Francis Aidan Gasquet

“ I am but a wretched and ungrateful sinner, but through thee, whatsoever is amiss in my life, or hurtful to my soul's health, may He blot out and correct; whatever is useful and profitable, may He plant and strengthen. Let not the cunning enemy of the human race rejoice at my ruin, but, driven away by thy help, let him bewail his lot. May thy perpetual intercession so obtain for me the grace of Christ, that I may keep my soul and my body unspotted, humble and gentle, and strengthened by the noble gifts of faith, hope, and charity ”

“ As a mother will sit weeping at the tomb of an only son, so I, not as much as I desire, but as much as I can, sit weeping, as I think of Thy Passion, as I think of Thy buffetings, as I think of Thy stripes, as I think of Thy cross and of Thy wounds, how Thou didst die for me, and of how and where Thou wast buried. With Mary I sit weeping at the tomb — the tomb that is my mind— where faith has buried Thee, where hope seeks to find Thee, and charity to anoint Thee. ”

“ Grant that I, poor sinner though I be, may with the rest of men escape the bitterness of eternal death. Hear me, hearken to my prayers, listen to my supplications, O Eternal God. Jesus Christ my Lord, in Thy great mercy, and not for any merit of mine, pardon my offences against Thee when my lips have sinned by blasphemies, oaths, falsehoods, or idle talk. ”

“ O Christ, who in Heaven art the stay of the Angels, be now and for ever my propitiator with the Father. O Mediator between God and man, I beseech Thee, through Thy Passion and the redemption of Thy life-giving Cross, that when Thou shalt please to call me from this world, Thou wilt send the Angel of Peace to guard my soul and conduct it to the place of rest, and enable it to pass unscathed through the ranks of the rulers and powers of darkness. And, O Jesus Christ my Lord, may all who in that hour pray and plead for me find the ears of Thy mercy open to their cries. ”

“ Prayer for one lately Dead
O God, the giver of life and the restorer of our mortal bodies: Thou hast willed to receive the petitions of sinners; hearken to the prayers which, with tears and special devotion, we offer to Thee for the soul of Thy servant N. Deign to free it from the pains of hell, and place it in the ranks of Thy saints. Clothe it in the garment and stole of immortality, and order that it be comforted by the joys of Paradise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. ”

“ O Jesus Christ my Lord, who, as a proof of Thy entire obedience, when offering Thyself to the Father for the salvation of the world, didst close Thy eyes in death, by Thy most true love for me, I pray Thee that, in honour of those sacred eyes, Thou wouldst lovingly pardon whatever stain my soul has suffered by the wrong use of my sense of sight. ”

“ By your holy intercession may ye deign to reconcile me to God, the King of all ages, that with Him, the Prince of peace, clothed in the robe of Immortality, my flesh may desire to rise in all the glory of the new life to reign with Him for ever in Heaven. ”

“ Jesus, our Lord and God, who art to us the way, the truth, and the life, to Thee do we pray that Thou wouldst make us partakers of eternal happiness. Thou hast brought down from heaven true life into the world. We acknowledge Thee as that Bread of Life which strengthens the heart of man, for whosoever shall come to Thee shall never hunger, whosoever shall believe in Thee shall not thirst for ever. ”

“ Earnestly therefore I beg Thee, Lord God Almighty, who art blessed and glorious through all ages, that Thou wilt deign to grant Thy mercy unto all those who are commemorated in my prayers, and to those who have commended themselves to me, as also to those to whom I am bound by any duty of charity or claim of affection. Aid those who are my neighbours or relations, whether living or dead, that they may not perish for ever. ”

“ Give my heart to drink full draughts drawn from the fount of life, that armed with the sign of Thy holy Cross, I may vanquish during the night the suggestions of the devil. And when again the sun sheds its light on the world, may I see Thee, the true Sun of Justice, and may I devoutly offer to Thee day by day the solemn service of the Mass. ”

“ O Lord who hast brought us to the beginning of this day, sanctify us by Thy holy blessing. Ever shield us from the snares of the devil, and grant that we may walk in honesty and uprightness all this day and have ever before our eyes the end of our life. ”

“ For the sake of Thy Holy Body, pardon the faults we have committed through the frailty of our flesh. O Christ, who alone art all pure, by the power of Thy grace wash away every spot from our minds, and every stain from our souls. ”

