Prayer book for our times






Qrayer ©ook
for Our Crimes

prepared by

MONSIGNOR SHEEN
of The Catholic Hour

in co-operation with

SAINT ANTHONY'S GUILD
Franciscan Monastery, Paterson, N. J.

THE NATIONAL COUNCIL
OF CATHOLIC MEN

1312 Massachusetts Ave., N. W.
Washington, D. C. ^



Nihil obstat.

Henry J. Zolzer,
Censor librorum.

Imprimatur.

m Thomas H. McLaughlin,
Bishop of Paterson.

Feast of the Epiphany, 1940.

First printing, 60,000

Second printing, 100,000

Third printing, 100,000

DaaeMtC'



CONTENTS

Morning Prayers 1
The Lord’s Prayer — The Angelic
Salutation — The Apostles’ Creed
— Consecration of the Day

Evening Prayers 5
Act of Faith — Act of Hope —
Act of Charity — The Confiteor
— Examination of Conscience —
Act of Contrition

Occasional Prayers 9
Prayer for a happy Death —
Prayer for Peace — Prayer for
Grace to Do the Will of God —
Consecration of the Family to the

Sacred Heart — The Salve Regina
— A Prayer for Our Civil Au-
thorities — Prayer for Enlighten-
ment

Thoughts for Meditation 19
The Ten Commandments — The
Beatitudes — The Basic Law of
Charity — Final Judgment
Necessity of Penance — Mercy of
God —- God’s Care for Us —
Our Responsibility to God —
Peace in Christ’s Reign — "The
Following of Christ’’



© ST. ANTHONY'S GUILD, 1934



P^orning Qrayers

©
THE LORD’S PRAYER

UR 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 tempta-

tion
;
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

THE ANGELIC SALUTATION

AIL. 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.

1



THE APOSTLES’ CREED

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 Ghost, 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 sitteth at the right

hand of God, the Father Almighty;

from thence He shall come to judge
the living and the dead. I believe

in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Cath-

olic Church ; the communion of
saints; the forgiveness of sins; the

resurrection of the body; and life

everlasting. Amen.

2



CONSECRATION OF THE DAY

eTERNAL God, behold me pros-trate before the immensity of
Thy majesty. I humbly adore Thee,
and offer Thee all my thoughts,
words, and works of this day. I

intend to do everything for love

of Thee, for Thy glory, and for
the fulfilment of Thy divine will;
in order to serve, praise, and bless

Thee, to be enlightened in the

mysteries of our holy faith, to se-

i cure my salvation, and to hope in
Thy mercy; to satisfy the divine
justice for my many grievous sins,
to assist the holy souls in purga-

tory, and to obtain the grace of

a true conversion for all sinners.

I desire, in fine, to do everything

in union with that most pure in-

tention which Jesus and Mary had
during life, and which the saints



now have in heaven, and the just
on earth. Would that I could write
down this intention with my own
blood, and repeat it as often as
there are moments in eternity! O
my God, accept my good-will; grant
me Thy holy blessing and effica-
cious grace never to commit a mor-
tal sin throughout the course of

my life, but particularly during this
day, in which I desire and purpose
to gain all the indulgences which
it is possible for me to gain, and
to be present in spirit at all the

Masses which will be celebrated
in the whole world, that I may
apply them to the holy souls in
purgatory, and free them from all
pain. Amen.

4



(Evening Qrayers

ACT OF FAITH

3
MOST firmly believe, because
God, Who is the infallible Truth,

has so revealed to the Holy Cath-
olic Church, and through the Church
reveals to us, that there is one
only God in three divine Persons,
equal and distinct, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost; that the Son became
Man by taking to Himself flesh and
a human soul through the operation
of the Holy Ghost in the womb of
the most pure Virgin Mary; that
He died for us upon the cross, rose
again, ascended into heaven, and
from thence shall come again at
the end of the world to judge all

the living and the dead, to give
paradise forever to the good and
hell to the wicked; moreover, from
the same motive, I believe all that
the same Holy Church believes and
teaches.

5



ACT OF HOPE

MY God, because Thou art
almighty, infinitely good and

merciful, I hope that, by the merits
of the Passion and Death of Jesus
Christ, our Saviour, Thou wilt grant
me eternal life, which Thou, most
faithful, hast promised to all those
who shall do the works of a good
Christian, as I purpose to do by
Thy holy help.

ACT OF CHARITY

MY God, because Thou art
the highest and most perfect

good, I love Thee with my whole
heart, and above all things; and
rather than offend.Thee, I am ready
to lose all things; and moreover,
for Thy love I love, and will love,
my neighbor as myself.

