Parish Prayer Space

Welcome to the Athboy Parish Prayer Space

Prayer is an essential and life giving part of our faith. Spontaneous prayer together with traditional prayers are important in our lives. One can be enriched by the other and our faith can be helped to grow and develop by using both.

This space is dedicated to prayers, scripture and inspirational thoughts that you may find useful.

 

DAILY PRAYER OF PETITION

Father in heaven, I turn to you with praise,
love and thankfulness for all your goodness.
Fully aware of my own weakness and past infidelity,
I implore your gracious help in my present need.
With full faith in your unfailing mercy and kindness
I ask your aid, Father Almighty,
in the name of your only Son, our Lord Jesus.
I rely completely on His promises
and the powerful aid of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
His Mother and ours. Amen.

 

POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER TO OUR LADY UNDOER OF KNOTS

Holy Mary, full of presence during the days of your life,
you accepted with full humility and Father’s will
and the Devil was never capable of distracting you with his confusion.

Once with your Son you interceded for our difficulties
and full of kindness and patience
you gave us an example of how to untie the knots of our life.

By remaining forever Our Mother,
you make it more clear how to put in order
the ties that link us to the Lord.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, and our Mother,
to you, who untie with motherly love the knots of our life,
we pray to you to receive into your hands (the name of the person)
and to free him/her of the knots and confusion
with which the enemy attacks him/her.

Through your grace,
your intercession and your example,
deliver us from all evil and untie the knots that prevent us from being united with God,
so that we, free from sin and error,
may find Him in all things,
and that we may place our hearts in Him,
and may serve Him always in our brothers and sisters. Amen

 

 

PRAYER IN TIME OF DIFFICULTY

Lord, in every need let me come to You with humble trust saying,
“Jesus, help me.”
In my hours of doubts, loneliness, perplexities and temptations,
“Jesus, help me”
In the failure of my plans and hopes
“Jesus, help me.”
When others fail me, Your grace alone can assist me,
“Jesus, Help me.”
When my heart is cast down by failure at seeing no good come from my efforts,
“Jesus, help me.”
When I am sick and impatient and my cross frustrates me,
“Jesus, help me.”
Lord, teach me to understand my suffering as You do.
Calm my fears; increase my trust, help me to love you more. Amen.

 

PRAYER TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S PLAN FOR MY LIFE

Jesus, You are the Way.
May I always follow the path you have prepared for me.
Jesus, You are the Truth.
May I hear your voice which reminds me that I am precious,
I am loved, I am a child of God.
Jesus, You are the Life.
May I always embrace the gift of each new day?
As I step to face all my tomorrows,
full of opportunities, changes and challenges.
You are with me.
Increase my trust even when I don’t understand.
Increase my love even when I am hurting.
Increase my faith so that I may live for you alone.
Your plan for me is unfolding before my eyes.
Thanks you Jesus!

 

PRAYER OF ST. PIO OF PIETRELCINA
(Patron of those suffering from depression)

Stay with me, Lord for it is necessary to have you present,
so that I do not forget you.
You know how easily I abandon you.
Stay with me Lord, because I am weak,
and I need your strength that I may not fail so often.

A PRAYER UPON HEARING BAD NEWS

 

Father, I’ve just heard those dreaded words that I’ve prayed not to hear. My spirit is shattered, my world looks bleak. I want to fight, to rebel, to flee from the reality of this, yet I now that you are there. No matter how angry, deserted disappointed I feel, I know your love will never let me go. You will provide your sustaining courage regardless of the future. Please grant me and my loved ones courage regardless of the future. Help me remember that you know better than I know myself, and that nothing which you have lovingly created is ever lost. Amen.

TO MARY FOR THE SICK

Mary, health of the sick,
be at the bedside of all the world’s sick people;
of those who are unconscious and dying;
of those who have begun their agony;
Of those who have abandoned all hope of a cure;
Of those who weep and cry out in pain;
Of those who cannot receive care because they are poor;
of those who need to be resting;
but who are forced to work;
for those who seek in vain for a less painful position in their beds;
for those who pass long nights sleepless;
of those who are tormented by the cares of a family in distress;
of those who must renounce their plans for the future;
of those, above all,
who do not believe in a better life;

 

PRAYER FOR PEACEFULNESS      

(Teresa of Avila 1515-1582)                        

Let nothing disturb you

Let nothing frighten you

Everything is changing

God alone is changeless

Patience attains the goal

One who has God lacks nothing

God alone fills our needs.