Cross Catholic Church of The Immaculate Conception of Our Lady - website  - The Parish of Penzance with the Isles of Scilly

A wide selection of prayers, readings, miscellaneous, links, etc.

We make all our prayers to the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen

Lord, in your infinite mercy,
hear our prayer

For now, there is no organisation of the contents so just scroll down! We do hope you find this a useful reference and would also be grateful for suggestions - contact - It is slowly being split into sections. Prayers to the Holy Spirit are now moved or also copied to the Pentecost page & Prayers to Our Lady to our 'May is Mary's month' page. "In Loving Memory" contains many miscellaneous prayers, readings, hymns and linked resources which may help those who have been bereaved including by miscarriage and suicide. Reconciliation prayers | LINKS

“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2559)

Message to the world from Our Lady of Medjugorje on November 25, 1988 "Dear children! I call you to prayer, to have an encounter with God in prayer.  God gives Himself to you, but He wants you to answer in your own freedom to his invitation. That is why little children during the day, find yourself a special time when you could pray in peace and humility, and have this meeting with God the creator. I am with you and I intercede for you in front of God, so watch in vigil, so that every encounter in prayer be the joy of your contact with God. Thank you for having responded to my call."

topDove Bar

The prayer that unites all Christian traditions (and that some other religions would agree with)
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.

Links: More on Lord's prayer | Our Father In The Cornish Language (also The Hail Mary) | Catechism

topDove Bar

St. Gertrude the Great
This prayer dictated to her by Our Lord, is said to release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said:
"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."

topDove Bar

The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:3-10

topDove Bar

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

topDove Bar

God the Saviour

Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us, in Christ, with every spiritual blessing in heaven.
In love, he chose us before the creation of the world,
to be holy and spotless in his sight.
He predestined us to be his adopted children through Jesus Christ,
simply because it pleased him to do so.
This he did for the praise of the glory of his grace,
of his free gift of us to his Beloved,
in whose blood we have gained redemption,
and the forgiveness of our sins,
This he did according to the riches of his grace,
which he gave us in abundance,
with all wisdom and discernment,
revealing to us the mysteries of his will,
because it pleased him to do so,
In this action he has planned, in the fulfillment of time,
to bring all things together in Christ,
from the heavens and from the earth.

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.
Ephesians 1

topDove Bar

Who is worthy to face the Lord?

Lord, who will live in your tent? Who will dwell on your holy mountain?

Whoever comes there without stain, acts rightly, speaks truth in his heart.
Whoever does not speak deceitfully, - or do harm to his neighbour, - or slander him.

Whoever despises the evil-doer, but he reveres those who fear the Lord.
Whoever swears and keeps his word, come what may - lends his money without usury - takes no bribe to condemn the innocent.

Whoever lives like this will stand firm for ever.

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. Psalm 14 (15)

topDove Bar

prayer of Thomas Merton

My 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, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost
in the shadow of death. I will not fear for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

topDove Bar

Prayer is then not just a formula of words, or a series of desires springing up in the heart -- it is the orientation of our whole body, mind and spirit to God in silence, attention, and adoration. All good meditative prayer is a conversion of our entire self to God. Thomas Merton

topDove Bar

The Lord, support of the just

I trust in the Lord, so why do you say to me:
"Fly up to the mountain like a sparrow"?

"For the wicked have drawn their bows, fitted the arrow to the string, to shoot in darkness at the upright of heart.
When the foundations are being overthrown, what are the just to do?"

The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven.
His eyes look down on the poor, he examines the children of men.
The Lord scrutinises the just and the unjust, and his heart hates those who do evil.
He rains down coals upon the wicked, fire and brimstone and a scorching wind: this is what he gives them to drink.

For the Lord is just and loves just deeds, and the upright shall see his face.

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.
Psalm 10 (11)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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. Alleluia.

Prayer to Mary our Mother

Mother of hope, Star of the sea, sure consolation of the pilgrim people, guide our steps in our journey through life, so that we may walk along paths of peace and harmony, of progress, justice and freedom. 
Reconcile brothers and sisters; may hatred and rancour disappear; may divisions and barriers be overcome; may rifts be closed and wounds healed; may Christ be our Peace; may His pardon renew our hearts during this day.

