Prayers

for the Family

A novena and prayer booklet for todays Catholic
family featuring the teachings of Pope Francis

Ke v i n Ne l l e s

Written by Kevin Nelles

NIHIL OBSTAT:
Rev. James M. Dunfee, V.F. (MA, STL)
Censor Librorum
IMPRIMATUR:

Most Reverend Jeffrey M. Monforton

Bishop of Steubenville
Scripture quotations marked (NRSVCE) are from the New Revised
Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches
of Christ in the United States of America. Used with permision. All rights
reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NABRE) are taken from the New American
Bible, revised edition 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright
owner.
This booklet and the enclosed original catechesis, prayers, and novena are
an exclusive publication of Steubenville Press, a division of Nelson Fine Art
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Prayers available online at NovenaForTheFamily.com
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Table of Contents
What is a Family? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 5
Pope Francis on the Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6
Prayers for the Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pages 13-24
Pope Francis Prayer for 2015 Synod. . . . . . page 13
Pope Francis Prayer to the Holy Spirit . . . . page 15
For Fatherhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 16
For Motherhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 18
For Broken Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 20
For Sanctity of the Family Structure . . . . . . page 21
For Future Family Members . . . . . . . . . . . . page 22
For the Innocence of Children . . . . . . . . . . page 23
Parents Prayer for the
Vocations of Their Children . . . . . . . . . .. . . page 24
Novena for the Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 25
Litany of the Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 36

What is the Family?

A brief catechesis based on the teachings of Pope
Francis.

What is a family?
While the theological and practical definition of
family is hotly debated in modern Western society,
both within current popular culture, as well as, sadly,
within the Church, a family has generally been
characterized, across cultures and throughout history,
by many articulations of this simple formula:
One man and one woman, united through marriage,
raising children.
The raising children element of a family described
here is not meant to imply that couples who
experience infertility are not legitimate families,
but rather that welcoming new human life, whether
by actual procreation or by spiritual and/or legal
adoption, is the ancient hallmark of the family. Those
who find themselves unable to have children, the
Catholic Church teaches, are still commended to live
conjugal lives full of charity, hospitality, and sacrifice
the very virtues fostered by parenthoodwith the
Holy Spirit offering comfort throughout the pains of
infertility.
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It is nonetheless Gods intended purpose, revealed

through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, that
through the mystery of marriage and the resulting
procreation and rearing of children, humanity not
only continues to be sustained on a practical level,
but is also able to enter into the marital and creative
character of God, who Himself is the original
procreative actor of all existence.
The honor and dignity of family life can be fully
appreciated by reflecting upon the Holy Trinity, which
is itself the paragon and archetype of all human
families, a God-Family of sorts. Within the Trinity is
contained the core character of every family: God the
Father as Lover, Jesus Christ as Beloved, and the
Holy Spirit proceeding from the unity of the Father and
the Son.
Pope Francis, Marriage, and Family Life
Pope Francis himself, very much aware of and moved
by this truth, and desiring the laity of the Church to
understand their role more fully, has undertaken a
special mission to promote, foster, and reinvigorate
the life of the family. Francis affinity for marriage and
family life has been clear since the beginning of his
pontificate, both from the frequency of his remarks on
the subject, as well the gentleness and joy with which
he presents the subject in his public speeches and
writings.
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It is observably and unavoidably true that, due to

Francis personal popularity and magnetic personality,
there has been a war of sorts over his public image
and perception of his personal views, with special
interest groups and individuals wishing to ascribe
positions and causes to the Holy Father that he
himself does not advocate or even choose to involve
himself with. Such advocates would have the general
public believing that Pope Francis spends a great
deal more time addressing certain fringe issues
than he actually does, and few are likely to realize
that their pet topic shows up with paltry frequency in
the teachings of Pope Francis when compared with
marriage and family life, arguably the most common
subject about which Pope Francis publicly remarks
and teaches.
To put it simply, Pope Francis teachings on marriage
and family life are succinct, pastoral, sometimes
whimsical, and often quite beautiful. It is here that his
pastoral character truly shines forththe Pope, far
from being an ivory tower, has a joyful demeanor that
draws people to himself, and therefore to Christ, while
communicating the ancient truths of the Church to
modern ears.
Out of respect for the institution of the family, and
recognizing Pope Francis unique ability to teach on
this subject, we offer you this brief catechesis, directly
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from Pope Francis himself, to strengthen and inspire

your own views on the family, the divinely-ordered
building block for all humanity.

