It’s with my sincere hope and prayer that this prayer book will enjoy a wide circulation amongst nurses, other healthcare professionals and their families and find these prayers of spiritual benefit to them.
Prayers are needed in our activities of daily living, feeding our soul and body. They also help us to meditate and reflect on our professional work and Christian lives, this becomes evident as we get acquainted with the plain inner meaning of the blessings and prayers.
Christine Bentley, a former President of the Catholic Nurses Guild of England and Wales, who initiated our first prayer book felt the importance of cherishing and preserving various prayers that have proven spiritually beneficial over the centuries, hence the collection of the prayers she compiled .Thanks to her for funding the publication of this second edition.
I would also like to thank all the other members who contributed to the writing of the prayers especially Fr Michael Stack our ecclesiastical adviser.
“LET US READ THE BIBLE AND PRAY EVERYDAY”
Janet Nsofwa Muchengwa
President
2
CONTENTS
Introduction
2
Contents
3
Catholic Nurses Prayer
4
A Nurses Prayer
4
I need to Know
4
Hands of Love
5
For Doctors and Nurses
5
Prayer of St Augustine
6
Sayings of St Augustine
6
An Old Celtic Blessing
6
Prayer for Doctors
6
A Philippine Nurses Prayer
7
We Give Our Loved Ones Back to God
7
For Confidence in the Storm
7
Litany of Compassion for those who are Sick
8
For the Sick
9
Pope John Paul II –On Prayer
9
A Prayer for You
10
Send your Angel to Mass
10
Prayer for Vocations
11
For People with Limitations
11
Pope Benedict XVI – On Caring for the Sick
11
Miraculous Prayer
12
Healing Hands
12
Prayer for Meetings
13
Prayer for Thanksgiving
13
Prayer for Sick
13
Prayer for Our Country
14
A Prayer for Nurses
14
Prayer
14
Prayer of St Francis
14
Prayer of Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman
15
CICIAMS International Catholic Nurses Prayer
15
3
ASSOCIATION OF CATHOLIC NURSES
(CATHOLIC NURSES GUILD)
PRAYER
O Lord our God, gracious , patient and of much compassion,
mercifully regard our humble work. Strengthen us in our holy
vocation and make us ever faithful to our calling. We humbly
pray that by the grace of Your holy spirit ,
we may so serve You in Your sick in this world that
we may see You forever in Heaven. Amen
Our Lady, Health of the Sick, Pray for us
A NURSES PRAYER
O my God , teach me to receive the sick in Thy name.
Give to my efforts success for the glory of Thy Holy Name
It is Thy work, without Thee I cannot succeed.
Grant that the sick Thou has place in my care
May be abundantly blessed and not
One of them lost because of any neglect on my part.
Help me to overcome every temporal weakness
And strengthen in me whatever may
Enable me to bring joy to the lives of those I serve
Give me grace,for the sake of Thy sick ones and of those
Lives that will be influenced by them
Amen
Anon
I NEED TO KNOW
I need to know that God is real
I need to know that Christ can feel
I need to know that He can see and touch
And heal the world, including me.
Anon
4
HANDS OF LOVE
Lucky the man, lucky the woman, who
Till the very end
Can feel hands doing good
The hand that washes with attention,
The hand that dresses with care,
The hand that combs with love,
The hand that touches with respect,
The hand that comforts from the heart,
No-one can live without that hand
That is tender, that guards
That protects and radiates consolation.
Till the end
One longs for that hand
Till there is that ‘Other Hand’
That cures all wounds,
That heals all pain,
That wipes all tears,
That gives hands and feet
To that love no-one can be without
Paris September 2002
Translation of a Dutch text by Anne Balis
FOR DOCTORS AND NURSES
The sick, the weak, the elderly are in their care day and night
Your healing ministry they share
With love and skill they ease life’s throbbing pain,
Coax weakened limbs to walk and stand again.
