Our Lady holding Jesus as He accepts flowers from the shepherd child

Our Lady holding Jesus as He accepts flowers from the shepherd child

Welcome to our intercessory prayer ministry for families, babies, little ones and those who love them.

In our prayers for families, we pray for the sanctity of all life and for vocations to marriage, the priesthood and consecrated life, which are born and nurtured in families.

The
Prayer of Entrustment to Mary was prayed for this ministry at the icon of the Madonna Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the Roman People, Our Lady of Good Health) in the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica of Mary Major) in Rome, Italy, in Nossa Senhora do Rosario da Fatima (Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary) in Fatima, Portugal, in Eglise du Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Parish Church), the site of St. Bernadette's baptismal font, in Lourdes, France and at The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts at the Shrine of the Holy Innocents before Our Lady of Guadalupe and at Basilica Papale de San Pietro in Vaticano (St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City) at the Tomb of St. John Paul II in Rome, Italy and at the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe) in Mexico City, Mexico.

This ministry is consecrated to Jesus Christ, Wisdom Incarnate, through the hands of Mary and dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. In our prayers to Mary, we honor and worship her Son Jesus. When He was on the Cross, He gave His Mother to John and she became our Mother as well. "Behold, your Mother." John 19:27

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
For the greater glory of God

November 30, 2011

All you need is love

Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; For Love is strong as Death, longing is fierce as Sheol. Its arrows are arrows of fire, flames of the divine. Deep waters cannot quench love, nor rivers sweep it away. Were one to offer all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly despised.
Song of Solomon 8: 6-7



When a child is born with special needs, nothing much changes, except for the need of a little more love and acceptance of a few more challenges, but that same commitment is made when any child is born, regardless of special needs.

Today we celebrate the feast day of Saint Andrew, Apostle and Martyr. As Our Blessed Mother Mary always leads us to Jesus, Saint Andrew brought others to Jesus. Andrew told his brother Simon, We have found the Messiah, the Christ, and he brought him to Jesus.
John 1:41-42

A novena is normally a nine day prayer. The term is sometimes used for any prayer that is repeated over a series of days. "The Christmas Novena" or the "Christmas Anticipation Prayer," is prayed 15 times every day from the Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle until Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent is the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saint Andrew. The novena is not actually addressed to Saint Andrew but to God Himself, asking Him to grant our request in the honor of the birth of His Son at Christmas. You can say the prayer all 15 times, all at once; or divide up the recitation as necessary, perhaps five times at each meal. Prayed as a family, the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena is a very good way to help focus the attention of your children on the Advent season. It is a great gift to give our families, the message of "All you need is love."

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

When Jesus called Andrew and his brother Simon Peter, he said to them, Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19 They immediately dropped their fishing nets and followed Him.

Saint Andrew was crucified on a cross shaped as an X because he said he was unworthy to die the way Jesus died. To lay down his life for the Lord was an act of TRUE LOVE.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

Saint Andrew led others to Jesus and he gave his life for Jesus. Let us be LOVE to our families and our friends and all those who we encounter. Let us follow Jesus with His love. May we offer our lives to Jesus in all we do and in all we say. Let us say Yes to Jesus the way Andrew, Simon and Our Blessed Mother Mary did. All we need is love, a love like their love. Let us call on their intercession for our needs.

November 27, 2011

Advent with Mary

Today is the First Sunday of Advent. Over these special weeks preceding Christmas, we gather and give thanks. We pray and sing together, inviting the coming of the Lord into our lives, our homes, the Church and into the world which God loves so much that He sent His Beloved Son.



The best way to prepare for Christmas is to spend Advent with Mary. Let us reflect on the Annunciation and Mary's yes, her Fiat to God when the Angel appeared to her. She heard the Word of God and she believed. Mary was still. She pondered God's Word. She invites us to be still and to listen as God speaks to us during this beautiful season of Advent, as we prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus.