The Family Begins with a Marriage

I think first and foremost of the stable union of man
and woman in marriage. This union is born of their
love, as a sign and
presence of Gods
own love, and of the
acknowledgment
and acceptance of
the goodness of
sexual differentiation,
whereby spouses can
become one flesh
(cf. Gen 2:24) and
are enabled to give
birth to a new life, a
manifestation of the
Creators goodness,
wisdom and loving
plan. Grounded in this love, a man and a woman can
promise each other mutual love in a gesture which
engages their entire lives and mirrors many features
of faith. Promising love forever is possible when
we perceive a plan bigger than our own ideas and
undertakings, a plan which sustains us and enables
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us to surrender our future entirely to the one we love.

-The Joy of the Gospel, no. 52
God and Prayer: a Binding Force for Marriage
We are well aware of how many difficulties two
spouses experience.... The important thing is to
keep alive their bond with God, who stands as the
foundation of the marital bond. And the true bond is
always the Lord. When the family prays, the bond is
preserved. When the husband prays for his wife and
the wife prays for her husband, that bond becomes
strong; one praying for the other.
-General Audience at St. Peters Square, April 2nd,
2014
Fighting Between Spouses
It is true that there are so many difficulties in married
life, so many, when there is insufficient work or
money, when the children have problems. There is so
much to contend with. And many times the husband
and wife become a little fractious and argue between
themselves. They argue, this is how it is, there is
always arguing in marriage, sometimes the plates
even fly. Yet we must not become saddened by this,
this is the human condition. The secret is that love is
stronger than the moment when there is arguing, and
therefore I always advise spouses: do not let a day
when you have argued end without making peace.
Always! And to make peace it isnt necessary to call
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the United Nations to come to the house and make

peace. A little gesture is sufficient, a caress, and then
let it be! Until tomorrow! And tomorrow begin again.
And this is life, carrying on, carrying on with courage
and the desire to live together. And this is truly great,
it is beautiful! Married life is such a beautiful thing and
we must treasure it always.
-General Audience at St. Peters Square, April 2nd,
2014
Concerning the Rearing of Children
All children must be able to play, study, pray and
grow, in their own families, and do so in a harmonious
context of love and serenity. It is their right and our
duty. Many people instead of letting them play make
slaves of them: this is a scourge. A serene childhood
allows children to look forward with confidence to life
and the future. Woe to those who stifle their joyful
impulse of hope!
-General Audience at St. Peters Square, June 12th,
2013
On Family Unity
But what is the power that unites the family? It is
precisely love, and God is the one who sows love in
our hearts, the love of God: It is precisely the love of
God that gives meaning to the little daily duties and
also helps us face the great trials.
-Angelus address, August 12th, 2013
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The Domestic Church

Families are the domestic Church, where Jesus
grows; he grows in the love of spouses, he grows in
the lives of children. That is why the enemy so often
attacks the family. The devil does not want the family;
he tries to destroy it, to make sure that there is no
love there. Families are this domestic Church.
-Address to the Convocation of the Renewal of the
Holy Spirit, Olympic Stadium, June 1st, 2014
Grandparents
They are our wisdom, they are the wisdom of the
Churchthe elderly whom we so often discard,
grandparents, the elderly grandmothers and
grandfathers are our strength and our wisdom. May
the Lord always give us wise elders! Elderly men and
women who can pass on to us the memory of our
people, the memory of the Church. May they also give
us what the Letter to the Hebrews says about them:
a sense of joy. It says that our forebears, our elders,
greeted Gods promises from afar. May this be what
they teach us.
-Address to the Convocation of the Renewal of the
Holy Spirit, Olympic Stadium, June 1st, 2014
Handing on the Faith
In the family, faith accompanies every age of life,
beginning with childhood: children learn to trust in the
love of their parents. This is why it is so important that
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within their families, parents encourage shared

