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

June 28, 2020

St. Irenaeus: Blessed Virgin Mary, the New Eve

Saint Irenaeus was a Doctor of the Church and one of the most important Church Fathers of the second century AD. Today we celebrate his feast day. 

Irenaeus was bishop of Lyons, in Southern France, though may have grown up in Smyrna, which is modern day Turkey. There, he had personal contact with Saint Polycarp, one of the Apostolic Fathers who knew the Apostle John. Before becoming bishop, Irenaeus was a pastor, a missionary and studied in Rome where he was influenced by Saint Justin Martyr.

His major work, Against Heresies, written around the year 185 AD, exposed the Gnostic cults of the day and strongly defended of Catholic Christianity. His writings were a heroic defense of the church and cost him his life. He received the martyr's crown around the year 200. In giving up his life for the Lord, He upheld the truth and always sought unity and peace.

Excerpt from Saint Irenaeus' classic work, Against Heresies. 
"The Lord, coming into his own creation in visible form, was sustained by his own creation which he himself sustains in being. His obedience on the tree of the cross reversed the disobedience at the tree in Eden; the good news of the truth announced by an angel to Mary, a virgin subject to a husband, undid the evil lie that seduced Eve, a virgin espoused to a husband."

The inspiration for the devotion to Our Lady Undoer of Knots came through these truths.

"The knot of Eve's disobedience was united by Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by her faith...:Death through Eve, life through Mary."  Catechism of the Catholic Church 494

Eve was tempted by a fallen angel, turned away from the Lord and sinned. Mary was visited by Saint Gabriel, the Archangel, and said yes to the Lord. Eve, by her disobedience, brought sin and death to the human race; whereas Mary, by her obedience, brought salvation and new life to all humanity.

O Mother Mary, the New Eve, the Sanctuary of God, the first Tabernacle of Jesus, pray for us.

June 27, 2020

Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

Today is the Feast Day of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Her sacred image is an ancient Byzantine icon, deeply rich in symbolism and meaning. For more details: Our Mother of Perpetual Help

Today, let us ponder this beautiful icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and the Child Jesus asking them to be with us and our loved ones.

Prayer to Our Mother of Perpetual Help

O Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities, I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence, O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy, I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy Divine Son the favor that I request: (mention your petition now)

Obtain for me, also dearest Mother of Perpetual Help, the grace that I may imitate thee and become more like to thee in the practice of the virtues of humility, purity, submission to the Will of God, and charity. Be my protectress in life, guard and guide me in dangers, direct me in difficulties, lead me in the way of perfection, and assist me in the hour of my death, that I may come to Jesus, and with thee enjoy Him, bless Him, and love Him eternally in Heaven. Amen.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us!

June 21, 2020

Reflection: For Our Fathers...

Today we celebrate Father's Day, a day to honor and remember our fathers, living and deceased. Let us pray to our Father in heaven for all our fathers on earth and for all our beloved priests, our spiritual fathers. 

Jesus taught the disciples to pray the Our Father:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.  Matthew 6:8

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2761
"The Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole Gospel." "Since the Lord...after handling over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive,' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer (the Lord's Prayer) is said first, as the foundation of further desires."

As the Father loves me, so I also love you.  John 15:9

Novena to Saint Joseph for fathers and spiritual fathers

O glorious Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise our hearts and hands to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special favor we now implore for all our fathers, father figures and priests, our spiritual fathers.

O Guardian of the Word Incarnate, we have confidence that thy prayers on our behalf will be graciously heard before the Throne of God. Amen.

Then say the following seven times in honor of the seven sorrows and joys of Saint Joseph:

V. O Glorious Saint Joseph! Through thy love for Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name
R. Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.
V. Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
R. Assist us!

We pray in the Name of our Heavenly Father, and of the Son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit. Where the Holy Trinity dwells, our Blessed Mother Mary is in the center.

