My Family Prayer Book

Jan-1: Feast of the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God We close out the Christmas octave (the eight days of Christmastide following the birth of Christ) with a day honouring the Solemnity of Mary as the Mother of God (from the Greek Theotókos ), our Lady's greatest title.   Mother Mary has been called "Theotokos", or "God-Bearer". This title reflected an effort to preserve the teaching of the Church that Jesus was both Divine and human, that the two natures were united in His One Person. In the Annunciation by the divine messenger of God, he says to her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk. 1:28). And continues saying, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High" (Lk. 1:30-32). Collect prayer: O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the ...

  August 15: Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven Prayer on the Feast of the Assumption O most blessed and glorious mystery,  Virgin Mother of God who, having finished your life on earth, rose body and soul into heaven there to bless and intercede for us  who struggle here below. Hear our humble prayer, Mother Mary, who interceded for the bride and groom at their wedding in Cana of Galilee that our sorrow might be turned into joy, our sickness into healing and our worries into distant memories. You, blessed among women, from whom your divine Son drew his humanity and his body, be ever near to us, your children, who rejoice in your Assumption wedding heaven and earth forever. Amen. (prayer written by Fr. Joseph Veneroso, M.M.) Opening Prayer for the Liturgy of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven All-powerful and ever-living God, you raised the sinless Virgin Mary, mother of your Son, body and soul to the glory of heaven. May we see heaven as our final goa...

  June 29: Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul Today June 29th, we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul, a day made holy for us by their exemplary life of courage and testimony. Apart from Mother Mary, St Joseph and St John the Baptist, these two saints are the only humans commemorated in the Catholic calendar with a day given the rank of ‘Solemnity’. Peter (or Cephas, older brother of the apostle Andrew and son of John/Jonas) was a simple fisherman by trade and the first apostle to be named (Mark 1:16-18). We can relate to his sense of doubt (Matthew 14:31), denial (Mark 15:53-72) and weakness (Mark 14:32-42) even as we admire his passionate devotion to Christ (Mark 14:29). He was the first one to recognise Christ as the Messiah, prompting Jesus to christen him Peter, 'the rock on which I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the rock on which (Matthew 16:16-19). Paul, by contrast, did not k...