6



THE CONFITEOR

3
CONFESS to Almighty God; to
blessed Mary, ever Virgin; to

blessed Michael, the Archangel; to

blessed John the Baptist; to the
holy Apostles, Peter and Paul; and
to all the Saints, that I have sinned

exceedingly in thought, word, and

deed, through my fault, through my
fault, through my most grievous
fault. Therefore I beseech blessed

Mary, ever Virgin; blessed Michael,

the Archangel; blessed John the
Baptist; the holy Apostles, Peter

and Paul; and all the Saints, to
pray to the Lord our God for me.
May Almighty God have mercy

on me, and forgive me my sins,
and bring me to everlasting life
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
May the Almighty and merciful

Lord grant me pardon, absolution,
and remission of all my sins. Amen.

7



EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

Examine diligently what sins you may
have fallen into this day, by thought,

word, deed, or omission.

ACT OF CONTRITION

MY God, I am heartily sorry
for having offended Thee, and

I detest all my sins because I
dread the loss of heaven and the
pains of hell; but most of all be-
cause they offend Thee, my God,
Who art all good and deserving of
all my love. I firmly resolve with
the help of Thy grace to confess
my sins, to do penance, and to
amend my life. Amen.

8



Occasional Qrayers

PRAYER FOR A HAPPY DEATH

AT* JESUS, while adoring Thy

|

^ last breath, I pray Thee to
receive mine. In the uncertainty

whether I shall have the command

of my senses when I shall depart

out of this world, I offer Thee from

this moment my agony and all the

pains of my passing away. Thou

art my Father and my Saviour, and

I give back my soul into Thy hands.

I desire that my last moment may

be united to the moment of Thy

death, and that the last beat of my

heart may be an act of pure love

of Thee. Amen.

9



PRAYER FOR PEACE

IVE peace, O Lord, in our days;

fighteth for us but only Thou,
our God.

Let there be peace in Thy
strength, O Lord.
And plenty in Thy strong places.

Let us pray.

O God, from Whom proceed holy
desires, right counsels, and just
works; grant unto us, Thy serv-
ants, that peace which the world
cannot give, that our hearts may
be devoted to Thy service, and that,
being delivered from the fear of
our enemies, we may pass our time
in peace under Thy protection.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

10



PRAYER FOR GRACE TO DO
THE WILL OF GOD

y^XRANT me, most kind Jesus,
Thy grace, that it may abide

with me, labor with me, and per-

severe with me to the end.

Grant me ever to desire and to
will that which is the more ac-

ceptable to Thee, and pleases Thee

more dearly.

May Thy will be mine, and my
will ever follow Thine, and be in

closest accord with it.

May it be my one care to will
and to be unwilling with Thee, and

may I be unable to will or not will
anything but what Thou wiliest or
wiliest not.

11



CONSECRATION OF THE

FAMILY TO THE

SACRED HEART

jgL ACRED Heart of Jesus, Who
didst manifest to Blessed Mar-

garet Mary the desire of reigning

in Christian families, we today wish

to proclaim Thy most complete,

regal dominion over our own. We
would live in future with Thy life,

we would cause to flourish in our

midst those virtues to which Thou

hast promised peace here below,

we would banish far from us the

spirit of the world which Thou

hast cursed; and Thou shalt reign,

over our minds in the simplicity

of our faith, and over our hearts

by the whole-hearted love with

which they shall burn for Thee,

the flame of which we shall keep

12



alive by the frequent reception of

Thy divine Eucharist.
Deign, O divine Heart, to preside

over our assemblings, to bless our

enterprises, both spiritual and tem-

poral, to dispel our cares, to sanc-

tify our joys, to alleviate our suffer-

ings. If ever one or another of us

should have the misfortune to

afflict Thee, remind him, O Heart
of Jesus, that Thou art good and

merciful to the penitent sinner.

And when the hour of separation

strikes, when death shall come to

cast mourning into our midst, we
will all, both those who go and
those who stay, be submissive to

Thy eternal decrees. We will con-
sole ourselves with the thought that

a day shall come when the entire

family, reunited in heaven, can

sing for ever Thy glories and Thy

mercies.

13



May the Immaculate Heart of
Mary and the glorious Patriarch,
Saint Joseph, present this conse-

cration to Thee, and keep it in our
minds all the days of our life. All
glory to the Heart of Jesus, our
King and our Father. Amen.

THE SALVE REGINA

{

AIL, holy Queen, Mother of
Mercy, our life, our sweetness,

and our hope! To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve; to

thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this

valley of tears. Turn, then, most

gracious Advocate, thine eyes of

mercy toward us; and after this,

our exile, show unto us the blessed
fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement,
O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

14



Pray for us, O Holy Mother of
God

;

That we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ.