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel:

St. (Holy) Michael the Archangel, defend us in our day of battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, (bind and) thrust down into hell satan and all evil spirits who wander through this world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Lighting a candle. (1)

At baptism, every Christian passes from darkness to light and is called to shine as a light in the world.  Saints and Martyrs have shone as lights in every generation d continue to do so in our own time, as do prisoners for conscience's sake throughout the world.  So it is appropriate that we should pause to pray and light a candle.  This is an ancient and widespread custom and there is nothing superstitious about it, since it is neither a substitute for prayer nor an attempt to buy God's favour.

candle

Lighting a candle. (2)

Lighting a candle. is a sign
- a sign of our prayer and the offering of our lives - 
- a reminder to us and to others of the saints and martyrs who have shone as lights of the world and who pray for us -
- a witness to all who pass by that this is a place of prayer -

Almighty God, grant that we who are bathed in the new light of Your Word, may show shining in our works that which by faith is resplendent in our minds, amen


"When we do what we can, God will do what we can't."

topDove Bar

If you should find the perfect church,
without one fault or smear,
for goodness sake don't join that church,
you'll spoil the atmosphere.
But since no perfect church exists,
where people never sin,
let's cease in looking for that church
and love the one we're in!

A Sign of Contradiction
A true Christian is a sign of contradiction- a living symbol of the Cross.
He or she is a person who believes the unbelievable,
bears the unbearable, forgives the unforgivable,
loves the unlovable, is perfectly happy
not to be perfect, is willing to give up one's will,
becomes weak to be strong, sees some good
in every bad and finds love by giving it away.
A Christian transcends the natural
with the immeasurable power of love
and becomes a supernatural person.
Joseph Roy
topDove Bar

 

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centred; Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, They may be jealous; Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

topDove Bar

A CELTIC BENEDICTION
Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the Son of peace to you.

topDove Bar

"O Lord, heal the wounds of my soul and enlighten the eyes of my mind
that I may understand my place in Thine eternal design! And inasmuch
as my heart and mind have been disfigured, may Thy grave repair them."
Saint Ephrem the Syrian

topDove Bar

"Ubi caritas et amor

Ubi caritas, Deus ibi est"

Where there is faith and love there is God

topDove Bar

Mothering Sunday - Thank God for mothers
For your own mother who brought you into this world; for Mary the mother of Jesus and the mother we share as Christians; for our holy mother the church who gives us our daily nourishment in Word and Sacrament

topDove Bar


We fly to Thy protection, O holy Mother of God; despise not our prayers in our necessities, but ever deliver us from all evil, O glorious and Blessed Virgin!

topDove Bar

 

Lord, may your healing love keep us from sin and on the path that leads to you

topDove Bar

At the End of Yourself? Get a Positive count:

Count your blessings instead of your crosses,
Count your gains instead of your losses,

Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your courage instead of your fears;
Count your laughs instead of your tears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.
Anon.

topDove Bar

24 Things To Remember

Your presence is a present to the world. You're unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be. Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles you'll make it through whatever
comes along. 
Within you are so many answers understand, have courage, be strong.

Don't put limits on yourself so many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal, your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying. The longer one carries a problem,
the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way. Remember that a lot....goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment. Life's treasures are people....together.

Realize that it's never too late. Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
Have health and hope and happiness. Take the time to wish upon a star.
And don't forget....for even a day....how very special you are.

topDove Bar

I just wanted to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go to the mountain.
 And I've looked over; and I've seen the promised land. So I'm happy tonight.
I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man.
Martin Luther King, Jr. April 3, 1968
More like this (external link)
topDove Bar

A Prayer for Priests
Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord,
Keep them, for they are Thine -
Thy priests whose lives burn out before
Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world.
Though from the world apart;
When earthly pleasures tempt, allure, -
Shelter them in Thy heart.

Keep them, and comfort them in hours
Of loneliness and pain,
When all their life of sacrifice
For souls seems but in vain.

Keep them, and O remember, Lord,
They have no one but Thee,
Yet they have only human hearts,
With human frailty.

Keep them as spotless as the Host,
That daily they caress;
Their every thought and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord, to bless.

topDove Bar

Prayer to be Said by a Sick Person
(May be used for a novena)
O Merciful Infant Jesus! I know of Your miraculous deeds for the sick. How many diseases You cured during Your blessed life on earth, and how many venerators of Your Miraculous image ascribe to You their recovery and deliverance from most painful and hopeless maladies. I know, indeed, that a
sinner like me has merited his sufferings and has no right to ask for favours. But in view of the innumerable graces and the miraculous cures granted even to the greatest sinners through the veneration of Your holy infancy, particularly in the miraculous statue of Prague or in representations of it, I exclaim with the greatest assurance: O most loving Infant Jesus, full of pity, You can cure me if You will! Do not hesitate, O Heavenly Physician, if it be Your will that I recover from this present illness; extend Your most holy hands, and by Your power take away all pain and infirmity, so that my recovery may be due, not to natural remedies, but to You alone. If, however, You in Your inscrutable wisdom have determined otherwise, then at least restore my soul to perfect health, and fill me with heavenly consolation and blessing, that I may be like You, O Jesus, in my sufferings, and may glorify Your providence until, at the death of my body, You bestow on me eternal life. Amen

topDove Bar.

