Praying with Blessed John Paul II
to Mary, Mother of Life,
for the promotion of the “Culture of Life”
Prepared and Compiled by
Rev. Msgr. JOSELITO C. ASIS, JCD
Intramuros, Manila
May 2011
With Ecclesiastical Approval
An Invitation
The late Pope John Paul II was beatified on May 1, 2011 (Divine Mercy Sunday) by Pope Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome. It was witnessed by a multitude of the faithful. Blessed John Paul II is also known as “Pope of Life” because of his passionate teachings, especially in his Encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), which provides a strong foundation for the defense of human life and the promotion of the “culture of life” against the “culture of death”.
As a sign of gratitude to God for giving us this “Pope of Life”, and as our commitment to pursue his crusade to defend the sanctity of life and of the family, “the sanctuary of life,” we deem it opportune to gather all his prayers and thoughts addressed to Mary, Mother of Life, in order for us to seek his intercession in continuous prayers, especially nowadays that in the Philippines, the pueblo amante de Maria, the debate on the issues affecting the moral and cultural values of the Filipinos are on-going.
May we invite therefore all our sisters and brothers, who in one way or another were touched by the charisma of Blessed Pope John Paul II, to say this novena prayer. It is our ardent desire that through the intercession of the amiable Pope, the Reproductive Health Agenda would not pass and be entirely scrapped in the Philippine Legislature.
May we, invoking the intercession of Blessed John Paul II, always proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life for the good of our beloved Country.
+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.
Bishop of Tandag
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Prayer of Forgiveness
(Adapted from the prayer of the Rev. Joe Wright delivered at
the opening of a new session of the Kansas Senate)
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today to ask Your forgiveness
and seek Your direction and guidance.
We know very well Your Word says, ”Woe to those who call evil good,”
but that’s exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.
We confess that; we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word
and called it pluralism;
We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism;
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle;
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery;
We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation;
We have prevented conception of human beings and allowed to kill our unborn,
and called it choice;
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem;
We have abused power and called it political savvy;
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography
and called it freedom of expression;
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers
and called it enlightenment.
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today;
try us and see if there be some wicked way in us;
cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Guide and bless our so-called honorable men and women in the legislature
who have been sent by the people and who have been ordained by You,
to enact laws for our welfare
Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your Will. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Novena Prayer
General Format:
- I. Opening Prayer
- II. Prayerful Reflection
- III. Praying the Rosary
- IV. Closing Prayer
- V. Oratio Imperata for the Respect of Life
- VI. Prayer in Honor of Blessed John Paul II
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
I. Opening Prayer
O Mary, bright dawn of the new world,
Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the cause of life
Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers
of babies not allowed to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women who are victims of brutal violence,
of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy.
Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life
with honesty and love to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new,
the joy of celebrating it with gratitude throughout their lives
and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely, in order to build,
together with all people of good will, the civilization of truth and love,
to the praise and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life. Amen (EV n. 105)
II. Prayerful Reflection – Day 1(from EV, n. 102)
The one who accepted “Life” in the name of all and for the sake of all was Mary, the Virgin Mother; she is thus most closely and personally associated with the Gospel of life. Mary’s consent at the Annunciation and her motherhood stand at the very beginning of the mystery of life which Christ came to bestow on humanity (cf. Jn 10:10). Through her acceptance and loving care for the life of the Incarnate Word, human life has been rescued from condemnation to final and eternal death.
For this reason, Mary, “like the Church of which she is the type, is a mother of all who are reborn to life. She is in fact the mother of the Life by which everyone lives, and when she brought it forth from herself she in some way brought to rebirth all those who were to live by that Life”.
As the Church contemplates Mary’s motherhood, she discovers the meaning of her own motherhood and the way in which she is called to express it. At the same time, the Church’s experience of motherhood leads to a most profound understanding of Mary’s experience as the incomparable model of how life should be welcomed and cared for.
Prayerful Reflection – Day 2 (from EV, n. 103)
The “woman clothed with the sun”-the Book of Revelation tells us-”was with child” (12:2). The Church is fully aware that she bears within herself the Savior of the world, Christ the Lord. She is aware that she is called to offer Christ to the world, giving men and women new birth into God’s own life. But the Church cannot forget that her mission was made possible by the motherhood of Mary, who conceived and bore the One who is “God from God”, “true God from true God”. Mary is truly the Mother of God, in whose motherhood the vocation to motherhood bestowed by God on every woman is raised to its highest level. Thus Mary becomes the model of the Church, called to be the “new Eve”, the mother of believers, the mother of the “living” (cf. Gen 3:20).