Make me worthy to praise thee,
O Holy Virgin.

Give me strength against thine
enemies.

Blessed be God in His saints.
Amen.

We fly to thy patronage, O Holy
Mother of God; despise not our
petitions in our necessities, but de-

liver us from all dangers, O ever
glorious and blessed Virgin.

w

15



A PRAYER FOR OUR
CIVIL AUTHORITIES

PRAY Thee, O God of might,
wisdom, and justice, through

Whom authority is rightly admin-
istered, laws are enacted, and judg-

ment decreed, assist, with Thy Holy

Spirit of counsel and fortitude, the

President of these United States,

that his administration may be con-
ducted in righteousness, and be

eminently useful to Thy people over

whom he presides, by encouraging
due respect for virtue and religion

;

by a faithful execution of the laws

in justice and mercy; and by re-

straining vice and immorality. Let

the light of Thy divine wisdom

direct the deliberations of Con-

gress, and shine forth in all the

proceedings and laws framed for

our rule and government; so that

16



they may tend to the preservation
of peace, the promotion of national

happiness, the increase of industry,

sobriety, and useful knowledge, and
may perpetuate to us the blessings
of equal liberty.

We pray for his Excellency the
Governor of this State, for the
members of the Assembly, for all
Judges, Magistrates, and other of-
ficers who are appointed to guard
our political welfare; that they may
be enabled, by Thy powerful pro-
tection, to discharge the duties of

their respective stations with hon-
esty and ability.

We recommend likewise to Thy
unbounded mercy all our brethren
and fellow-citizens, throughout the
United States, that they may be
blessed in the knowledge, and sanc-
tified in the observance, of Thy
most holy law; that they may be

17



preserved in union, and in that

peace which the world cannot give;

and, after enjoying the blessings

of this life, be admitted to those

which are eternal.

PRAYER FOR ENLIGHTENMENT
Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts

of Thy faithful:
And enkindle in them the fire of

Thy love.
Send forth Thy Spirit and they

shall be created

:

And Thou shalt renew the face
of the earth.

Let us pray.

GOD, Who hast taught the
hearts of the faithful by the

light of the Holy Ghost, give us

by the same Spirit a love and relish
of what is right and just, and the
constant enjoyment of His comforts.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

18



©Noughts for Meditation

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

I. I am the Lord thy God; thou
shalt not have strange gods be-
fore me.

II. Thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord thy God in vain.

III. Remember that thou keep holy
the Sabbath day.

IV. Honor thy father and thy
mother.

V. Thou shalt not kill.

VI. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

VII. Thou shalt not steal.

VIII. Thou shalt not bear false wit-
ness against thy neighbor.

IX. Thou shalt not covet thy neigh-
bor’s wife.

X. Thou shalt not covet thy neigh-
bor’s goods.

19



THE EIGHT BEATITUDES

I. Blessed are the poor in spirit:

for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven.

II. Blessed are the meek; for they

shall possess the land.

III. Blessed are they that mourn:

for they shall be comforted.

IV. Blessed are they that hunger

and thirst after justice: for

they shall have their fill.

V. Blessed are the merciful: for

they shall obtain mercy.

VI. Blessed are the clean of heart:

for they shall see God.

VII. Blessed are the peacemakers:

for they shall be called the

children of God.

VIII. Blessed are they that suffer per-

secution for justice’ sake: for

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

20



THE BASIC LAW OF CHARITY
"Thou shall love the Lord thy God

with thy whole heart, and with thy
whole soul, and tvith thy whole mind. . . .

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself.”

— Matthew 22:37, 39 .
THE FINAL JUDGMENT

"And when the Son of man shall
come in His majesty, and all the angels
with Him, then shall He sit upon the
seat of His majesty:
"And all nations shall be gathered

together before Him, and He shall sepa-
rate them one from another, as the shep-
herd separateth the sheep from the goats:

"And He shall set the sheep on His
right hand, but the goats on His left.

"Then shall the King say to them that
shall be on His right hand: Come, ye
blessed of My Father, possess you the
kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world.

"For I was hungry, and you gave
Me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave
Me to drink; I was a stranger, and you
took Me in:

21



"Naked, and you covered Me: sick,
and you visited Me: I was in prison,
and you came to Me. . . .

"Amen I say to you, as long as you
did it to one of these My least brethren,
you did it to Me. . . .

"Then He shall say to them also that
shall be on His left hand: Depart from

Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire

which was prepared for the devil and

his angels.