Closing Prayer (1)
May His Peace be with you today, 
May His Love enfold you, embrace you,
And may His Grace lead you and guide you,
His Revelation be the Light of your path,
Not only today, tomorrow
But all the days to come. Amen

Closing Prayer (2)  (Jude)
"And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating - to our one God, our only Saviour, through Jesus Christ, our master, be glory, majesty, strength and rule before all time and now and to the end of all time.  Oh Yes!"

Closing Prayer (3)   (Jude - diff. version)
"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

topDove Bar


Holy Michael, Archangel, defend us in the hour of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray, and do thou, Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, [bind and] thrust down to hell satan and all wicked spirits that wander through the world for the ruin of souls.

topDove Bar

Ancient Prayer to the Virgin Mary

We turn to you for protection, holy Mother of God.
Listen to our prayers and help us in our needs.
Save us from every danger, glorious and blessed Virgin.

topDove Bar

A little more kindness and a little less creed,
A little more giving and a little less greed;
A little more smile and a little less frown,
A little less kicking a man when he's down;

A little more "we" and a little less "I",
A little more laugh and a little less cry;
A few more flowers on the pathway of life,
and fewer on graves at the end of our strife.

topDove Bar

A Prayer received by e-mail in December, 2001

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your Holy Will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen.
http://www.medjugorjeusa.org/chaplet.htm

The Lord's Prayer Wheel
What a blessing this Prayer Wheel is! - Let's see the devil stop this one!  - Here's what the wheel is all about.

When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you .... That's all you have to do ....There is nothing attached....This is so powerful....Just send this to seven people and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. Do not stop the wheel, please....Of all the free gifts we may receive, Prayer is the very best one . There are no costs, but wonderful rewards .... Let's continue praying for one another. A Prayer

Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your ability to work through them. Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding, patience, and strength as they learn submission to your leading. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You.

Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage. Where there is a sin blocking them, reveal it, and break its hold over my friend's life. Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I ask You to do these things in Jesus name.

In Love, Your Friend

 

Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary 
as dictated to Jelena Vasilj from the Blessed Mother in Medjugorje. Pray daily

 O most pure heart of Mary,
full of goodness, show your love towards us.
Let the flame of your heart, O Mary,
descend on all people.
We love you immensely.
Impress on our hearts true love
so that we long for you.
O Mary, gentle and humble of heart,
remember us when we sin.
You know that all people sin.
Grant, that through your most pure and motherly heart,
we may be healed from every spiritual sickness.
Grant that we may always experience the goodness of your motherly heart,
and that through the flame of your heart, we may be converted. Amen

Prayer of consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
(Dictated by Our Lady to Jelena Vasilj in Medjugorje) Pray daily

 O Jesus,
we know that you are gentle,
and that you have given your heart for all of us.
It was crowned with thorns and with our sins.
Oh, we know that nowadays you beg us not to be lost.
Jesus, remember us when we sin.
Through your most holy heart
give us grace to love each other.
Let hatred disappear from the people.
Show your love.
We all love you, and wish you to protect us
with your shepherd's heart from every sin.
Come into every heart, O Jesus,
knock, knock on our hearts.
Be patient and untiring.
We are still closed because we have not yet understood your will.
Knock perseveringly.
O good Jesus, Make us open our hearts to you,
at least when we remember your passion endured for us. Amen

 

topDove Bar

Please tell us about any prayers you would like to see added to this page
There are many more prayers and links throughout our site

External Links [We are not responsible for the content of external  sites. Thank you for suggestions and  updated links]
External sites will usually open in a new window automatically

 A library of Catholic Prayers | Why is it difficult to pray? - Prayers & Litanies |Prayers for Children |More | Prayers for ADD & ADHD Children |Prayers for Children in time of war | More (pdf) |Prayers of Peace for Iraq |"World Prayers" |Circle of Prayer |Holy Souls Crusade |More Catholic Prayers | Catechism | More on Lord's prayer | When using Holy water |Catholic prayers |Another list of prayers |

Download the latest version of the FREE Adobe "Acrobat Reader" software from Adobe.com for viewing and printing PDF files on major hardware and operating system platforms. http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

last updated 5th October, 2005 v1.14 - ê¿ê
This page will be moving from 'the Lighthouse' web  to our domain  www.penzancecatholicchurch.org 
 If you link here, please use the new address http://www.penzancecatholicchurch.org/prayers.htm

Cross