Ministry of Care and Companionship: Prayer

Samples of prayers for specific moments, as well as contact info for a great variety of resources.

The Way of the Cross Today: Reflections on Suffering in Sickness and Dying

Retrieving the insights, solace and strength found in the tradition of the Way of the Cross Way of the Cross 600x400 72 written by Sr. Nuala Kenny, SC Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth 2016
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Traditional Catholic Prayers

Our Father

Our Father

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
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.

Hail Mary

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.

Glory Be To The Father

Glory Be To The Father

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

Apostles Creed

Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty;
from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
Amen.

Morning Offering

Morning Offering

My God, I offer you all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day
in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
in reparation for my sin, for the salvation of souls,
and for the spread of the Good News of your love throughout the world.
Amen

Peace Prayer of Saint Francis

Peace Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord, Make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow your love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Act of Contrition

Act of Contrition

My God,
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong
and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you
whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance,
to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ
suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy.
Amen

Act of Love

Act of Love

O my God, I love you above all things with my whole heart and soul,
because you are all good and worthy of all my love.
I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you.
I forgive all who have injured me
and I ask pardon of those whom I have injured.
Amen.

Act of Hope

Act of Hope

O my God, relying on your infinite mercy and promises,
I hope to obtain pardon of my sins,
the help of your grace, and life everlasting,
through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
Amen.

Guardian Angel Prayer

Guardian Angel Prayer

Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God's love commits me here,
Ever this day, be at my side,
To light and guard,
to rule and guide.
Amen.

From "The Breastplate of St. Patrick"

From "The Breastplate of St. Patrick"

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Prayers

A PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL

God our Father, we bring before you today
those who suffer from illness or disability—
those whose lives are profoundly affected by their illness.
When they feel fragile and broken,
remind them that you call them by name
and hold them in the palm of your hand.
When they feel devalued, remind them
that they are made in the image of Jesus.
When they are reminded of different times in the past,
lead them to grow in the faith that you love them today, as they are,
in the reality of their lives this day.
When they feel uncertain and fearful about the future,
lead them to that perfect love which casts out all fear.
When situations remind them not of what they can do,
but of what they cannot do, remind them that love never fails.
May all of us, whatever our circumstances,
never be so taken up with our own concerns that we do not see or respond to the needs of others,
especially those who suffer in our midst.
May we live with courage to respond to the challenges that each of us faces.
Amen.

Catholic Health Association USA
www.chausa.org/prayers.prayer-library
I BELIEVE IN LIFE EVERLASTING
(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1020)
The Christian who unites their own death to that of Jesus views it as a step towards Christ and an entrance into everlasting life. When the Church for the last time speaks Christ's words of pardon and absolution over the dying Christian, seals that Christian for the last time with a strengthening anointing, and gives Christ in viaticum as nourishment for the journey, she speaks with gentle assurance:

Go forth, Christian soul, from this world
in the name of God the almighty Father,
who created you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God,
who suffered for you,
in the name of the Holy Spirit,
who was poured out upon you.
Go forth, faithful Christian!
May you live in peace this day,
may your home be with God in Zion,
with Mary, the virgin Mother of God,
with Joseph, and all the angels and saints. . . .
May you return to your Creator
who formed you from the dust of the earth.
May holy Mary, the angels, and all the saints
come to meet you as you go forth from this life. . . .
May you see your Redeemer face to face.

www.vatian.va
A PRAYER TO ST. JUDE

Most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus,
the Church honours and invokes you universally as the patron of hope.
Please intercede on my behalf.
Make use of that particular privilege given to you to bring hope,
comfort and help where they are needed most.
Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and
help of heaven as I work with my challenges,
particularly as I pray for my family and friends who are ill,
and try to give them the support they need.
I praise God with you and all the saints forever.
Amen

www.shrineofstjude.org
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God our Father, I know that all things are in Your hands
and that everything that happens is ultimately for our best
and is always according to Your purpose (Rom 8:28) so help me to trust You in this.
I ask Your blessing upon the medical staff and doctors
who are caring for those who have just gone through surgery
or those who are fighting a serious illness or disease.
Grant these doctors and staff a tender heart for those under their care
and to allow them to perform in ways that bring about the best results for the patients.
There are no unimportant people in the staff that care for people,
from the janitor to the doctor, and so I ask for You to bless each and every one
and to help those who are in medical care to have the best care possible
and all of this I ask Father,
in name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Amen

www.Patheos.com
-

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard it,
we have not ceased praying for you
and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will
in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,¹⁰
so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing to him,
as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.¹¹
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power,
and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience,
while joyfully¹² giving thanks to the Father,
who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Colossians 1:9-12 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
-

Heavenly Father, we the people of this parish (Name) praise
and thank You for calling us to be Your People.
Pour down Your grace and mercy upon our parish.
Holy Spirit, send Your fire into our hearts and minds.
Help us to obey your will.
Renew us, unite us, make us one family in You.
Lord Jesus, we offer and consecrate our beloved parish to Your Sacred Heart,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Mother.
Almighty and ever-living God, we beg forgiveness for our sins,
the sins of our city, the sins of our country, and the sins of our world.
We declare You to be our King.
Free us from the lies and empty promises of evil.
We pray for our priests, deacons, and religious;
for our school and parish ministries;
for our families, our youth, the sick, the lonely, and the elderly.
We pray for the needs of all our parishioners,
and for our own special intentions.
We make our prayer through Christ your Son,
Amen.

stritaharahan.com Adapted
-

Hear my prayer, O God, source of all life.
My child is ill and I am afraid.
She/he is so fragile and young, so small and vulnerable.
Deliver her/him from sickness.
Make her/him strong, full of life and laughter once more.
Bless her/him with your love
that she/he may not be afraid and restore her/him to health.
Amen.