Prayerful Reflection – Day 3 (from EV, n. 105)
The angel’s Annunciation to Mary is framed by these reassuring words: “Do not be afraid, Mary” and “with God nothing will be impossible” (Lk 1:30, 37). The whole of the Virgin Mother’s life is in fact pervaded by the certainty that God is near to her and that he accompanies her with his providential care. The same is true of the Church, which finds “a place prepared by God” (Rev 12:6) in the desert, the place of trial but also of the manifestation of God’s love for his people (cf. Hos 2:16). Mary is a living word of comfort for the Church in her struggle against death. Showing us the Son, the Church assures us that in him the forces of death have already been defeated: “Death with life contended: combat strangely ended! Life’s own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign”.
Prayerful Reflection – Day 4
(Homily, Central Park, New York, 7 October 1995)
Like Mary, you must not be afraid to allow the Holy Spirit to help you become intimate friends of Christ. Like Mary, you must put aside any fear, in order to take Christ to the world in whatever you do – in marriage, as single people in the world, as students, as workers, as professional people. Christ wants to go to many places in the world, and to enter many hearts, through you. Just as Mary visited Elizabeth, so you too are called to “visit” the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are alone or ill; for example those suffering from AIDS. You are called to stand up for life! To respect and defend the mystery of life always and everywhere, including the lives of unborn babies, giving real help and encouragement to mothers in difficult situations. You are called to work and pray against abortion, against violence of all kinds, including the violence done against women’s and children’s dignity through pornography. Stand up for the life of the aged and the handicapped, against attempts to promote assisted-suicide and euthanasia! Stand up for marriage and family life! Stand up for purity! Resist the pressures and temptations of a world that too often tries to ignore a most fundamental truth: that every life is a gift from God our Creator, and that we must give an account to God of how we use it either for good or evil.
Prayerful Reflection – Day 5
(Homily, Giants’ Stadium, Newark, 5 October 1995)
Sadly, today a new class of people is being excluded. When the unborn child – the “stranger in the womb” – is declared to be beyond the protection of society, not only are America’s deepest traditions radically undermined and endangered, but a moral blight is brought upon society. I am also thinking of threats to the elderly, the severely handicapped and all those who do not seem to have any social usefulness. When innocent human beings are declared inconvenient or burdensome, and thus unworthy of legal and social protection, grievous damage is done to the moral foundations of the democratic community. The right to life is the first of all rights. It is the foundation of democratic liberties and the keystone of the edifice of civil society. Both as Americans and as followers of Christ, American Catholics must be committed to the defense of life in all its stages and in every condition.
Prayerful Reflection – Day 6
(from Letter to Women, June 25, 1995)
Thank you, women who are mothers! You have sheltered human beings within yourselves in a unique experience of joy and travail. This experience makes you become God’s own smile upon the newborn child, the one who guides your child’s first steps, who helps it to grow, and who is the anchor as the child makes its way along the journey of life.
Thank you, women who are wives! You irrevocably join your future to that of your husbands, in a relationship of mutual giving, at the service of love and life.
May Mary, Queen of Love, watch over women and their mission in service of humanity, of peace, of the spread of God’s Kingdom!
Prayerful Reflection – Day 7
(from Letter, Fourth World Conference on Women, UN)
At the same time we must not forget that at the personal level one’s dignity is experienced not as a result of the affirmation of rights on the juridical and international planes, but as the natural consequence of the concrete material, emotional and spiritual care received in the heart of one’s family. No response to women’s issues can ignore women’s role in the family or take lightly the fact that every new life is totally entrusted to the protection and care of the woman carrying it in her womb (Cf. EV, n. 58). In order to respect this natural order of things, it is necessary to counter the misconception that the role of motherhood is oppressive to women, and that a commitment to her family, particularly to her children, prevents a woman from reaching personal fulfillment, and women as a whole from having an influence in society. It is a disservice not only to children, but also to women and society itself, when a woman is made to feel guilty for wanting to remain in the home and nurture and care for her children. A mother’s presence in the family, so critical to the stability and growth of that basic unity of society, should instead be recognized, applauded and supported in every possible way. By the same token society needs to call husbands and fathers to their family responsibilities, and ought to strive for a situation in which they will not be forced by economic circumstances to move away from the home in search of work.
