O leper with the lepers,      you united yourself      so thoroughly      with those you served      that you became one of them,      one of the frightful and rejected souls      abandoned by the world      but redeemed by the blood of Christ      through your intercession.      To them you brought the consolation      of government support      and the love of the Lord,      and so, many were inspired      to drag themselves      into your chapel –      pray we join them there,      listening attentively to the Word of salvation      and finding healing for the disease      that eats away at our souls;      help us to embrace the cross      the Lord provides      to lead us on the narrow way      to Heaven.

O holy apostles of the Lord upon whom the Church is established, your words go out to the ends of the earth, bringing the Gospel to all nations. You who were near to Jesus Himself, who were with Him all the time He walked among us… there is no greater witness to the way and the truth and the life of our God, our Savior – please pray for the Church in the world this day, that it shall be led by the Spirit of Truth and we shall all be as brothers of the Lord, living in His love and revealing the Father. As you have performed the works of the Son, so let us join in the work of redemption, that all the earth will come to see that Jesus is in the Father and we are made one in Him.

O defender of the faith in the divinity of Christ, bulwark of the Church of the One who is true God and true Man, upholder of the way in the face of all persecutions – pray that the shepherds of the Church will today be so staunch in the faith, never afraid to defend the truth from attacks from within and outside her walls. So many souls are led so astray by the teaching of false prophets; pray indeed that the Lord will raise up leaders, prophets of His true teaching, of His narrow way, which leads through the body He assumed, the death He took upon Himself for our sins, to His divine presence in Heaven.

O humble laborer in God’s House who served to build up His Temple by the sweat of your brow and your careful concern to follow His will – pray that we shall embody the same obedience to the Word of God and His call to our souls, that we too will consecrate ourselves and our daily labor to service of the Lord and the upbuilding of His Church, and that we, too, might be built into the House wherein He makes His eternal dwelling. We are but poor creatures, simple and weak; pray the Lord our God and His Son for whom you cared will bless us with your dignity, O righteous man of God.

O Shepherd of the Church who led her through a difficult time, seeing to her reform in faith and morals, in teaching and prayer, that the foundation once established by the Lord Jesus Christ might be confirmed and strengthened, kept from decay – pray this day, too, MotherChurch will be blessed by the nourishing food of the Spirit, that she might be fed at the Lord’s table and all might be encouraged to enter the gates of Heaven she guards and opens to all souls in communion with the Savior and His way… May Peter lead us unto His Day.

O wise and holy virgin whose love for God was matched by a great love for the Church and a great desire to see her pure and holy as He… peace you brought to peoples and to MotherChurch, for peace you held within your blessed soul, held as you were in the hand of God – pray the light of the Lord will be shed upon the Church and all souls this day, and that reconciliation shall come and we stand as one in that surpassing light and peace of the Trinity. May holiness be all men’s desire, to live in accord with the will of God.

O apostle of Mary and so of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Lord you drew souls through devotion to His Mother. How perfectly you have spoken of this grace upon the Virgin and the role she plays in the salvation of the world – pray this day that her sweet protection and most blessed intercession will be with all the children who turn in faith to the one chosen by the Father to be Mother of His Son. May this Spouse of the Spirit lead us into God’s presence where with you and all the heavenly saints we shall find ourselves one with the Most Holy Trinity and sing forever the praises of our Lord and God.

O great missionary, you served to convert a land and a people that had never heard of our blessed Savior, and though killed for your work, you loved those to whom you were sent and toiled tirelessly for their salvation – pray the same kind heart you showed we shall also know in serving souls placed into our care; and pray the name of our Lord shall go forth in freedom to the very ends of the earth this day. What are our lives compared with the service of Christ and the salvation of souls in faith in His name? Let us live with your same zeal the love that is Jesus and His Cross.

O proclaimer of the Word of God, we know of our Lord who suffered and died that we might rise with Him on the third day because the Spirit inspired you to tell us of this Good News. Faithful you were to the Lord and to His blessed apostles, and so became an apostle yourself, carrying the Gospel to men of every nation – pray that the Word which you have served to impart to us may be remembered and cherished in the hearts of all believers, and that we, too, shall work, inspired by the Spirit, to build up the Body of Christ, making it ready for His return to dwell with us forever.

O charitable and zealous soul who gave your life that others might know the true and abiding Catholic faith, you who cared for the sick and the dying, those who were ailing in body and diseased in spirit – how shall we learn to sacrifice all as you have done, to stand in the face of opposition and speak the truth though those we would help would devour us instead of listening to the words come from the Savior’s mouth? Penance and prayer are so far from us this day, and who really cares to show others Christ’s way? Pray this ship shall be strengthened by holy souls eager for the salvation of all and confirmed in the truth and love of the Spirit.