The newborn infant’s cry with thanks
They heal by word and work with kindly look
They tell the broken heart to mend and tears to dry
Lord Your healing power to give to all they do
Show them what is done to others is done to You
Prayer Book for the Golden Years
Petee Byrne (from Celine Bones)
5
PRAYER OF ST AUGUSTINE
Watch Thou dear Lord
With those who wake
Or watch , or weep tonight
And give Thine angels
Charge over those who sleep
Tend Thy sick ones, O Lord Christ
Rest Thy weary ones
Bless Thy dying ones
And all for Thy Love’s sake
Amen
From Celine Bones
SAYINGS OF ST AUGUSTINE
‘God has made us for Himself .We cannot rest until we find our rest in Him’
‘Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.’
What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like."
St Augustine of Hippo
AN OLD CELTIC BLESSING
May the most you wish for be the least you get
May the best times you’ve ever had be the worst you will ever see
Anon
PRAYER FOR DOCTORS
Thank You O Lord for my doctors. Give them insight that they may understand and diagnose. Steady their hand by Your strong hand . Look over their shoulder O Lord, and endow them with power to heal in Your name. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Terence Cardinal Cooke
6
A PHILIPPINE NURSES PRAYER
As I care for my patients today
Be there with me O Lord I pray
Make my words kind it means so much
And in my hands place Your healing touch
Let Your love shine through all that I do
So those in need may hear and feel You.
Nurses from the Philippines
Working in Tonbridge Wells
WE GIVE OUR LOVED ONES BACK TO GOD
We give our loved ones back to God
And just as He first gave them to us
And did not lose them in the giving
So we have not lost them
In returning them to Him …
For life is eternal
Love is immortal
Death is only a horizon….
And a horizon is nothing
But the limit
Of our earthly sight
Anon
FOR CONFIDENCE IN THE STORM
Lord, we are very much aware our lives are fragile ,that dangers are all around us ,that storms of various kinds threaten us. We are concerned about health , we fear crime and violence, we know that accidents can happen in the twinkling of an eye , we worry about finances, we are anxious about members of our family. So we pray for protection , for confidence and for wisdom. So often we look only on the waves ,the wind, the dangers, the troubles, the difficulties and we see little hope. At other times we place too much confidence in our own abilities , and we act foolishly and recklessly . So we ask that You will help us to keep our eyes on you .Give us a keen sense of our limitations. May our faith in You be strong and unswerving , standing firm on the face of hardship and remaining humble in times of success.
Amen
Anon
7
LITANY OF COMPASSION FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK
At this time we pray with special love and concern for all those who are sick or infirmed, and those who may be anxious about their health , asking the Lord for His consoling grace to strengthen them in times of trial.
The response to each invocation is:
Lord be close to them and give them comfort
When their pain or distress is overwhelming
Response: Lord be close to them and give them comfort
When the healing process goes slower than hoped
Response: Lord be close to them …..
When terrified by treatments or therapy…..
When its hard to let go of long held plans…..
When worn out and weary…..
When troubled by impatience and negativity…..
When loneliness adds to anxiety …..
When sickness makes it difficult to communicate …..
When discouragement or despondency sets in …..
When fears make it impossible to face the future …..
When the ravages of disease attack self esteem …..
When anger and resentment , worry and fretfulness assail them …..
When its hard to rely on others for care …..
When envy arises towards those who are healthy …..
When pessimism and cynicism holds sway …..
When anguish is intensified by the need for reconciliation …..
When sickness is mistaken for punishment …..
When loved ones are far away …..
When sickness causes financial hardship that leads to worry or despair …..
When afflicted by feelings of nothing to hope for …..
When weakness makes it impossible even to think …..
When friends draw back fearful of disease …..
When illness makes those who are suffering moody and irritable …..
When haunted by regret and shame of past sins …..
When there’s loss of appetite and it difficult to sleep …..
When nobody seems to understand …..
When they become totally housebound and when restricted in movement …..
When listlessness and apathy threaten them …..
When medication seems to make things worse …..
When all that’s needed is a caring touch …..
When it’s hard to find the strength to carry on …..
Response: Lord be close to them and give them comfort
8
When it becomes difficult to pray …..
