus Christ and to recover its former respect and dignity. Then every home will again become a sanctuary and in every household will be rekindled the flame of faith to teach patience in adversity and moderation in prosperity and to promote order, peace and harmony in all things. Under Your paternal gaze, O Lord, and with confidence in Your Providence and in the loving patronage of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the family will become a sanctuary of virtue and a school of wisdom. It shall prove, as Christ has promised, a haven of rest against life's burdens. In the sight of the world it shall render glory to You, O Father, and to Your Son, Jesus, until the day when, through Him, we shall, together with all His members, sing the Divine praises in the eternal ages to come. Amen.
July 8, 2016
O Lord, God of goodness and mercy, Who in the midst of an evil and sinful world hast presented to the society of the redeemed the Holy Family of Nazareth as a spotless mirror of piety, justice and love, behold how the family is being undermined on all sides, every effort being made to desecrate it by stripping it of faith, religion and morals. Regard the work of Your own hands. Safeguard in our homes the domestic virtues, for these alone will ensure us harmony and peace. Grant also through the efforts of these apostles, that the home favored by You with many blessings may again become an object of esteem and love in the minds and hearts of all.
July 7, 2016
O Immaculate Virgin of Lourdes, dispel the shadows of error from our minds with the light of Faith. O mystical Rose, comfort dejected souls with the heavenly fragrance of Hope. O inexhaustible source of life-giving waters, refresh our barren hearts with the waves of Divine Love. Grant that we, your children, strengthened in affliction, protected in danger, supported in our struggles, may so love and serve your Divine Son as to merit eternal joys at the food of your Heavenly throne.
July 6, 2016
O Little St. Agnes, so young and yet made so strong and wise by the power of God, protect by your prayers all the young people of every place whose goodness and purity are threatened by the evils and impurities of this world. Give them strength in temptation and a true repentance when they fail. Help them to find true Christian friends to accompany them in following the Lamb of God and finding safe pastures in His Church and in her holy sacraments. May you lead us to the wedding banquet of heaven to rejoice with you and all the holy virgin martyrs in Christ who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
July 5, 2016
Most glorious Prince of the Heavenly Armies, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in our battle against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Come to the assistance of men whom God has created to His likeness and whom He has redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Holy Church venerates thee as her guardian and protector; to thee, the Lord has entrusted the souls of the redeemed to be led into heaven. Pray therefore the God of Peace to crush Satan beneath our feet, that he may no longer retain men captive and do injury to the Church. Offer our prayers to the Most High, that without delay they may draw His mercy down upon us; take hold of the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, bind him that he may no longer seduce the nations.
July 4, 2016
O Blessed Virgin most holy, comfort the broken hearts of people with the heavenly perfume of hope! O inexhaustible fountain of saving waters, refresh with the floods of divine charity the hearts that are dry. Grant that we, your children, may be consoled in our sorrows, protected in danger, and sustained in our struggles! May we love and serve your dear Son Jesus in such a way that we may deserve eternal joy before your throne in heaven above. Amen.
July 3, 2016
Oh Lord, you are the rock on which this nation was founded. You alone are the true source of our cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Reclaim this land for Your glory and dwell among Your people. Send Your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation´s leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind Your people that true happiness is rooted in seeking and doing Your will. Through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of our land, grant us the courage to reject the "culture of death." Lead us into a new millennium of life. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
July 2, 2016
Obedient to the invitation given in your own maternal words, O Virgin Immaculate of Lourdes, we hurry to your feet at the humble grotto, where you appeared to point out the way of prayer and penance to those gone astray and to dispense the graces and wonders of your supreme goodness to the sick. O gracious Queen, accept the homage and the prayers that the peoples and the nations, caught in bitter straits, trustingly raise to you, O resplendent vision of Paradise, dispel from our minds the darkness of error by the light of faith!
July 1, 2016
Blessed are you, Father, who, in your infinite love, gave us your only-begotten Son. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate in the spotless womb of the Virgin Mary and was born in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. He became our companion on life's path and gave new meaning to our history, the journey we make together in toil and suffering, in faithfulness and love, towards the new heaven and the new earth where you, once death has been vanquished, will be all in all. Praise and glory to you, Most Holy Trinity, you alone are God most high!
The Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.