June 20, 2020

Reflection: Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Today is the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Through the Immaculate Heart of Mary came her "fiat", her "yes", to God. This was her response to the message sent through the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation. By her loving consent, Mary first conceived Jesus in her Immaculate Heart which opened up her heart to give her fiat and receive Jesus in her womb.

"Jesus wishes to use you in order to make me known and loved. He wishes to establish devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world. I promise salvation to those who embrace it; and these souls will be beloved of God like flowers arranged by me to adorn His throne." Our Lady of Fatima

In 1942, the twenty-fifth anniversary of Fatima, Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. That same year, he assigned the feast day to August 22, the octave of the Assumption. On May 4, 1944, he extended the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the Universal Church. With the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council in 1969, the feast was given a more suitable place on the day following the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. That is the Saturday after the second Sunday after Pentecost.

"Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart." Luke 2:19

Let us ask Mary the way to ponder things in our heart.  
Mary had great joy and great suffering. Mary did not always understand, but she said "yes" to the Lord, even when she did not know. When we do not understand things in our lives, our human emotions can cover a wide range. We can feel confused, upset, afraid, angry, agitated. When we do as Mary did, ponder all things in her heart, she teaches us how to have peace in the midst of the storms of our lives. Why? It is because Mary always contemplated the Face of her Beloved Son.  Mary is our model.  When she gave her "Fiat", she did not know what it meant. We will not always know where the Lord is leading us, but when we seek His Face and His Will for our lives and say, "yes", we will have peace and He will lead us.

How can we ponder things in our heart like Mary did?  
Mary has a pure Immaculate Heart. We can only do as Mary did by falling in love with her Beloved Son. When we fall in love with Jesus, He pours His love into our heart. When we consecrate our life to Jesus through Mary, they come with the Holy Spirit, into our heart. The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are perfectly intertwined. Love beats in unison in these two Holy Hearts. When we invite them into our heart, they come and they transform our heart. Love enters. When we have a heart that loves, we can keep and ponder all things in our heart.

Saint Pope John Paul II, in his first encyclical, Redemptor Hominis, wrote "the mystery of Redemption was formed under the heart of the Virgin of Nazareth when she pronounced her fiat." In her life of contemplation, Mary provides us with an example of one who sought tirelessly “the one thing” that is needed.

"She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."  Luke 10:39-42

Jesus invites us to come and sit beside Him at His feet and listen to Him speak. He wants to speak a word to us. He wants to loves us. Come and sit with Him...

As Saint Pope John Paul II wrote in the apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, “No one has ever devoted herself to the contemplation of the Face of Christ as faithfully as Mary. The eyes of her heart already turned to Him at the Annunciation, when she conceived Him by the power of the Holy Spirit. And in continuing to contemplate the Face of Christ throughout her life, Mary constantly discovered new depths of the Father’s love for the whole of creation, and she witnessed the grace of the Spirit being poured into the hearts of all who accepted her Son."

Immaculate Heart of Mary, give us a heart like yours.  Pray for us and all those we pray for through this ministry.

June 19, 2020

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus + World Day of Prayer for Priests + Annual Global Rosary Rally for Priests

Today is the Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Today is also the World Day of Prayer for Priests established by Saint Pope John Paul II for the Sanctification of Priests on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

Today we join with the entire world in praying the Rosary for our beloved priests. Pray the Rosary, unite with your country and help encircle the world in prayer. Annual Global Rosary Relay

First Friday devotions in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: 
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Act of Reparation, The Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, The Sacrament of Reconciliation 

Promises of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus given by Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque: 
1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."
2. "I will establish peace in their homes."
3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."
4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death."
5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings."
6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."
8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored."
10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out."
12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."


Prayer for Priests Saint Thérèse, the Little Flower


O Holy Father, may the torrents of love flowing from the sacred wounds of Thy Divine Son bring forth priests like unto the beloved disciple John who stood at the foot of the Cross; priests: who as a pledge of Thine own most tender love will lovingly give Thy Divine Son to the souls of men.