Response: Lord be close to them and give them comfort
When suffering of any sort becomes hard to bear …..
When death draws near …..
Let us pray :Most merciful Father ,Your beloved Son showed special compassion to lepers and tenderness to the sick laid before Him. We place before You all those who are sick and in need of Your healing grace .May the love and mercy of the Divine Physician raise up all who suffer from sickness and restore to health and peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen
Anon
FOR THE SICK
God of mercy and miracles we pray today for those who are ill. Some are terminally ill, some are seriously ill , some are temporarily ill and some are mysteriously ill – but they all need a sense of Your presence and an experience of Your powerful healing touch.
We ask that pain may be eased , that wounds may be healed , that fear may be overcome , that recovery may be swift and complete , that the entire experience may be one that strengthens faith and encourages them to walk humbly with You.
We ask that cures may be found for diseases that are still a mystery : we pray that wisdom and insight may be given to those who toil in the laboratory : we pray that we may all be responsible in the care that we give to our minds and bodies .
We pray for doctors who diagnose and prescribe : we pray for families who stand by and provide comfort and support :we are grateful for all these human means by which You work Your miracles of healing. Amen.
Anon
POPE JONN PAUL II -ON PRAYER
'Prayer always remains the voice of all those who apparently have no voice'
Pope John Paul ll 1986
9
A PRAYER FOR YOU
I said a prayer for you today
And know that God must have heard
I felt an answer in my heart
Although He spoke no word!
I did not ask for wealth or fame
(I knew you wouldn’t mind)
I asked Him to send treasures
Of a far more lasting kind .
I asked that He be near you
At the start of each new day
To grant you health and blessings
And friends to share your way
I asked for happiness for you
In all things great and small
But it was for His loving care
I prayed for most of all.
Anon
SEND YOUR ANGEL TO MASS
O holy angel at my side
Go to Church for me
Kneel in my place at Holy Mass
Where I desire to be.
At Offertory,in my stead
Take all I am and own
And place it as a sacrifice upon the altar throne
At Holy Consecration’s bell
Adore with seraph’s love
My Jesus hidden in the Host
Come down from heaven above
And when the priest communion takes
O bring my Lord to me
That His sweet heart may rest on mine
And I His temple be.
Anon
10
PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS
O Lord Jesus Christ , who didst take to Thyself a body and soul like ours , to teach us the glory of self sacrifice and service , mercifully deign to instil in other hearts the desire to dedicate their lives to Thee. Priests to stand before Thy altar to speak the words of Thy gospel. Brothers and sisters to bear the sacred office of teaching the young , of nursing the sick , the aged and infirm, the needy and distressed.
Give wisdom , strength, courage and skill to those who serve You now. Fill their hearts with zeal and love of Thee. With Divine insistence call others to their aid and Thy name made be known and loved forever
Amen
Bernard Cardinal Griffin
Archbishop of Westminster
FOR PEOPLE WITH LIMITATIONS
Lord God, giver and sustainer of life, we pray today for those who all their lives must deal with limitations and disabilities.
We pray for those who are unable to see or hear , who are limited in their ability to receive information from the outside world . We pray for those who have difficulty in controlling their limbs or speech , for whom co-ordination is a constant problem : for those who must rely on wheelchairs or other machines to manoeuvre . And we pray for those whose ability to think clearly is impaired and who must rely on others for care and protection.
We do not understand the reason for these limitations but we do acknowledge Your grace in the midst of them: and we admire the resilience of those who must daily cope with the simple things that most of us take for granted.
Anon
POPE BENEDICT XVI –ON CARING FOR THE SICK
‘If every man is our brother, much more must the sick, the suffering and those in need of care be, at the centre of our attention, so that none of them feels forgotten’
‘In the faces of the sick you should know how to see always the Face of faces: that of Christ’
Pope Benedict XVI 2011 –From his Message for the 19TH World Day of the Sick
11
MIRACULOUS PRAYER
This is a beautiful prayer
It is miraculous, ask for something,
Anything just pray !!!