− Unknown
Prayers for Serenity, Peace and Strength
-

C. Come to his (her) rescue, Saints of God; run out to meet him (her), angels of the Lord.
A. Welcome his (her) soul. Lead him (her) into the presence of the Most High.
C. May Christ, who called you, receive you. May the angels lead you to Abraham's bosom.
A. Welcome his (her) soul. Lead him (her) into the presence of the Most High.
C. Eternal rest grant to him (her) O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
A. Lead him (her) into the presence of the Most High
C. Lord, have mercy. A. Christ, have mercy. C. Lord, have mercy.
A. Our Father who art in heaven …
C. Eternal rest grant to him (her), O Lord. A. And let perpetual light shine upon him (her)
C. From the gates of hell A. Deliver his (her) soul, O Lord
C. May he (she) rest in peace. A. Amen
C. O Lord, hear my prayer. A. And let my cry come unto you.
C. The Lord is with you. A. And with you also
C. Let us pray.
To you, Lord, we commend the soul of your servant (handmaid) N.
Being dead to this world, may he (she) live unto you.
In your most merciful goodness forgive whatever sins he (she) has committed
in this life through human weakness:
through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Grant O God, that while we lament the departure of your servant (handmaid),
we may always remember we are most certainly to follow him (her).
Give us grace to prepare for that last hour by a good life.
May we not be surprised by a sudden and unexpected death,
but may we be ever watching.
May we thus, when you call,
enter into eternal glory, through Christ our Lord.
Amen

www.cmq.org
Yours are the hands full of experience and skill.
Yours are the hands reaching out with compassion,
Taking time to show care, swiftly taking action.
Yours are the hands gently touching your patients.
You touch families, too.
Yours are the hands that show you care.
You lift the hearts of those who suffer.
Your hands celebrate the joy of healing.
Your hands bless all they touch with the spirit of compassion.
Thank you for sharing your abundance and gifts,
For touching lives and lifting spirits.
Blessings and thanks for the many works of your hands.
May your hands bring healing to all those you touch.
We make this prayer in the name of Jesus, the great healer.
Amen

www.chausa.org/prayers

General Prayer Resources List

Catholic Health Assoc. USA Prayer Library

Catholic Medical Association (U.K.) Catholic Medical Quarterly Website

Catholic Online

IBreviary

Knights of Columbus

Loyola Press

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Rediscovering the Art of Dying by Sister Nuala Kenny

Art of Dying cover

Drawing on the passion of Christ, Sr. Nuala Kenny reflects on the inevitable questions we all face regarding health, illness, suffering, and dying. She provides a profound spiritual and biblical reflection by linking Jesus’ own experience of suffering and death with real-life stories about patients in today’s world.

This book is for anyone undergoing or reflecting on illness, suffering, and dying. It is also for families and friends who accompany the sick, dependent, and dying, and for caregivers who accompany them. It is sure to guide attitudes, practical decisions, and actions that are central concerns in serious illness and dying, while clearing up misunderstandings that often accompany periods of stress.

Rediscovering the Art of Dying - How Jesus’ Experience and Our Stories Reveal a New Vision of Compassionate Care is publishes by Novalis and is available locally at Veritas. Pre-order for September 1 by calling Veritas (902) 429-7216 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Still Unhealed by Sister Nuala Kenny with David Deane

Art of Dying cover

An essential reminder that the sex abuse crisis is not just a clerical crisis, but an ecclesial crisis...not just a legal crisis, but also a spiritual crisis that requires conversion and reform. Recommended for all Catholics who want an authoritative guide to a multi-disciplinary approach to the Catholic abuse crisis. Dr. Massimo Faggioli, Professor of Historical Theology, Villanova University

How do people of faith respond to the abuse crisis? How do we move toward true healing? Few people are more qualified to answer these questions with clarity and insight than doctor, scholar, and religious sister Nuala Kenny. Backed by her thirty-years experience with this issue, she uses her physician s eye to examine the pathology of the crisis, helping us discover the underlying structures, history, beliefs, and cultural factors as well as the powerful roles of secrecy, denial, and cover-up. With compassion and care, she describes the suffering experienced by victims, diagnoses the sickness afflicting the body of Christ, and offers a prescription for treatment that includes active cooperation between laity and clergy, meaningful reform, and lifelong conversion. This informed, accessible and unique perspective can help the Church prayerfully discern the way forward.

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