May Thy priests be faithful guardians of Thy Church, as John was of Mary, whom he received into his house. Taught by this loving Mother who suffered so much on Calvary, may they display a mother’s care and thoughtfulness towards Thy children. May they teach souls to enter into close union with Thee through Mary who, as the Gate of Heaven, is specially the guardian of the treasures of Thy Divine Heart.


Give us priests who are on fire, and who are true children of Mary, priests who will give Jesus to souls with the same tenderness and care with which Mary carried the Little Child of Bethlehem.


Mother of sorrows and of love, out of compassion for Thy beloved Son, open in our hearts deep wells of love, so that we may console Him and give Him a generation of priests formed in thy school and having all the tender thoughtfulness of thine own spotless love.


O Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.  Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Priests, be a refuge for your sons, our beloved priests.

June 14, 2020

Reflection: The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ

Today is the Feast Day of Corpus Christi, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The Real Presence of Jesus is a powerful encounter. Jesus gave Himself to us in the Eucharist to nourish us spiritually, the Bread of Life, food for the journey through life.

In some parishes the Feast Day is celebrated this Sunday. Corpus Christi is a time of thanksgiving and adoration for the gift of the Holy Eucharist. It is also a time when our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is exposed and carried in procession in a public way, bringing Jesus outside the Church to the rest of the world.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world.  John 6:51-58

On the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, I recall beautiful memories. My husband and I were on a pilgrimage in Lourdes, France. We happened to be there on a day there was an annual meeting of altar servers from all over France. We were blessed to witness a Eucharistic procession of priests and seminarians and 2,500 altar servers and their families. It was the most beautiful sight to be in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament during this procession in Lourdes. The world would have you believe the faith is not alive but do not believe the world. The faith is alive and living in all these families in France, as well as throughout the whole world. Lourdes is a place of peace where the presence of Our Lady is felt and where families come from all over the world to know her and to know the peace that comes from Jesus in the Eucharist.

Pope Francis on the Feast of Corpus Christi 
"While on Holy Thursday, we commemorate the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, today is for giving thanks and adoration. And in fact, there is a traditional procession with the Most Holy Sacrament on this day. To adore Eucharistic Jesus and to walk with Him. These are two inseparable aspects of today's feast, two aspects that characterize the entire life of the Christian people: a people who adore God and a people who walk: who do not stand still, who journey!"

Then He took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of Me." Luke 22:19

As you prepare receive the Bread from Heaven this day, ask the Lord to come into your heart in a new way. Ask Him for an encounter with the living God that you may be changed by this encounter and that this encounter will lead you on a journey, walking with the living God and inviting others to walk with you.

For we are members of His Body, of His flesh and of His bones. Ephesians 5:30

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving, be every moment thine.

June 12, 2020

Reflection: A tiny whispering sound...

At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. But the Word of the Lord came to him, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by." A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a tiny whispering sound." 1 Kings 19:11-12

Elijah recognized the Lord's voice in "a tiny whispering sound." To hear the whisper of the Lord, you have to be silent.

Spend time in Eucharistic adoration or near the tabernacle in a chapel or find a quiet place at home. Set a regular time period of the day and allot 10-15 minutes. Increase the time period as you grow more comfortable with the silence.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

During Eucharistic adoration, you are in the Presence of Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. As you sit with Jesus, remember that He is your closest friend. You don't have to do anything, just be with Him, as you would be with a friend. You can pour out your heart to Him, talk to Him about your fears, sufferings and miseries and ask Him to be with you. Thank Jesus for all the blessings in your life.

During Eucharistic adoration, you have an intimate encounter with God, face to face. It is helpful to bring a notebook. Often Jesus will speak to you in the silence of your heart and you can write down thoughts that may come to you. Saint Pope John Paul II and Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen did this.