expressions of faith which can help children gradually
to mature in their own faith. Young people in
particular, who are going through a period in their lives
which is so complex, rich, and important for their faith,
ought to feel the constant closeness and support of
their families and the Church in their journey of faith.
We have all seen, during World Youth Days, the joy
that young people show in their faith and their desire
for an evermore solid and generous life of faith. Young
people want to live life to the fullest. Encountering
Christ, letting themselves be caught up in and guided
by his love, enlarges the horizons of existence,
gives it a firm hope which will not disappoint. Faith
is no refuge for the fainthearted, but something
which enhances our lives. It makes us aware of a
magnificent calling, the vocation of love. It assures us
that this love is trustworthy and worth embracing, for it
is based on Gods faithfulness, which is stronger than
our every weakness.
-The Joy of the Gospel, no. 53

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Pope Francis Prayer for the 2015

Bishops Synod on the Family
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, in you we contemplate the
splendor of true love, to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families, too,
may be places of communion and prayer, authentic
schools of the Gospel and small domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again
experience violence, rejection and division: may all
who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort
and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may the approaching
Synod of Bishops make us once more mindful of
the sacredness and inviolability of the family and its
beauty in Gods plan.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, graciously hear our prayer.
Amen.

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Pope Francis Prayer to the Holy

Spirit Given June 1st, 2014, at
Olympic Stadium, Rome
Lord, look upon your people as
we await the Holy Spirit.
Watch over our young people,
watch over our families,
watch over our children,
watch over our sick,
watch over our priests,
consecrated men and women,
and us bishopsWatch over us all.
And grant us that holy inebriation,
the drunkenness of the Spirit,
which enables us to speak all languages,
the languages of charity,
ever close to our brothers and sisters
who need us.
Teach us not to quarrel among ourselves
to get a little more power;
teach us to be humble,
teach us to love the Church more than our own
side, than our internal squabbles;
teach us to have a heart open to receive the Spirit.
Lord, send forth your Spirit upon us!
Amen.
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Prayer for Fatherhood

Eternal God, originator of Fatherhood, I offer up to you
the blessed office of Father. May the men who occupy
this dignified place protect and care for their children
and wives with valiant honesty, heroic chastity, noble
humility, and stern sobriety.
Ignite a fire in the hearts of men, O God, so that they
may respond to the Divine call to fatherhood, both
natural and spiritual, and model themselves after
the holy example of Blessed Joseph, Father of the
Universal Church.
Through his intercession, may fathers be
strengthened to flee from sin, subdue their flesh,
wrestle with the powers of corruption, banish the
darkness, and obtain victory over hell and its agents.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, sanctifier
of all men, to the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

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Prayer for Motherhood

Loving God, who alone knows and understands
the heart of a woman, I lift up in prayer blessed
motherhood, the channel of all human life. As our
Lord Jesus Christ himself came through the woman,
may we acknowledge and honor the exalted gift
of motherhood, as mothers love and serve their
husbands and children.
Through the intercession of Holy Mary, Mother of
God, may all women receive into their hearts the
Divine call to motherhood, both natural and spiritual,
and find their joy and identity in this calling.
May the prayers of the Blessed Mother be a beacon
of light to all women, leading them on the path to
discover true beauty, serve with humility, give of their
own hearts and bodies, confound the darkness, and
blind the evil ones with the light of feminine grace.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Divine
Lover and ennobler of all women, who reigns forever
and ever.
Amen.

