Our July intention is
to pray for all children on holidays at this time of year.
Our
children are on their holidays now from school or college and it is a great opportunity to
spend some precious time with them in prayer, teaching and encouraging them to
pray and thank God every day for the many gifts they have received from Him. Think
about working some prayer time into your child's daily routine, taking
specific time out for some family prayer.
Even
the youngest child understands that prayer means “talking to God.” As a child
shares their concerns, parents can help them to create specific prayers for
their needs, such as prayers for their friends, for the poor, for their
grandparents, for somone who is sick etc. Children love to draw and write so making their own prayers
up is a great way to teach them to pray.
The Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church; YOUCAT, has a very good section on how to pray and is specifically
written with young people in mind, this is a great resource for you to help
teach your child about prayer.
We remember this month all children on their holidays and pray for their protection and wellbeing. We think especially of those who cannot afford to go away or those who have never had a holiday. We also think of those who may be sick or in hospital. We pray that Our Lady will strengthen them with peace and courage. We pray to their Guardian Angels to look after them and guard them.
O Angels of God, from heaven so bright,
watching beside my children to lead them aright;
Fold your wings round them, and guard them with love;
Softly sing songs to them of heaven above.
Amen
watching beside my children to lead them aright;
Fold your wings round them, and guard them with love;
Softly sing songs to them of heaven above.
Amen
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Praying out loud in the family home is important - God spoke His Word out loud. There is power in prayer, especially within the family as our Lord said “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20).
The Angelus is a
wonderful prayer to say with all the family at tea time each day (6pm). Click on the following video to join in with the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in saying the Angelus:
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary
and she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
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.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy
word.
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.
And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us.
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.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises
of Christ.
Let us pray:
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we,
to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an
angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His
Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
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Pray
that our children have the courage to follow Jesus, that they have a teachable
spirit, and wisdom to use the talents God gives them for His glory.
Finally as it is nice to have good weather for our holidays a prayer to the patron saint against bad weather St Medard.
Born into
French nobility, Saint Médard was a
pius and excellent student. Ordained at 33, Saint Médard became a missionary bishop,
and using his personal wealth, Saint
Médard established a scholarship fund in the sixth century, Rosiere,
which is still celebrated today.
While still a
youth, Saint Médard gave one of his
father's finest horses to a peasant who had lost his. Immediately afterward,
rain started to downpour, and while everyone else was drenched, an eagle spread
its wings over Saint Médard, and
Saint Médard remained dry.
Saint Médard's feast day is June
8
This is his most common depiction in art, and led to his patronage of good weather, against bad weather, for people who work the fields, etc.
