Peace Prayer
- attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon; 

Where there is discord, union;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is error, truth;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

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.

The Canticle of the Creatures


Most High, all powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor,
and all blessing.

To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no man is worthy to mention Your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praise be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon
and the stars, in heaven you formed them
clear and precious and beautiful.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather through which
You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you light the night and he is beautiful
and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains us and governs us and who produces
varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.

Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no living man can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will
find in Your most holy willl,
for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord,
and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.

Blessing of Saint Francis to Brother Leo

May the Lord bless you 
and keep you; 
may the Lord show his face to you
and have compassion on you!
May he turn his face to you 
and give you peace!
May the Lord bless you!
 

Prayer Inspired by the Lord's Prayer

OUR FATHER most holy, 
our Creator and Redeemer,
our Saviour and our Comforter. 

WHO ART IN HEAVEN
in the angels and the saints,
giving them light to know you,
since you, Lord, are light;
setting them afire to love you,
since you, Lord, are love;
dwelling in them
and giving them fullness of joy, 
since you, Lord, 
are the supreme, eternal good,
and all good comes from you. 

HALLOWED BE THY NAME,
may we grow to know you better and better
and so appreciate the extent of your favors,
the scope of your promises,
the sublimity of your majesty,
and the profundity of your judgments.

THY KINGDOM COME,
so that you may reign in us by your grace,
and bring us to your kingdom,
where we shall see you clearly,
love you perfectly and,
happy in your company, enjoy you forever.

THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT 15 IN HEAVEN,
so that we may love you with all our heart,
by always having you in mind;
with all our soul,
by always longing for you;
with all our mind,
by determining to seek your glory in everything;
and with all our strength,
of body and soul,
by lovingly serving you alone.
May we love our neighbors as ourselves,
and encourage them all to love you,
by bearing our share
in the joys and sorrows of others,
while giving offence to no one.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD,
your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
so that we may remember and appreciate
how much He loved us, 
and everything he said and did and suffered.

AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES,
in your immeasurable mercy,
by virtue of the passion of your Son,
and through the intercession of Mary,
and all your saints.

AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US,
and if we do not forgive perfectly,
Lord, make us forgive perfectly, 
so that, for love of you, 
we may really forgive our enemies, 
and fervently pray to you for them, 
returning no one evil for evil, 
but trying to serve you in everyone.

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,
be it hidden or obvious,
sudden or persistent.

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL,
past, present or future,
Amen.

Prayer at the Foot of the Crucifix 
(in the Church of San Damiano)

Most high, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness
of my heart and give me Lord,
a correct faith, a certain hope,
a perfect charity, sense and knowledge,
so that I may carry out
Your holy and true command.
 

Prayer Praising Mary, the Mother of God

Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen, Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin. You were chosen by the Most High Father in heaven, consecrated by Him, with His most Holy Beloved Son and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. On you descended and still remains, all the fullness of grace and every good. Hail, His Palace. Hail His Tabernacle. Hail His Robe. Hail His Handmaid. Hail, His Mother. And Hail, all holy Virtues, who, by grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, are poured into the hearts of the faithful so that from their faithless state, they may be made faithful servants of God through you.

The Blessing of St. Francis of Assisi to Brother Leo

The Lord bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you and have mercy.
May He turn His countenance to you and give you peace.
The Lord bless you!

 
Blessing of Saint Clare

What you hold, may you always hold.
What you do, may you always do and never abandon. 
But with swift pace, light step, unswerving feet, so that even your steps stir up no dust,
may you go forward securely, joyfully and swiftly, 
on the path of prudent happiness, not believing anything, 
not agreeing with anything, that would dissuade you from this resolution 
or that would place a stumbling block for you on the way, 
so that you may offer your vows to the Most High in the pursuit of that perfection 
to which the Spirit of God has called you.

Prayer in Praise of God

You are holy, Lord, the only God, and your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are AImighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true.
You are love.
You are wisdom.
You are humility.
You are endurance.
You are rest.
You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and you suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage.
You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord, God Almighty,
Merciful Saviour.

Novena to St. Francis of Assisi 

OPENING PRAYER

Leader: Heavenly Father, you have given us the saints to be our models, patrons and friends. Today, we turn to Saint Francis of Assisi and, as you helped him reflect the image of Christ in all his words and actions, we ask that his example will inspire us to grow in holiness as we imitate his humility and joyful love. Amen.

All: O Beloved Saint Francis, gentle and poor, your obedience to God, and your simple deep love for all God's creatures led you to the heights of heavenly perfection and turned many hearts to follow God's will. O Blessed Saint of God, from your throne among the hosts of heaven, present our petitions before our faithful Lord ... (your special intentions here). And may your prayers on our behalf be heard and may God grant us the grace to lead good and faithful lives. Amen.

LITANY of St. FRANCIS of ASSISI

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us, Christ graciously hear us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
St. Francis, Seraphic Patriarch, pray for us.
St. Francis, more prudent Father, pray for us.
St. Francis, despiser of worldly ways, pray for us.
St. Francis, model of penance, pray for us.
St. Francis, conqueror of vices, pray for us.
St. Francis, imitator of the Saviour, pray for us.
St. Francis, bearer of the marks of Christ, pray for us.
St. Francis, sealed with the character of Jesus, pray for us.
St. Francis, example of purity, pray for us.
St. Francis, image of humility, pray for us.
St. Francis, example of complete dependence on God, pray for us.
St. Francis, abounding in grace, pray for us.
St. Francis, reformer of the erring, pray for us.
St. Francis, healer of the sick, pray for us.
St., Francis, pillar of the Church, pray for us.
St. Francis, defender of the faith, pray for us.
St. Francis, Champion of Christ, pray for us.
St. Francis, confounder of the heretics, pray for us.
St. Francis, converter of the pagans, pray for us.
St. Francis, supporter of the lame, pray for us.
St. Francis, raiser of the dead, pray for us.
St. Francis, healer of the lepers, pray for us.
St. Francis, our advocate, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Pray for us, O Blessed St. Francis, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: O Lord, Jesus Christ, who, when the world was growing cold, did in order to renew in our hearts the flame of love, imprint the sacred marks of your Passion on the body of our Blessed St. Francis, mercifully grant, that by his merits and prayers we may persevere in bearing the cross, and bring forth worthy fruit of penance, through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

Our Father ...

Hail Mary...

Glory Be ...