Prayerful Reflection – Day 8
(Letter to Families, n. 11)
When a man and woman in marriage mutually give and receive each other in the unity of “one flesh”, the logic of the sincere gift of self becomes a part of their life. Without this, marriage would be empty; whereas a communion of persons, built on this logic, becomes a communion of parents. When they transmit life to the child, a new human “thou” becomes a part of the horizon of the “we” of the spouses, a person whom they will call by a new name: “our son…; our daughter…”. The process from conception and growth in the mother’s womb to birth makes it possible to create a space within which the new creature can be revealed as a “gift”: indeed this is what it is from the very beginning. Could this frail and helpless being, totally dependent upon its parents and completely entrusted to them, be seen in any other way? The newborn child gives itself to its parents by the very fact of its coming into existence. Its existence is already a gift, the first gift of the Creator to the creature.
But is it really true that the new human being is a gift for his parents? A gift for society? Apparently nothing seems to indicate this. On occasion the birth of a child appears to be a simple statistical fact, registered like so many other data in demographic records. It is true that for the parents the birth of a child means more work, new financial burdens and further inconveniences, all of which can lead to the temptation not to want another birth. In some social and cultural contexts this temptation can become very strong. Does this mean that a child is not a gift? That it comes into the world only to take and not to give? These are some of the disturbing questions which men and women today find hard to escape. A child comes to take up room, when it seems that there is less and less room in the world. But is it really true that a child brings nothing to the family and society? Is not every child a “particle” of that common good without which human communities break down and risk extinction? Could this ever really be denied? The child becomes a gift to its brothers, sisters, parents and entire family. Its life becomes a gift for the very people who were givers of life and who cannot help but feel its presence, its sharing in their life and its contribution to their common good and to that of the community of the family.
Prayerful Reflection – Day 9
(EV, n. 92)
The family has a special role to play throughout the life of its members, from birth to death. It is truly “the sanctuary of life: the place in which life-the gift of God-can be properly welcomed and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance with what constitutes authentic human growth”. Consequently the role of the family in building a culture of life is decisive and irreplaceable.
As the domestic church, the family is summoned to proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life. This is a responsibility which first concerns married couples, called to be givers of life, on the basis of an ever greater awareness of the meaning of procreation as a unique event which clearly reveals that human life is a gift received in order then to be given as a gift. In giving origin to a new life, parents recognize that the child, “as the fruit of their mutual gift of love, is, in turn, a gift for both of them, a gift which flows from them”.
It is above all in raising children that the family fulfils its mission to proclaim the Gospel of life. By word and example, in the daily round of relations and choices, and through concrete actions and signs, parents lead their children to authentic freedom, actualized in the sincere gift of self, and they cultivate in them respect for others, a sense of justice, cordial openness, dialogue, generous service, solidarity and all the other values which help people to live life as a gift. In raising children Christian parents must be concerned about their children’s faith and help them to fulfill the vocation God has given them. The parents’ mission as educators also includes teaching and giving their children an example of the true meaning of suffering and death. They will be able to do this if they are sensitive to all kinds of suffering around them and, even more, if they succeed in fostering attitudes of closeness, assistance and sharing towards sick or elderly members of the family.
III. Contemplating the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary
Pope John Paul II on the praying of the Holy Rosary: Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae: “The Rosary is my favorite prayer.” “Pray, pray much. Say the Rosary everyday” “I would therefore ask those who devote themselves to the pastoral care of families to recommend heartily the recitation of the Rosary.” “Recite the Rosary every day. I earnestly urge Pastors to pray the Rosary and to teach people in their Christian communities how to pray it.” “How beautiful is the family that recites the Rosary every evening.”
Pro-Life Meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary
(Meditations by Fr. Frank Pavone, taken from www.priestforlife.org)
The Joyful Mysteries – Mondays and Saturdays
1. The Annunciation
Mary is troubled by the angel’s greeting, yet rejoices to do God’s will. Let us pray that those who are troubled by their pregnancy may have the grace to trust in God’s will.
2. The Visitation
John the Baptist leapt for joy in his mother’s womb. We pray that people may realize that abortion is not about children who “might” come into the world, but is about children who are already in the world, living and growing in the womb, and are scheduled to be killed.