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Prayer for Broken Families

God our healer, we lift up to you in prayer all families
who are divided or broken by human failure.
We ask that you draw forth the pains caused by
divorce, infidelity, abandonment, and selfishness, as
one draws out a poison, and begin the healing that is
needed in the hearts of your people.
May the households of humanity be places of
reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace.
Lord, restore broken relationships, inspire forgiveness
in the wronged, and heal the restlessness and inner
pains of those who have divided their own families.
Inspire those affected by familial brokenness to pray
at all times for your will to be done, both now and in
the future.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, by whose
own wounds we are healed.
Amen.

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Prayer for the Sanctity of

the Family Structure
Holy Trinity, architect of humanity and archetype of the
family, we ask you to protect the sacred and ancient
structure of the family: man, woman, and child.
Guard the family from intellectual deconstruction,
political redefinition, social dissonance, and
persecution.
Inspire the Church, both clergy and laity, to be
steadfast in defending marriage and family in their
traditional form, and to advance this cause in public
and in private with courage, humility, and love.
We ask this through
Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

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Prayer for Future

Family Members
Lord, I offer to you the future members of my family,
including in-laws, spouses of children, adoptees, and
unborn children.
I surrender to you and to your divine will the future
of my family, and I abandon myself to your plans.
Whomever you choose to bring into the life of my
family, and whenever you choose to do so, teach me
to love and to pray for those people.
May new family members be welcomed with love
and generosity. Grant that our relationships be free
from vain family posturing, jealousy, selfishness, and
competition amongst members. Teach us to be open
to new life at all times and in all situations.
May the Spirit of peace and love pervade my family at
all times, I ask this in Jesus name.
Amen.

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Prayer for the Innocence

of Children
Loving Father in heaven, we ask you to protect the
innocence of children, both within our own families
and in the families of others. May childhood be a
blessed time of discovery and formation fostered by
loving parents and adults.
Send angels from heaven to guard children against
those who would harm them and, through the
intercession of St. Nicholas, protect their chastity,
purity, and sense of virtue from harm or corruption.
May those who have been abused physically,
emotionally, or sexually find healing in the loving
arms of their heavenly Father. Shield the hurting from
seeking peace and healing in the wrong places, and
make your Holy Church a place of safety for all.
Bring to justice those who commit crimes against
children. Protect harmed children and their families
from fostering hatred or retaliation, and guide them on
the path to heroic mercy and forgiveness.
Amen.

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Parents Prayer for the Vocations

of Their Children
God our Father, we entrust to you the lives and future
vocations of our children. We ask that the Holy Spirit
be present to them at all times as they learn and
journey toward adulthood.
Draw our children close to you and open their hearts
to discern the life which you have called them to, be
it a vocation to marriage, holy orders, consecrated
life, or singlehood. Impress upon our children their
own need to continually pray and seek that your will
be done in whatever time or circumstances you have
appointed.
Give us, their parents, grace to model the Christian
life with sincerity and
faithfulness. Perfect our own
vision for our childrens lives,
Lord, and allow us to abandon
ourselves to your will in
whatever form that may take.
We ask this through Christ our
Lord.
Amen.
St. Monica and her son, Augustine

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Novena for the Family

Written March 19th, 2015
Solemnity of St. Joseph
To be prayed for a special intercessory intention or for
the family in general, individually or as a group.
Formula:
1. Sign of the Cross
2. Act of Humility for Family Members
3. Daily Scripture Reading
4. Daily Prayer Intention
5. Our Father
6. Hail Mary
7. Glory Be
8. Litany of the Family
Daily Intentions
1. For love between spouses
2. That families may welcome others into
their home
3. That families take care of their own elderly
4. For protection from temptation
and/or addictions
5. That children respect and obey
their parents
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6. That parents love and understand

their children
7. That parents live out the Gospel as an
example to their children
8. For Christian unity within the
domestic church
9. For forgiveness of past wrongs and
reconciliation
Act of Humility for Family Members
O God, rich in mercy and abounding in love, I confess
to you that I have failed as a family member and
sinned against my own blood through my actions and
inactions, through selfish choices and negligence to
love. As your [son/daughter] I ask your forgiveness
and firmly resolve to respond to my own family, in
my heart and in my actions, as you would, Lord:
recognizing them as a precious gift, a beloved people.
May the prayers I offer to you on behalf of all families
be well-received and effective in your heavenly
kingdom.