"For I was hungry, and you gave Me
not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave

Me not to drink.

"I was a stranger, and you took Me
not in: naked, and you covered Me not:
sick and in prison, and you did not

visit Me. . . .

"Amen I say to you, as long as you
did it not to one of these least, neither

did you do it to Me.”

— Matthew 23:31-36, 40-43, 43.

22



THE NECESSITY OF PENANCE

"If any man will come after Me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow Me.

"For whosoever will save his life,
shall lose it; for he that shall lose his
life for My sake, shall save it.

"For what is a man advantaged, if
he gain the whole world, and lose him-
self, and cast away himself?

"For he that shall be ashamed of Me
and of My words, of him the Son of
Man shall be ashamed, when He shall
come in His majesty, and that of His
Father, and of the holy angels."

— Luke 9:23-26.
THE MERCY OF GOD

"Come to Me, all you that labor, and
are burdened, and I will refresh you.

"Take up My yoke upon you, and
learn of Me, because I am meek, and
humble of heart: and you shall find rest
to your souls.

"For My yoke is sweet and My burden
light."

— Matthew 11:28-30.
23



GOD’S CARE FOR US

"Blessed is he who hath the God of

Jacob for his Helper, whose hope is in

the Lord his God: Who made heaven
and earth, the sea and all things that

are in them.

"Who keepeth truth forever: Who
executeth judgment for them that suffer

wrong: Who giveth food to the hungry.
"The Lord looseth them that are

fettered: the Lord enlighteneth the blind.

"The Lord lifteth up them that are

cast down: the Lord loveth the just.

"The Lord keepeth the strangers, he

will support the fatherless and the

widow; and the ways of sinners He
will destroy.”

— Psalm 145:3-9.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GOD

"For none of us liveth to himself;

and no man dieth to himself.
"For whether we live, we live unto

the Lord
;

or whether we die, we die

24



unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we
live, or whether we die, we are the
Lord’s.”

— Romans 14:7-8.

PEACE IN CHRIST’S REIGN

"For a Child is born to us, and a Son

is given to us, and the government is

upon His shoulder: and His name shall
be called Wonderful, Counselor, God
the Mighty, the Father of the world to

come, the Prince of Peace.

"His empire shall be multiplied, and

there shall be no end of peace: He
shall sit upon the throne of David,

and upon his kingdom; to establish it

and strengthen it with judgment and

with justice, from henceforth and for-

ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts

will perform this.”

— Isaias 9:6-7.

25



Thoughts from

THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST

"It is vanity to desire a long life,

while you care so little for a virtuous

life.”
Hs

"Every man naturally desires knowl-
edge; but what does knowledge avail

without the fear of God?”
* *

"When the day of judgment comes,
we shall not be asked what we have
read, but what we have done; not how
well we have spoken, but how well we
have lived.”

* * *

"If you cannot make yourself as you

would like to be, how can you expect

to have others according to your liking?

"We want others to be perfect; and
yet we do not correct our own defects.

* % *

"You ought so to regulate yourself

in all your actions and thoughts, as
if

today you were to die.

26



"What does it avail to live long, if
we amend so little?”

* * *

"Christ was willing to suffer and to
be despised; and do you da/e complain
when treated likewise?

"Christ had enemies and slanderers;
and do you wish to have all men as
friends and benefactors?
"Whence will your patience be

crowned, if you meet with no adversity?”

:{: ^ ^

"You are not holier because you are
praised, nor are you worse because you
are blamed.”

# He s':

"For man looks into your face, but
God looks into your heart. Man sees
your works, but God sees your in-
tentions.”

* * *

"If you regard the dignity of the
Giver, no gift will seem to you small

or cheap
;
for that cannot be small which

is given by the highest Giver.”

27



"Jesus has now many lovers of His
heavenly kingdom; but few bearers of

His cross.
"He finds many companions at His

table; but few at His fasts.

"Many follow Jesus to the breaking
of bread; but few to the drinking of the

chalice of His Passion.”

ii * *

"Had there been anything better and
more profitable for the salvation of man-

kind than suffering, Christ would surely

have shown it by word and example.

"For He clearly exhorts the disciples
who followed Him, and all those who
wish to follow Him, to carry the cross,

and says; 'If any man will come after

Me, let him deny himself, and take up

his cross daily, and follow Me.’

"So then, when all has been carefully
read and minutely examined, let the

final conclusion be: 'Through many trib-

ulations we must enter into the kingdom
of God.’

”

28

<,t*lNTe0 ST. ANTHONY GUILD PRESS

U.s>. FRANCISCAN MONASTERY PATERSON. N. J.