3. The Nativity
God Himself was born as a child. The greatness of a person does not depend on size, for the newborn King is very small. Let us pray for an end to prejudice against the tiny babies threatened by abortion.
4. The Presentation
The Child is presented in the Temple because the Child belongs to God. Children are not the property of their parents, nor of the government.
They – and we – belong to God Himself.
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
The boy Jesus was filled with wisdom, because He is God. Let us pray that all people may see the wisdom of His teachings about the dignity of life, and may understand that this teaching is not an opinion, but the truth.
The Luminous Mysteries – Thursdays
1. Christ is Baptized in the Jordan
When Jesus is baptized, the Father’s voice is heard: “This is my beloved Son.” All are called to become adopted sons and daughters of God through baptism. We pray that children in the womb may be protected, so that they may be born and welcomed into the Christian community by baptism.
2. Christ is made known at the Wedding of Cana
Jesus revealed His glory by the miracle at Cana. The new couple was blessed not only with wine, but with faith in Christ. Let us pray for strong marriages, rooted in the Lord, and open to the gift of new life.
3. Christ proclaims the Kingdom and Calls All to Conversion
“Repent and believe the Good News.” Let us pray that these first words of Jesus’ public ministry may be heard by all who have committed abortion. May they know that the Lord calls them to conversion, and may they experience life-giving repentance.
4. The Transfiguration
Christ is transformed on the mountain, and the disciples see His glory. May the eyes of all people be transformed, that they may see each and every human life as a reflection of the glory of God Himself.
5. The Institution of the Eucharist
“This is My Body, given up for you.” The Eucharist teaches us how to live and how to love. Let us pray that parents who sacrifice the babies for the sake of themselves may learn instead to put themselves aside for the sake of their babies.
The Sorrowful Mysteries – Tuesdays and Fridays
1. The Agony in the Garden
Let us pray for mothers and fathers who are in agony because they are tempted to abort a child. May they be given the good news that there are alternatives, and may they make use of the help that is available.
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
As Christ’s flesh was torn by the instruments of those who scourged Him, so the bodies of babies in the womb are torn by the instruments of the abortionists. Let us pray that abortionists may repent of these acts of child-killing.
3. The Crowning With Thorns
Jesus suffered the pain of thorns in His head, and did so silently. We pray for the mothers and fathers of aborted children. So many of them suffer deep grief and regret over a choice they can never reverse. So many suffer in silence, because others tell them it’s no big deal.
4. The Carrying of the Cross
Jesus was not condemned by the power of wicked people. He was condemned because of the silence of good people. Silence always helps the oppressor, never the victim. Let us pray that we may never be silent about abortion, but rather will clearly speak up to save babies from death.
5. The Crucifixion
As we ponder the death of Christ, let us remember the many women who have died from so-called “safe, legal” abortions. Let us ask forgiveness and mercy for them. May their memory save other women from making this tragic mistake.
The Glorious Mysteries – Wednesdays and Sundays
1. The Resurrection
Christ is Risen! By his Resurrection, He has destroyed the power of death, and therefore the power of abortion. The outcome of the battle for Life has already been decided: Life is victorious! Let us pray that all pro-lifers will spread this victory to every segment of our society.
2. The Ascension
By ascending to the Father’s throne, Christ takes our human nature, given to us in the womb, to the heights of heaven. He shows us that human beings are made to be raised to heaven, not thrown in the garbage. Let us pray that the world may learn this truth and reject abortion.
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Advocate: He pleads our cause, for we cannot save ourselves. We pray that He will make us advocates for the babies, who cannot speak or write or vote or protest or even pray.
4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary was taken body and soul into heaven because she is the Mother of God. Mother and child are united. The Assumption reminds us that they belong together. We pray that society will see that it cannot love women while killing their children, and cannot save children without helping their mothers. We pray that people will be touched by the pro-life question, “Why can’t we love them both?”
5. The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
Mary is the Queen of the Universe. The Church teaches that she is the greatest creature, second only to God Himself. The Church defends the dignity of women. We pray that people will understand that to be pro-life means to be pro-woman, and that to be pro-woman demands that we be pro-life.