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First Day
For love between spouses
Daily Scripture
Genesis 2:20-25
The man gave names to all the tame animals, all the birds
of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be
a helper suited to the man. So the LORD God cast a deep
sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out
one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD
God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into
a woman. When he brought her to the man, the man said:
This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;
This one shall be called woman, for out of man this one
has been taken. That is why a man leaves his father and
mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become
one body. The man and his wife were both naked, yet they
felt no shame.(NABRE)
(see also: Isaac and Rebekah, Genesis 24:62 67)

Daily Prayer Intention

God in Heaven, Divine Original Lover, we ask you to
bless, sustain, and enrich the foundational relationship
of every family: that of the husband and wife. Stir up the
hearts of spouses, kindle romance, and cleave husbands
and wives together in unity of spirit. Remind married
couples of the love you first kindled between them and
give your own love to them, so that, filled with your spirit,
they may love each other to the fullest expression. Holy
Family of Nazareth, pray for all husbands and wives.

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Second Day
That the family may welcome others into their home
Daily Scripture
Acts 16:13-15
On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the
river where we thought there would be a place of prayer.
We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there.
One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple
cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened,
and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what
Paul was saying. After she and her household had been
baptized, she offered us an invitation, If you consider me a
believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home, and she
prevailed on us. (NABRE)
(see also: You Did It To Me, Matthew 25: 34-40)
(see also: The Commandment of Leviticus 20:33-34)

Daily Prayer Intention

God, Father of all humanity and unity of all believers,
we ask you to impress upon families your own heart of
hospitality, generosity, and openness of spirit. May the
families and households that belong to your kingdom
be places where strangers are welcomed, the poor
and destitute are fed, and the refugee may find shelter.
Protect from harm and danger all families that open their
households to others, and enable them to live out the
Gospel in this manner, guarded by your holy angels and
rewarded in heaven for keeping your commands. Holy
Family of Nazareth, pray for all families.

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Third Day
That the family take care of their elderly
Daily Scripture
Isaiah 46: 3-4
Hear me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
My burden from the womb,
whom I have carried since birth.
Even to your old age I am he,
even when your hair is gray I will carry you;
I have done this, and I will lift you up,
I will carry you to safety. (NABRE)

Daily Prayer Intention

God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, instill
respect and honor for all elderly members of families.
Bless and support families who take on heavy burdens
in caring for their elderly and give them supernatural joy
and peace as they undertake their noble responsibilities.
Stir up compassion and conviction in families that
have neglected their elderly and remind them that you
yourself, Lord, are Ancient of Days. Remind your human
family, Lord Jesus, that to care for the aged and sickly is
to care for you. Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for all who
care for the elderly in our midst.

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Fourth Day
For protection from temptation and/or addictions
Daily Scripture
1 Corinthians 6:17-20

But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with

him. Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is
outside the body, but the immoral person sins against his
own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple*of
the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and
that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at
a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.(NABRE)
(see also: Joseph and Potiphars Wife, Genesis 39)

Daily Prayer Intention

God of constancy and purity, protect marriages and
families from extra-marital relations and addictions,
poison to all family relationships. Enlighten husbands,
wives, and children with your illuminating knowledge,
O God, and give them eyes to see the empty promises
and false comforts that destructive behaviors offer. Give
courage and determination to all family members to
reject counterfeit love. Bind family members together
in unity, grant them the gift of purity, and lead them all
to embrace you, loving God, who are the source of all
good gifts. Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for all those
struggling against temptations and addictions.

