SCJ Philippine District

Loving Father, 
Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate
and open the door of love all over the world. 
Let kindness come with every gift
and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing 
which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. 

May the Christmas morning 
make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds
with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, 
for Jesus' sake.

Amen. 

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a wonder at the wisdom and power of Your Father and ours. Receive my prayer as part of my service of the Lord who enlists me in God's own work for justice.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a hunger for peace: peace in the world, peace in my home, peace in myself.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me a joy responsive to the Father's joy. I seek His will so I can serve with gladness, singing and love.

Come, long-expected Jesus. Excite in me the joy and love and peace it is right to bring to the manger of my Lord. Raise in me, too, sober reverence for the God who acted there, hearty gratitude for the life begun there, and spirited resolution to serve the Father and Son.

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, whose advent I hail. Amen.

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.

Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in your Son, whom you raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in his resurrection, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

"In times of need we turn for strength
To those who've come before our days
That their unseen presence might
Come to us as guiding rays.

We need the voice of bygone times
In our present plight for peace
May the saints who lived for all
Bless us each in their outreach.

Continue to embrace our world
Hold us in your constant love
Dear holy ones in heaven's sight
Emblazon our hearts from up above.

Remind us in your quiet ways
That we can reach the worthwhile goal
World peace will reign forever on
When we give care to one and all!"

Dear Father, You have given the saints in Heaven eternal happiness and they now live in the fullness of Your glory. Because of their holy love for You, they also care about me and my family, my friends, my church, and my neighbors. Thank You for the gift of their friendship and the witness of their holy lives. I ask our patron saints and every saint who has become especially dear to me to intercede for us. I ask them to help us journey safely on the narrow path that leads to Heaven. O Lord, give us their protection. Grant us their assistance in overcoming temptation and gaining the fullness of life with You. Amen.

Lord, be near to our brothers and sisters in Pakistan and Guatemala who are suffering from the catastrophic destruction wrought by earthquakes and landslides in their countries. Comfort them with Your loving touch as they struggle with the torment of their physical and emotional pain. Impart wisdom and direction to those who are aiding in the rescue and recovery process. Fill them with strength to accomplish the difficult tasks before them. We pray for their safety as they face danger from aftershocks and further landslides.
In the days to come, turn the darkness of despair into the light of hope. Encourage the hearts of the downtrodden as they face the reality of their losses and begin the restoration process. May they draw strength from the wellspring of Your grace that overflows with faith, hope and love. In Your precious name we pray. Amen

by Pablo R. Diaz, Vice President of Outreach Ministries

Prayer to the Sacred Heart

May Thy Heart dwell always in our hearts!
May Thy Blood ever flow in the veins of our souls!
O sun of our hearts, Thou givest life to all things by the rays of Thy goodness!
I will not go until Thy Heart has strengthened me, O Lord Jesus!
May the Heart of Jesus be the King of my heart!
Blessed be God. Amen.

by Saint Francis De Sales

A Prayer for Mothers

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
We thank You for our mothers to whom You have entrusted the care of every precious human life from its very beginning in the womb.

You have given to woman the capacity of participating with You in the creation of new life. Grant that every woman may come to understand the full meaning of that blessing, which gives her an unlimited capacity for selfless love for every child she may be privileged to bear, and for all Your children.

Watch over every mother who is with child, strengthen her faith in Your fatherly care and love for her and for her unborn baby. Give her courage in times of fear or pain, understanding in times of uncertainty and doubt, and hope in times of trouble. Grant her joy in the birth of her child.

To mothers You have given the great privilege and responsibility of being a child's first teacher and spiritual guide. Grant that all mothers may worthily foster the faith of their children, following the example of Mary, Elizabeth, and other holy women who follow Christ. Help mothers to grow daily in knowledge and understanding of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and grant them the wisdom to impart this knowledge faithfully to their children, and to all who depend upon them.

Assist all "spiritual mothers", those who, though they may have no children of their own, nevertheless selflessly care for the children of others -- of every age and state in life. Grant that they may know the joy of fulfilling this motherly calling of women, whether in teaching, nursing, religious life, or in other work which recognizes and fosters the true dignity of every human being created in Your image and likeness.

We beseech You to send Your Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to all mothers who sorrow for children that have died, are ill or estranged from their families, or who are in trouble or danger of any kind. Help grieving mothers to rely on Your tender mercy and fatherly love for all your children.

We ask your blessing on all those to whom You have entrusted motherhood. May Your Holy Spirit constantly inspire and strengthen them. May they ever follow the example of Mary, mother of Our Lord, and imitate her fidelity, her humility, and her self-giving love. May all mothers receive Your Grace abundantly in this earthly life, and may they look forward to eternal joy in Your presence in the life to come.

We ask this through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. AMEN

Father, eternal shepherd,
we thank you for your fidelity to your Church,
your pilgrim People of God.

We hold up to you our new Pope, Benedict XVI.
Through the work of your Holy Spirit,
he has been chosen to shepherd your people,
in your own heart, ensured by the promise of Jesus,
that he would never leave us orphaned,
and that the gates of hell would never prevail against us.

Guide Pope Benedict with the continuing presence
of your Spirit in these days ahead. Let him be the
"simple, humble worker in your vineyard."

Give him all the graces he will need to serve your people
and unite us in our work of building your Kingdom on earth.


Be gracious to us, O Lord, in the days ahead.
Heal our divisions and give us your own joy and peace.
Grace us to place our trust in you
and to serve one another in faith and in hope.
With Pope Benedict as our pastor,
may we follow the spirit of John Paul II
in proclaiming your Word,
in the defense of human dignity,
and uniting our brothers and sisters of every faith tradition
in the path of peace and justice in our world.

For those who have any fears,
within the Catholic community or around the world,
we ask the deepest blessing of your tender care
and confident trust in you.

We ask this with faith
in our Lord Jesus Christ,
and in union with your Holy Spirit,
now and forever.

Amen.

Congratulations! Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, a longtime guardian of catholic doctrine, was elected the new pope Tuesday evening in the first conclave of the new millennium. He chose the name Pope Benedict XVI. Ratzinger, the first German pope in centuries, served John Paul II since 1981 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.