Remember her words ‘Am I not here
And am I not your mother ? ’
Beautiful Virgin of Guadalupe , I ask You , on behalf
Of all my brothers and sisters of the world that
You bless and protect us . Give us proof of
Your love and kindness Oh Pure Virgin of Guadalupe.
Give me through Your Son forgiveness for my sins
Blessings for my job, cure for my diseases and needs
And all that You deem necessary I ask for my family.
Oh Mother of God do not disdain the pleas we present
To You in our needs .Amen
Anon
HEALING HANDS
Dear Lord when we were small
We played and scraped our knee
Our mother was there to make us better
With love and her healing hands
As we grew and made our choices in life
There were hurts of a different kind
Our teachers were there to guide us
With love and their healing hands
The sick seemed to require some aid
From this suffering which was constant and painful
The nurse attends and eases their discomfort
With love and healing hands
Dear Lord as You watch over us all
As we live , work and pray
Help us to attend to our neighbours
Through Your love and Your healing hands
Jacqueline Hall
12
PRAYER FOR MEETINGS
Lord, may everything we do
Begin with your inspiration
And continue with your help,
So that all our prayers and works
May begin in you and by you be
Happily ended.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN
Anon
PRAYER FOR THANKSGIVING
Almighty Father,
You are lavish in bestowing all your gifts,
And we give thanks for the favours you have
Given to us.
In your goodness you have favoured us
And kept us safe in the past.
We ask that you continue to protect us
And to shelter us in the shadow of your wings,
We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN
Anon
PRAYER FOR SICK
Father,
Your son accepted our sufferings to teach us the
Virtue of patience in human illness. Hear the
Prayers we offer for our sick brothers and sisters.
May all who suffer pain, illness or disease realise
That they are chosen to be saints, and know that
They are joined to Christ in his sufferings for the
Salvation of the world, for He lives and reigns with
You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
AMEN
Anon
13
PRAYER FOR OUR COUNTRY
O God, the Father of all the people of the earth.
Look with favour on us, and hear the prayer we
Make for our country.
Bless all the people of our land
Deliver us from all evil.
Heal our misunderstandings and teach us to love
One another. Give wisdom to our rulers, and a
Spirit of obedience and loyalty to all our people.
We ask your fatherly guidance especially for our
Young men and women upon whom the future depends.
Guide the work of our hands and the decisions of our
Leaders, so that our country may have an honoured
Place among the nations. AMEN
Anon
A PRAYER FOR NURSES
Dear Lord, help me today to do my best,
And to make my best good enough
Help me to keep a clear head
And to cope with whatever needs doing
Anne Latus
PRAYER
We entrust our loved ones to you at a time when they need Your care and compassion.
Anon
14
PRAYER OF ST FRANCIS
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love, where there is injury pardon, where there is doubt, faith, where there is despair, hope, where there is darkness, light and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
St Francis of Assisi
PRAYER OF BLESSED JOHN HENRY CARDINAL NEWMAN
God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another .I have my mission- I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. Somehow I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an Archangel in his -if , indeed, I fail, He can raise another, as He could make the stones children of Abraham. Yet I have a part in this great work; I am the link in a chain, a bond of connexion between persons . He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work: I shall be an angel of peace , a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.'
BlessedJohn Henry Newman 1848 Meditations and Devotions
CICIAMS – INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC NURSES PRAYER
Dear Lord, Thou great healer, You have said 'whatever you do to the least of my brethren you did it to Me'. Guide us in our service of the sick, the marginalised and the destitute. Teach us to see Your image in each of them. May Your love shine forth in our lives. Let our minds, hearts and hands always radiate that love in lessening pain and in bringing comfort, joy, peace and healing wherever needed .Grant us the grace to serve You in all we do, to be rich in good deeds ,to be generous and willing to share with each other and in loving and serving humanity.
For the power, the mercy, the glory and the joy are Yours. Amen
15
BACKGROUND MUSIC LAUDATE DOMINUM -MOZART- SEE OUR MIDI FILES PAGE FOR MORE MUSIC LINKS