The heart of the message of Advent is to bring light into a world of darkness. The Advent candles we will light symbolize Jesus Christ, the True Light of the world. It is He who can dispel darkness of those who have lost hope. The Lord is always coming for those who seek Him! Let us seek Him through the eyes of Mary.

Luke 1:26-31 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.



Luke 1:38 Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."

O Mary, help us to ponder God's Word as you did. Help us to prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus. Pray for all the babies and little ones for whom we pray. Protect them and cover them with your Motherly Mantle.

November 24, 2011

In thanksgiving to Jesus and Mary

On this Thanksgiving Day, we offer Mass for YOU, prayer partners
of this ministry. We give thanks for all your prayers for the
babies and little ones. We never know how our prayers are used.
The Lord takes our prayers and little offerings and places them
where they are needed.

O give thanks to the Lord for He is good;
His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1




Our Blessed Virgin Mary offered her life and gave her Fiat through
her obedience and humble service. This is true worship of God,
surrendering to His Will. In heaven, she leads a song of eternal
praise, like incense raising up to God.

Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals,
like roses planted near running waters;
send up the sweet odor of incense,
break forth in blossoms like the lily.
Send up the sweet odor of your hymn of praise;
bless the Lord for all He has done!
Sirach 39:13-14

November 22, 2011

Litany of Humility


"Humility," says Saint Bernard, "is the foundation and guardian of virtues" for without it no other virtue can exist in a soul. Should she possess all virtues, all will depart when humility is gone. Saint Francis de Sales wrote to Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, "God so loves humility, that whenever He sees it, He is immediately drawn thither." This beautiful and so necessary virtue was unknown in the world; but the Son of God Himself came on earth to teach it by His Own example that we would imitate Him. Learn from Me, because I am meek and humble of heart. Mary, being the first and most perfect disciple of Jesus Christ in the practice of all virtues, was the first also in that of humility, and by it merited to be exalted above all creatures. The first virtue in which the Blessed Mother particularly exercised herself, from her very childhood, was that of humility.



Litany of Humility
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930)
Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X


O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,

Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided
that I may become as holy as I should…

O Mary, Mother of Mercy, help us to imitate Jesus, your Beloved Son who taught us, "Learn from Me, because I am meek and humble of heart."

November 21, 2011

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Magnificat
The Canticle of Mary

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is his Name. Luke 1:46-49



Chosen Lady: Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk. 2 John 4-6

Blessed Virgin Mary, on this day we celebrate the Feast of your Presentation in the Temple, we ask you to intercede for all these little ones for whom we pray. We thank you for being Our Loving Mother.

November 18, 2011

The Real Presence

Blessed John Paul II identified the Eucharist as the Presence Sacrament. Christ is on earth. He wants to perform miracles of His grace, especially miracles of conversion in what is becoming a Christ-less age. The key to tapping the resources of His grace is our deep faith in Christ's living presence among us in the Blessed Sacrament.



Today is the Feast Day of Saint Rose Philippine Duschene, a religious of the Society of the Sacred Heart. She began missionary work with the Native Americans. She was called the ”Woman Who Prays Always.” She was born in 1769, died in 1852 and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

She was the Foundress of the first Catholic school for girls west of the Mississippi. She said, "As soon as we could, we taught our Indians the prayers of the Church, and especially the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, as it is sung on Sundays after Vespers."

The Sisters suffered during the severe winters. Sr. Rose had many infirmities which became worse. She visited the sick and helped the Indian girls but was not able to do much else. She lived a life of prayer and sacrifice. The Indians called her “Woman Who Prays Always” because she spent so much time in the church praying. She knelt motionless in prayer for long periods in the Church before the Blessed Sacrament. If she could not work at the mission, she would forward the success of the mission by her prayers. She would spend the last ten years of her life there praying for long hours before the Blessed Sacrament.

May we have the great love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament as Saint Rose did. May we spend time in Eucharistic Adoration praying for all the intentions we receive through this baby prayer ministry. Jesus, we love and adore You.