IV. Closing Prayer
Day 1 – Mother of the Church, grant that the Church may enjoy freedom and peace in fulfilling her saving mission and that to this end she may become mature with a new maturity of faith and inner unity. Help us to overcome opposition and difficulties. Help us to rediscover all the simplicity and dignity of the Christian vocation. Grant that there may be no lack of “laborers in the Lord’s vineyard.” Sanctify families. Watch over the souls of the young and the hearts of the children. Help us to overcome the great moral threats against the fundamental spheres of life and love. Obtain for us the grace to be continually renewed through all the beauty of witness given to the cross and resurrection of your Son. Amen. (from Prayers by Pope John Paul II, A Marian Prayer Book : A Treasury of Prayers, Hymns, and Meditations, edited by Pamela Moran)
Day 2 – Mother, I commend and entrust to you all that goes to make up earthly progress, asking that it should not be one-sided, but that it should create conditions for the full spiritual advancement of individuals, families, communities, and nations. I commend to you the poor, the suffering, the sick and the handicapped, the aging, and the dying. I ask you to reconcile those in sin, to heal those in pain, and to uplift those who have lost their hope and joy. Show to those who struggle in doubt the light of Christ your Son. Amen. (from Prayers by Pope John Paul II, A Marian Prayer Book : A Treasury of Prayers, Hymns, and Meditations, edited by Pamela Moran)
Day 3 – O Mary, be with us more and more. Meet us more and more often because we need it so much. Speak to us by your motherhood, by your simplicity and by holiness. Speak to us by your Immaculate Conception! Speak to us continually! And obtain for us the grace–even if we are distant–of not becoming insensitive to your presence in our midst. Amen. (from Prayers by Pope John Paul II, A Marian Prayer Book : A Treasury of Prayers, Hymns, and Meditations, edited by Pamela Moran )
Day 4 – Blessed Virgin Mary, at the Annunciation you welcomed the announcement of your divine motherhood. The “yes” you gave is the highest example of the “yes” every mother gives to the life of her baby. Mary, Mother of the Author of life, Mother of the living, help all humanity to hold the great gift of life in ever higher esteem. Bless all families and make them sanctuaries of acceptance, respect and love for the life of human beings. Amen. (cf. Angelus, L’Osservatore Romano, 29 March 1995, 2).
Day 5 – May Mary, Help of Christians, sustain us in defending and loving life, and make us constantly ready to give our brothers and sisters a reason to live and to hope. Thus we will be the builders of and witnesses to the civilization of love (cf. Angelus, L’Osservatore Romano, 2 April 1995, 1).
Day 6 – Mary, perfect disciple of Jesus, your Son, teach us how to listen with open and generous hearts to every word which proceeds from the mouth of God. Thus shall we learn not only to obey the commandment not to kill human life, but also to revere life, to love it, and to foster it (cf. Evangelium Vitae, n. 51).
Day 7- O Blessed Virgin, help us to be aware of the beauty of the plan of God for every men and women. In the special mission entrusted to you, you have brought all feminine richness, first to the Family of Nazareth and later to the first community of believers. May the men and women of our time learn from you the joy of being fully themselves, establishing mutual relations of respectful and genuine love (cf. Angelus, L’Osservatore Romano, 9 July 1995, 1).
Day 8 – May the Blessed Virgin, who had the joy of bringing and holding in her arms the Son of God made a Child, of seeing Him grow in wisdom, age, and grace before God and man, 2 help each one [of us] to endow his personal efforts on behalf of little children with active goodness, an attractive example, and self-giving love.[The Pope Speaks 39/3, 1994,169]
Day 9 - May the Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of the Church, also be the Mother of “the Church of the home”. Thanks to her motherly aid, may each family really become a “little Church” in which the mystery of the Church of Christ is mirrored and given new life. May she, the Handmaid of the Lord, be an example of humble and generous acceptance of the will of God. May she, the Sorrowful Mother at the foot of the Cross, comfort the sufferings and dry the tears of those in distress because of the difficulties of their families (Familiaris consortio, n. 86).
V. Oratio Imperata for the Respect of all Human Life (from CBCP)
God, our loving Father, Creator and lover of all life,
You fashioned in your own image and likeness (Gen. 1:26) every human person.
We thank you for this gift and the freedom to appreciate it.
Grant us intense eagerness to recognize your image in every person so that respect for all human life becomes our way of life. Give us also the strength and courage to defend and protect the right of all to live as you ordained, from conception to natural death.