“ In Thy loving kindness incline Thine ears to our supplications, we pray Thee, O Lord. Do Thou who art mindful of the prayers of those who seek Thee in secret hear us in Thy mercy, so that by Thy help we may attain to eternal life. ”

“ Spare, O Lord, spare me, a sinner, and although everlasting punishment is my due, for that I am so constantly offending Thee, grant, I beseech Thee, that what I deserve as a punishment may become the means of correction, and that I may confess it to be the effect of Thy mercy alone that the temptations of the devil, which so often have prevailed over me because of my sins, now no longer assault me. ”

“ Thou art most glorious and exalted above the stars of heaven, for thou alone, without any equal, hast found favour with Christ, and, coming to the aid of a fallen world, hast brought to it salvation. Unspotted and most worthy Virgin of Virgins; most powerful of all creatures; Lady exalted above all women; to you nothing is difficult to obtain from God: come to my aid, who am a wretched sinner, full of sins and a man of many iniquities. O thou, who didst bring forth the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world, come, I beseech thee, to mine aid, unworthy and sinful though I am. ”

“ Wherefore, O God, all powerful, all loving, all merciful, I beseech Thee to be ever present with me and with all those who believe in Thee and labour for Thy holy love; grant that we may persevere in doing good. ”

“ O Almighty and Eternal God, who hast deigned to create man to Thine own image, we implore Thy mercy for the soul of Thy servant N, which Thou hast bidden this day to come forth out of this world unto Thee. ”

“ Also, and this I most earnestly beg of Thee, O Lord, who art the Alpha and Omega, that when my day shall come Thou wilt show Thyself a just judge against the malice of my accuser the devil, that Thou wilt be my constant defender against the snares of the old enemy of man, and that Thou wilt bring me into the company of the angels and saints, in Thy holy paradise, to enjoy Thy happiness for all eternity, for Thou art God, blessed for ever. ”

“ O God, who hast poured forth upon the hearts of Thy faithful sons the gift of charity, through the grace of the Holy Spirit give health of mind and body to Thy servants N, and to all my benefactors, for whom I crave Thy mercy, that they may love Thee with all their strength, and may with grateful hearts ever do what is pleasing in Thy sight. ”

“ And O most merciful God the Son, our Maker and our Redeemer, coeternal and coequal with the Father and the Holy Spirit, who camest into this world to save sinners, do Thou take pity on me, who am a sinner, weighed down under the burden of all my offences and evil habits. ”

“ O OMNIPOTENT and everlasting God, who art mercy inestimable, receive our prayers offered for the salvation of Thy servants N and N. In Thy kindness grant that, as in Thy love Thou hast created them for eternity, so Thou wilt cleanse them from all stains of sin, and in pity wilt pardon their offences, that by Thy help they may deserve to attain to the fulness of eternal salvation. ”

“ O Almighty and Everlasting God, as in the morning and at noontide, so now, prostrate before Thy Majesty, we pray that the darkness of sin being dispelled from our hearts, we maybe brought to the true light, which is Christ. ”

“ O Almighty and most merciful God, who, when Thy chosen people thirsted, didst bring forth from the rock a fount of living water, bid tears of sorrow to well up from my hard heart, that I may truly weep for my sins, and through Thy mercy deserve to receive pardon. ”

“ O glorious Saint Peter, Prince of the Apostles, by the memory of thy high glory, do thou with the other Apostles, those lights of this earth, who seated upon the twelve thrones will judge the world, do you help me, that in the judgment day my lot may not be found with the wicked. ”

“ To Thee do I pray, trusting to the help and merits of the blessed and glorious Mary, ever a virgin, and of all the holy Angels, Archangels, and heavenly powers, of the holy Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, of the Evangelists, Martyrs, and Confessors, of the Virgins and Monks, and of all the citizens of heaven, that Thou wouldst increase the faith of Thy Holy Catholic Church; beseeching Thee that Thou wouldst give peace to our rulers; that Thou wouldst forgive us our sins; that Thou wouldst restore health to the sick, and afford to the fallen the means to repair the error of their ways ”

“ I praise and glorify Thee because Thou hast deigned to bestow on me health of body, peace of life, with the love, affection, and charity of Thy £uthful servants, and because whatsoever there be in me is the gift of Thy loving kindness. ”

“ The absolute simplicity of these prayers which stimulated the devotion of the Saxon people may, perhaps, prove an aid to the piety of such as do not feel altogether attracted to, or moved by the more elaborate phrases and ornate diction of many of our modern prayer books. ”