Taizé Prayer
The Taizé Community
In August 1940, a young man named Roger left his native Switzerland and came alone to settle in the tiny village of Taizé in eastern France. His sole purpose was to live a life of prayer.
Prayers
More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.
Tennyson
The power of prayer is really tremendous. To be sure of an answer, there is no need to recite from a book a formula composed for the occasion. If there were, I should have to be pitied.
For me, prayer is an upward leap of the heart, an untroubled glance towards heaven, a cry of gratitude and love which I utter from the depths of sorrow as well as from the heights of joy.
St Thérèse of Lisieux – The Story of a Soul
The power of prayer doesn’t depend on the virtue of the one who prays, but on the unchanging love of the One who hears.
The Word for Today
I find everything in prayer,
which is for me fragrance and food,
a home, a shield, a tonic.
I recall the seasons of my prayer:
the moments I cry out in despair,
the days of glad thanksgiving,
the times of stillness,
presence,
adoration.
And I recite a prayer or song or poem
that I have come to love,
that I wish to have beside me all through life
and shall want my lips to say when I am dying.
Anthony de Mello – Wellsprings
Prayer is openness to the love of God. Prayer implies exposing oneself to radically new thinking. Prayer is expressed more in abiding dispositions than in ritual recitations or exercises. Only if this is understood can we possibly and positively live out the inspired directive that “we should pray without ceasing”.
David Weakliam, O Carm
Prayer is the movement of the Holy Spirit in the human heart through which God reaches out and embraces human beings. It is a duet of love in which the action of the Spirit inspires and sustains us in the darkness of faith.
The Glenstal Book of Prayer
The Rosary
Reflection on the Apostolic Letter of John Paul II
Rosarium Virginis Mariae
Christopher O’Donnell O.Carm
Liturgy of the Hours – The Prayer of the Church
“As over continent and island
the dawn leads on another day,
the voice of prayer is never silent,
nor dies the strain of praise away.
The sun that bids us rest is waking
The Hail Mary
Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father,
Who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in Heaven.
The Glory Be
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen
The Nicene Creed
I believe in one God…
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God…
Confiteor
I confess to almighty God…
The Gloria
Glory to God in the highest…
The Angelus
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary………..
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto
me according to Thy Word.
The Rosary
The Rosary is made up of twenty “mysteries” (significant events or moments in the life of Jesus and Mary).
The Stations of the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
The Beatitudes
How happy are the poor in spirit;
theirs is the kindom of heaven,
Happy the gentle:
they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy are those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, mother of mercy,
hail our life, our sweetness and our hope…
The Memorare
Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary,
that never was it known…
The Magnificat
My soul proclaims the greatness
of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour…
Prayer to St. Thérèse de Lisieux
St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face teach us to follow your way of confidence and trust. Help us to realise that a Father’s love watches over us each day of our lives. Obtain for us the light to see, in sorrow as in joy, in trials as in peace, the loving hand of our Father. Give us your own faith and trust, so that we may walk in darkness, as in the light, holding fast
Prayer to St. Francis Xavier
O most kind and loving St Francis filled with the love of God, our Father, you spread His Word among the peoples of the East. In union with you , I offer to God my humble tribute of thanksgiving and praise. When I ponder the favours with which God blessed you during life and your glory after death, my hope is renewed. And I implore of you to obtain for me the all important grace of living and dying in
Prayer to St. Colmcille
Dear Colmcille
Saint of great gifts,
protect us every hour
from early morning
and during the day.
Fill our hearts
Prayer of St Francis
Lord make me an instrument of you peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Prayer of John Henry Newman
May God support us all the day long
till the shadows lengthen
and the evening comes
and the busy world is hushed
and the fever of life is over
and our work is done -
St. Patrick’s Breastplace
I bind unto myself today
the power of God to hold and lead,
his eye to watch, his might to stay,
his ear to harken to my need:
the wisdom of my God to teach,
his hand to guide, his shield to ward;
Sé do bheatha, a Mhuire
Sé do bheatha, a Mhuire,
atá lán de ghrásta,
tá an Tiarna leat.
Is beannaithe thú idir na mná
agus is beannaithe toradh do bhroinne, Íosa.
A Naomh-Mhuire, a Mháthair Dé,
Ár nAthair
Ár nAthair atá ar neamh,
go naofar d’ainm,
go dtaga do ríocht,
go ndéantar do thoil
ar an talamh mar a dhéantar ar neamh.
Ar n-arán laethúil tabhair dúinn inniu,
An Chré
Creidim in aon Dia amháin,
an tAthair uilechumhachtach,
a rinne neamh agus talamh
agus an uile ní sofheicthe agus dofheicthe.
Agus in aon Tiarna amháin,
Í osa Críost, Aonmhac Dé,
Glóir don Athair
Glóir don Athair agus don Mhac
agus don Spiorad Naomh;
mar a bhí ar dtús,
mar atá anois agus mar a bheas go brách,
le saol na saol.
Prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel
- be our constant hope.
Mary, perfect disciple of the Lord
- make us also faithful to him.
from St Teresa of Avila
Lord Jesus Christ,
You have no body on earth but ours,
no hands but ours,
no feet but ours.
Ours are the eyes through which Your compassion
must look out on the world.
from Thomas Merton
Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going,
I do not see the road ahead of me,
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
from John Henry Cardinal Newman
O God, You have created me to do some definite service;
You have given some definite work to me
Which You have not given to any other.
I have a place in Your plan.
I may never know what it is in this life