Prayers

Prayer for Youth
O God, we pray and beseech you to guide and protect young people from the dangers that are ever present in our world today. Be with them, as they experience both sickness and health, sorrow and joy, loneliness and friendship, success and failure. Gracious God, give to them the courage and strength to make the right decisions as they journey through life. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, may they come to know and experience your loving care. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to Our Lady for College Students
O Mary, Seat of Wisdom, so many persons of common intellect have made through thy intercession admirable progress in their studies. I hereby choose thee as guardian and patron of my studies. I humbly ask thee to obtain for me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that from now on I could

Understand more quickly,
Retain more readily, and
Express myself more fluently.

May the example of my life serve to honor thee and thy Son, Jesus. Amen. Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, pray for us!

Prayer for Vocations
Loving God, you sent your Spirit on the apostles to continue the mission of your Son, jesus. We pray that you will now send your Spirit on our bishops, priests, deacons, sisters and brothers, filling them with zeal to evangelize your people.

We pray for all that are presently discerning your call, those in vocational formation and those preparing them. We pray that you bless our diocese with more priests and deacons, and religious congregations with new members.

Mary our Mother and patroness intercede for us that our pastoral needs may be fulfilled through Him who is Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

The Forgiveness Prayer by Fr. Robert DeGrandis, S.S.J.

Fall in Love (Often attributed to Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ (1907–1991), but by Joseph Whelan, SJ)

Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.