November 13, 2011

Saint Joseph Protector of the Family


God chose Saint Joseph to be the Head of the Holy Family. He watched over and protected Jesus and Mary while they were on earth. Joseph was a man of faith, obedient to whatever God asked of him without knowing the outcome. When the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him the truth about the child Mary was carrying, Joseph immediately and without question or concern, took Mary as his wife. When the angel came again to tell him that his family was in danger, he immediately left everything and fled to a strange country with his young wife and baby. He waited in Egypt without question until the angel told him it was safe to go back. Saint Joseph is a model for all fathers and protector of families.

Prayer To Saint Joseph
O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in thee all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph do assist me by thy powerful intercession and obtain for me from thy Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below thy Heavenly power I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage to the Loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating thee and Jesus asleep in thy arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near thy heart. Press him to my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen
Say for nine consecutive mornings for anything you may desire. It has seldom been known to fail.

Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for us pure, humble,and loving minds and hearts. May we always seek God's Divine Will. Be our guide, our father, and our model through life that we may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

November 11, 2011

In Honor of Our Veterans



Blessed Mother Mary, protect our veterans and their families, especially their children. Bring comfort and peace to those who have lost loved ones defending our country. We are honored to have Mary as the patron saint of America because she is the most powerful intercessor. By a decree from the First Council of Baltimore, Mary in her Immaculate Conception, was elected as our principal Patron. A patron is one who has been assigned, or in this case, chosen by election, as a special intercessor before God.

St Louis de Montfort, in his renowned manuscript True Devotion to Mary, boldly suggests that Christ is weak in front of his Mother. It’s as if he can’t say “No” to her! The Catechism of the Catholic Church (969) states that the Blessed Virgin is invoked under the title Mediatrix of all grace. While no creature measures up to the one and only Redeemer, we profess that Mary cooperates in a unique way in her Son’s redemptive mission. She knows what is best for her children and so intercedes for us before the very source of all grace, Jesus Christ.

America, our country is truly blessed; God, through the powerful intercession of Mary, the Immaculate Conception, has shed His grace on America. May He continue to do so from sea to shining sea! Let us reflect and remember all those who have served our country, past and present.

Prayer by Susan Helene Kramer

"You gave for peace with courage
That families may be free
So children could grow strong
And safe they'd ever be.

In giving for the sake of peace
You may have suffered loss
Your body may still show its wounds
From taking up the cause.

May remembrance of your time away
Your sacrifice for peace
Spur us on to strive more strongly
For freedom, that there'll be release.

From causes that sent some away
To fight that we may freely live
With gratefulness we thank you,
Veterans, for all you gave and give!"


Today is the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours. Martin was in the military, but attempted to live the life of a monk. Though he was entitled to a servant because he was an officer, he insisted on switching roles with his servant, cleaning the servant's boots instead of the other way around! On a bitterly cold winter day, the young tribune Martin rode through the gates, probably dressed in the regalia of his unit, gleaming, flexible armor, ridged helmet, and a beautiful white cloak whose upper section was lined with lambswool. As he approached the gates he saw a beggar, with clothes so ragged that he was practically naked. The beggar must have been shaking and blue from the cold, but no one reached out to help him. Martin, overcome with compassion, took off his mantle. In one quick stroke he slashed the lovely mantle in two with his sword, handed half to the freezing man and wrapped the remainder on his own shoulders. Many in the crowd thought this was so ridiculous a sight that they laughed and jeered but some realized that they were seeing Christian goodness. That night Martin dreamed that he saw Jesus wearing the half mantle he had given the beggar. Jesus said to the angels and saints that surrounded him, "See! this is the mantle that Martin, yet a catechumen, gave me." When he woke, it was the "yet a catechumen" that spurred Martin on and he went immediately to be baptized. He was eighteen years old.

