Pray Along: Novena for Our Priests and Deacons

There are so many things I have wanted to share but with the still persistent pregnancy fatigue and a nasty head/chest cold that just won't go away, my waiting one more day to blog has turned into weeks.  However, I have been having a feeling that I should host another pray along on the blog.  I just wanted a specific request to begin.  There is so much to pray for, it gets very overwhelming.

In the past day, my mission to pray has been clarified.  I wanted to lead this prayer for the LORD, and He has finally shown me what it is I must request.  The martydom of Father Hamel in France has broken my heart.  France is a country I love so dearly.  It also made it quite plain that these types of attacks can happen anywhere.  The persecuted church is not just in the marginal nations, it is in our own backyard.

So I am hosting this pray along of a novena of novenas for the protection of our priests and deacons, as well as the conversion of our enemies--not only for our sake, but the sake of their souls. Please pray along with me and share this with your friends and family, our clergy needs our prayers and petitions more than they ever have!

Day 1:

Litany of Our Lady of Fatima

Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for our beloved country
Our Lady of Fatima, Sanctify our clergy
Our Lady of Fatima, Make our Catholics more feverent
Our Lady of Fatima, Guide and inspire those who govern us
Our Lady of Fatima, Cure the sick who confide in thee
Our Lady of Fatima, Console the sorrowful who trust in thee
Our Lady of Fatima, Help those who invoke thine aid
Our Lady of Fatima, Deliver us from all dangers
Our Lady of Fatima, Help us resist temptation
Our Lady of Fatima, Obtain for us all that we lovingly ask of thee
Our Lady of Fatima, Help those who are dear to us
Our Lady of Fatima, Bring to the Holy Catholic Church those who are in error
Our Lady of Fatima, Give us back our ancient fervor
Our Lady of Fatima, Obtain for us pardon of our manifold sins and offenses
Our Lady of Fatima, Bring all men to the feet of thy Divine Child
Our Lady of Fatima, Obtain peace for the world

O Mary conceived without sin,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Let us pray: O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in Thy dear Mother, whom we invoke under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Fatima, and grant us by her powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen (courtesy of Keepsakes by Carrie)

 Pray nine times:
REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Dear Lady, lover of Christ and His Church, please intercede for her clergy.  Protect and fortify our priests and deacons.  Call down legions of angels to fight off the evil that seeks to destroy these holy men who want nothing but to serve your Son in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  Please grant them strength in these difficult times and peace despite all that happens around them.

Bring the hearts of our enemies to the one, true God.  Bend their knees to the LORD and Savior, that they may not persecute your children, but serve the Kingdom now and forever.

Original - Prayer to St. Michael

“O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.

“Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.

“These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be.

“Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly find mercy in the sight of the Lord; and vanquishing the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered the root of David.
V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R. As we have hoped in Thee.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious St. Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.”


Roman Raccolta, July 23, 1898, supplement approved July 31, 1902,
London: Burnes, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., 1935, 12th edition.