"I encourage Christians regularly to visit Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament, for we are all called to abide in the Presence of God."  Saint Pope John Paul II

"The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white Host." Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen

In the Scriptures, Jesus went away to a quiet place and made time to pray to the Father. This is your invitation to do the same. Jesus is waiting for you and wants to whisper a word of love into your heart. Come away and listen to the tiny whispering sound. It is the Lord. As you gaze at Jesus, He is gazing at you with great love.

My soul rests in God alone. Psalm 62:2

June 07, 2020

Reflection: The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Today we celebrate the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 
Every time we make the Sign of the Cross, we call upon the Trinity to be with us as we pray. Where the Trinity dwells, our Blessed Mother Mary is with them. The Most Holy Trinity is Love.

The Angel of Peace gave the Prayer to the Holy Trinity to the shepherd children a year before the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. With the Blessed Sacrament suspended in the air, the Angel of Peace recited this prayer during the third apparition to the children in Fatima in 1916. The children were illuminated with Love in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament and they were consumed with zeal to pray and offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. They imitated the Angel and prostrated themselves before the Eucharist for long periods of time. The Angel prepared their hearts for the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, who came to them and to us as Our Lady of the Rosary.

O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary I beg the conversion of poor sinners.

O Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, you were crowned by God the Father as His beloved daughter, by Jesus, the Son, as His dearest Mother and by the Holy Spirit as His chosen spouse. You are the most perfect adorer of the Blessed Trinity. Please help us imitate you, our powerful intercessor and merciful Mother. We entrust our prayers and petitions for all the names we receive through this ministry into your loving care.  


We pray in the Name of our Heavenly Father, and of the Son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit. Where the Holy Trinity dwells, our Blessed Mother Mary is in the center.

June 04, 2020

Anima Christi (Latin for Soul of Christ)

Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from Christ's side, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O Good Jesus, hear me. Within Thy wounds, hide me. Suffer me not to be separated from Thee. From the malicious enemy, defend me. In the hour of my death, call me. And bid me come unto Thee. That I may praise Thee with Thy saints and with Thy angels. Forever and ever. Amen.

O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You. Jesus I trust in You.  From the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Jesus said to His disciples, "As the Father loves Me so I love you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in My love."  John 15:9-10

Anima Christi dates back to the 14th century. The prayer became well known through Saint Ignatius, who used it in his classic work, Spiritual Exercises, in the 16th century. Anima Christ is a prayer to ask the Lord for comfort, strength and guidance.

During Eucharistic Adoration or after receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, pray the Anima Christi, and ask Jesus to be with you as He gazes upon you with great love. Meditate on His Passion as you speak to Him from the depths of your heart.

"But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into His side, and immediately Blood and Water flowed out." John 19:33-34

June 01, 2020

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Today is the Memorial of the Marian Feast Day honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. It was instituted in 2018 by Pope Francis to be celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost.

This beautiful mosaic of Mary was placed in Saint Peter's Square by Pope Saint John Paul II and is titled, Mater Ecclesiae (Latin meaning Mother of the Church). Under the image of Mary, his apostolic motto is inscribed, Totus Tuus (totally yours). He entrusted himself completely into the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He desired that all who come to Saint Peter's Square raise their eyes and greet her with trust and in prayer.

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. John 19:25-27

When Mary stood at the foot of the Cross, Jesus gave her to the beloved disciple John and he took her to his home. In giving His Mother to John, Jesus gave her to us. Mary is our Mother and she is the Mother of the Church. God entrusted her with this mission. When we experience the cross, we can turn to Mary. She is our model and our Mother. She guides and accompanies us and the Church on the pilgrim journey with the tender love of a mother.

Alleluia. Alleluia. O happy Virgin, you gave birth to the Lord; O Blessed Mother of the Church, you warm our hearts with the Spirit of your Son Jesus Christ. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee...

The disciples devoted themselves with one another to prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Acts 1:14