Saint Martin of Tours, pray for all the veterans on this special day in their honor.

In tribute to a special Vietnam veteran, Poppy, grandfather of Lily Grace and Norah.

November 04, 2011

All for Jesus through Mary

On the Cross, Jesus gave us Mary as our Mother.

Behold, your Mother. John 19:27

The way to be close to Jesus and Mary is by praying and meditating on the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary.

I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and justice, in love and mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the Lord.
Hosea 2:21-22

We will know the Lord by drawing close to Mary in prayer through the rosary.



Caryll Houselander, British mystic,poet and spiritual teacher
Mary never resisted the Holy Spirit by whom she had conceived Jesus because she was passionately devoted to the Will of God and because she loved the world. Her values were his values. Their own miracle went on, and it went on as mysteriously as a pure, bright stream running underground. Just as Christ received God's love from Mary in his infancy, He did God's Will in the little acts of obedience that filled the loveliness of their lives in the loss in the Temple and the temptation in the wilderness. That which had been the secret of her strength from the beginning is the secret of the communion between them.

Blessed Mother Mary, hear our prayers and petitions for these babies and little ones. We entrust them to you and ask that you intercede and bring their needs to Jesus. We offer our rosaries and Memorares in His Holy Name.

November 02, 2011

All Souls Day

Today we celebrate All Souls Day. Our Lord dictated the following prayer to Saint Gertrude the Great to release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.

Prayer of Saint Gertrude the Great
"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."


Saint Gertrude's life was the mystic life of the Cloister, a Benedictine nun. She meditated on the Passion of Christ, which many times brought a flood of tears to her eyes. She did many penances and Our Lord appeared to her many times. She had a tender love for the Blessed Virgin and was very devoted to the suffering souls in Purgatory. She died in 1334. Her feast day is November 16th.

The Holy Souls Will Repay Us A Thousand Times Over
Now who can be in more urgent need of our charity than the souls in Purgatory? What hunger, or thirst, or dire sufferings on Earth can compare to their dreadful torments? Neither the poor, nor the sick, nor the suffering, we see around us, have such an urgent need of our help, yet we find many good-hearted people who interest themselves in every other type of suffering, but few who works for the Holy Souls. Who can have more claim on us? Among them, there may be our mothers and fathers, our friends and near of kin. When they are finally released from their pains and enjoy the beatitude of Heaven, far from forgetting their friends on earth, their gratitude knows no bounds. Prostrate before the Throne of God, they never cease to pray for those who helped them. By their prayers they shield their friends from many dangers and protect them from the evils that threaten them.

The Holy Souls are those who die in God's grace but are still imperfectly purified. By undergoing purification after death in purgatory, they achieve the holiness necessary to enter heaven. May all the Holy Souls through the mercy of God rest in peace.

November 01, 2011

All Saint's Day



Today we honor all the saints. They continually intercede with The Father for us. A saint is a person who reflects the holiness of God by living the virtues in a heroic way and showing boundless charity and total faith in God. The early history of the Church is filled with stories of the heroic faith of these of witnesses to Christ's truth. The stories of these saints, of all ages and all states in life, whose fidelity and courage led to their sanctity or holiness, have provided models for us throughout history.

Many of those especially holy people whose names and stories were known, the Church later canonized or formally recognized that the life of that person was holy, or sanctified. A saint is an example for us. The Church's calendar contains many saint's days, which Catholics observe at Mass, some with special festivities, but there were thousands and thousands of early Christian martyrs, the majority of whose names are known only to God. Throughout the history of the Church, there have been countless others who are saints, who are with God in heaven, even if their names are not on the list of canonized saints.

In order to honor the memory of these unnamed saints and to recall their example, the Church dedicated a special feast day Mass so that we can celebrate the lives and witness of those who have died and gone before us into the presence of the Lord.

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Holy Mary, all the angels and the communion of saints, we call on you as a cloud of witnesses to help us each day and to pray for us.