We pray for your divine healing, comfort and peace for all affected by past abortions. Grant them strength and the consolation of your presence.
Help us serve actively in alleviating the sufferings and troubles of all women with pregnancy problems. Let your Spirit enlighten the minds and open the hearts of those who do not yet fully respect all human life according to your will.
We pray for all our leaders and legislators who must deliberate assiduously on this critical present issue. May they be guided by the grace of the Holy Spirit to act responsibly for the good and well-being of all. May their competence be always steered by humility and fear of the Lord.
Mary, our loving Mother, to you we entrust the cause of life. Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of Life with honesty and love to the people of our time (EV, n.105).
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Saint Rosa of Lima, pray for us.
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.
Alternate Prayer:
Prayer to Stop the Passage of Anti-Family Bills
“Lord God, supreme Lawgiver, we implore you to remind the lawmakers of this largest Christian nation in Asia that You are the Creator of life; that You are the Author of marriage; and that from the beginning of time You have commanded: ‘Thou shall not kill,” and ‘What God has joined together let no man put asunder’.”
Lord, make us humbly accept these immutable, inviolable and fundamental truths: that human life is sacred and created by the only Author of life; that matrimony was instituted not by men but by God, the Author of nature; and restored, confirmed, and elevated into a sacrament by Jesus Christ our Lord.
“Blessed Mother, help us all to be grateful and faithful to the loving Will of the Most Blessed Trinity by respecting the dignity of life and of matrimony. Amen.”
VI. Prayer in Honor of Blessed Pope John Paul II
Father of Love and Life,
In every age you inspire your people
Through the teaching and example
Of leaders who are living witnesses of your Kingdom.
We thank you for Blessed John Paul II,
Whom you raised up to point the way
To a Culture of Life.
May we learn from his teachings
That the defense of the unborn
Stands at the center of our moral priorities.
May we learn from his example
How to defend life with courage and joy.
May we echo his conviction
That the outcome of the battle for life
Has already been decided,
Because Jesus Christ is Risen from the dead.
May we, remembering Blessed John Paul II,
Always proclaim, celebrate, and serve
The Gospel of Life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Alternate Prayer:
Prayer for the intercession of Pope John Paul II
O Holy Trinity,
we thank you for having given to the Church
Pope John Paul II,
and for having made him shine with your fatherly tenderness,
the glory of the Cross of Christ and the splendor of the Spirit of love
He, trusting completely in your infinite mercy
and in the maternal intercession of Mary, has shown himself
in the likeness of Jesus the Good Shepherd
and has pointed out to us holiness
as the path to reach eternal communion with You.
Grant us, through his intercession,
according to your will, the grace that we implore,
in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.
Amen.
Appendix I
Pope John Paul II’s Prayer for Families
(from Familiaris Consortio)
I wish to invoke the protection of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Through God’s mysterious design, it was in that family that the Son of God spent long years of a hidden life.
It is therefore the prototype and example for all Christian families.
It was unique in the world.
Its life was passed in anonymity and silence in a little town in Palestine.
It underwent trials of poverty, persecution and exile.
It glorified God in an incomparably exalted and pure way.
And it will not fail to help Christian families — indeed, all the families in the world –
to be faithful to their day-to-day duties,
to bear the cares and tribulations of life,
to be open and generous to the needs of others,
and to fulfill with joy the plan of God in their regard.
Saint Joseph was “a just man”, a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten families.
May the Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of the Church, also be the Mother of “the Church of the home”.
Thanks to her motherly aid, may each family really become a “little Church” in which the mystery of the Church of Christ is mirrored and given new life.
May she, the Handmaid of the Lord, be an example of humble and generous acceptance of the will of God.
May she, the Sorrowful Mother at the foot of the Cross, comfort the sufferings and dry the tears of those in distress because of the difficulties in their families.
I entrust each family to Him, to Mary, and to Joseph.
To their hands and their hearts I offer this Exhortation:
May it be they who present it to you,
venerable Brothers and beloved sons and daughters,
and may it be they who open your hears to the light
that the Gospel sheds on every family.
I assure you all of my constant prayers and I cordially impart the apostolic blessing to each and every one of you, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Appendix II
Sample Program
ONE-HOUR
REPARATIVE ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
(from the CBCP)
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (5 minutes)
- Meditation of the Holy Rosary – Sorrowful Mystery (20 minutes)
- Reflections on the Mass Readings of the day – 1st Reading and the Gospel (15 minutes)
- Prayer for the Protection of Life (5 minutes)
- Consecration of our country to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary (5 minutes)
- Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction (10 minutes)
ONE-HOUR REPARATIVE
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
(Preferably after one of the daily Masses in the Parish)
1. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Salutation Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament after exposition, kneeling with bowed heads we pray (God, our Father, We offer You the most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ truly present in all the Tabernacles throughout the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we beg for the conversion of poor sinners [3x]).
2. Rosary (Sorrowful Mystery) for every mystery we can add the prayer “Jesus protect and save the unborn”
PRAYER BEFORE THE RECITATION OF THE HOLY ROSARY
Divine Infant Jesus, as we pray this rosary, we ask you to remove from the heart of the world the desire to commit the sin of abortion. Remove the veil of deceit Satan has placed over hearts which portrays promiscuity as a freedom, and reveal it for what it is – slavery to sin. Place over the heart of the world a renewed respect for life at the moment of conception. Amen.
3. Reading of the Gospel of the day with brief moments of reflection (the adorers can sit during these reflection)
4. Prayer for the protection of life
PRAYER TO GOD THE FATHER OF ALL LIFE
Eternal Father, You have revealed Yourself as the Father of all Life. We praise You for the Fatherly care which You extend to all creation, and specially to us, made in Your image and likeness.
Father, extend Your hand of protection in those threatened by abortion, and save them from its destructive power. Give Your strength to all fathers, that they may never give in to the fears that may tempt them to facilitate abortions.
Bless our families and bless our land, that we ay have the joy of welcoming and nurturing the life of which You are the source and the Eternal Father. Amen.
REDEEMER IN THE WOMB
Lord Jesus Christ, You took our human nature upon Yourself. You shared our life and death, our childhood and adulthood. You also shared our time in the womb. While Still God, while worshipped and adored by the angels, while Almighty and filling every part of the universe, You dwelt for nine months in the womb of Mary. You were our Redeemer in the womb, Our God who was a preborn child.
Lord Jesus, we ask You to bless and protect the children who today are in their other’s womb. Save them from the danger of abortion. Give their mothers the grace to sacrifice themselves, in body and soul, for their children. Help all people to recognize in the preborn child a brother, a sister, saved by You, Our Redeemer in the womb. Amen.
PRAYER TO MARY, MOTHER OF THE LIFE WITHIN
O Mary, Mother of the Life Within, all life we entrust to you; the life of every expectant mother and the child within her womb; The life of very human body, the life of every human soul; The life of every newborn child and the life of all the grown old. You held the Lord to your own heart and drew Him so close in. So draw us now in all our needs, O Mother of the Life Within. Amen.
5. Ending with prayer of Consecration of our Country to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Hail most loving Hearts of Jesus and Mary. We venerate You, we love and honor You, We give and consecrate ourselves to you forever. Receive us and possess us entirely. Purify, enlighten and sanctify us so that we may love You Jesus with the Heart of Mary and love You Mary with the Heart of Jesus. O Heart of Jesus living in Mary and by Mary. O Heart of Mary living in Jesus and for Jesus. O Heart of Jesus pierced for our sins and giving us Your Mother on Calvary. O Heart of Mary pierced by sorrow and sharing in the sufferings of Your Divine Son for our redemption. O Sacred union of these Two Hearts.
Praised be God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Praised be the Holy Spirit of God who united these Two Hearts together. May He unite our hearts and every heart so that all hearts may live in unity in imitation of that sacred Unity which exists in these Two Hearts. Triumph, O sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Reign O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, in our hearts, in our homes and our families, in Your Church, in the lives of all the faithful in the hearts of those who has yet know You not and in all the nations of the world. Establish in the hearts of all mankind the sovereign triumph and reign of Your Two Hearts so that the earth may resound from pole to pole with one cry: Blessed forever be the most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary.
O dearest St. Joseph, I entrust myself to your honor and give myself to you that you may always be my father, my protector and y guide in the way of salvation. Obtain for me a greater purity of heart and a fervent love of the interior life. After your example may I do all my actions for the greater glory of the Triune God in union with the Divine Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. O blessed St. Joseph, pray for me that I may share in the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen.
6. Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament with Benediction