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Fifth Day
That children respect and obey their parents
Daily Scripture
Proverbs 23:22-26
Listen to your father who begot you,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Buy truth, and do not sell it;
buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.
Let your father and mother be glad;
let her who bore you rejoice.
My child, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways. (NRSVCE)
(see also: The Grace of Parental Wisdom, Proverbs 1:8-9)
(see also: Marys Request at Cana, John 2:1-11)

Daily Prayer Intention

Heavenly Father, first parent of all humanity, move your
spirit upon each of us, the children of men and women.
As the Lord Jesus himself gave us an example, having
obeyed his own mother at Cana, even when her request
did not coincide with his plans, enable all children to
obey their parents. Teach children of all ages the value of
respecting their parents, and by your grace, enable each
of us to keep the commandment Honor your father and
mother in ultimate obedience to you, our divine parent.
Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for all children.

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Sixth Day
That parents love and understand their children
Daily Scripture
Matthew 18:1-5
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Who
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? He called a
child, whom he put among them, and said, Truly I tell you,
unless you change and become like children, you will never
enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble
like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes
me.(NRSVCE)
(see also: Do Not Provoke Your Children, Colossians 3:21)

Daily Prayer Intention

Father in Heaven, guardian of all children, bless
parents with a deep and profound understanding of
your divine love so that all human parents may share in
your exemplary parenthood, loving their own children
just as you have loved the human race and spared
nothing to reconcile it to yourself, even to the point of
giving your own son. Draw parents closer to yourself
and enrich them with kindness, patience, wisdom, and
understanding in relation to their children. May parents
treat their children with neither dismissiveness nor
coddling, but hold to the narrow, moderate path of holy
parenting. Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for all parents.

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Seventh Day
That parents live out the Gospel as an example to
their children
Daily Scripture
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your
heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them
when you are at home and when you are away, when you
lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your
hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write
them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
(NRSVCE)
(see also: As a Father Treats His Children, 1 Thessalonians
2:11-13)

Daily Prayer Intention

Holy Trinity, who guides the human race on its path
to our heavenly home, we ask that you grace parents
with vigor, steadfastness, and a zeal for the Gospel.
May parents lead their children home to heaven first by
their own life of prayer and obedience, and secondly by
teaching and admonition. May the Gospel be preached
to future generations in every home through the humility
and example of saintly parents who are faithful to you
and your ways, eager to teach the faith, and persistent
in prayer. Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for parents, the
first and primary catechists of their children.

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Eighth Day
For Christian unity within the domestic church
Daily Scripture
Ephesians 4:1-6
I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner
worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and
gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through
love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the
bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also
called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one
baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all. (NABRE)
(see also: Be of the Same Mind, United in Heart, Phillipians
2:1-5)

Daily Prayer Intention

Holy Trinity, icon of perfection through oneness, hear our
prayer for unity and love within each family, the Domestic
Churches of the world. As the Universal Church protects,
rallies, and unifies all Christians, may the Domestic
Church protect, rally, and unify its own members: father,
mother, children, and extended members. Grant that
Christian homes may be guarded by angels and filled
with the Holy Spirit. Inspire parents and siblings to seek
to perfect each other as brothers and sisters in Christ,
unified through their shared baptism. Holy Family of
Nazareth, pray that families know this unity.

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Ninth Day
For forgiveness of past wrongs and reconciliation
Daily Scripture
Colossians 3:12-15
Put on then, as Gods chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and
patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one
another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord
has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these
put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace
of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were
also called in one body. And be thankful. (NABRE)
(see also: How Often Must I Forgive? Matthew 18: 21-22)
(see also: Leave Your Gift at the Altar, Matthew 5:21-24)

Daily Prayer Intention

O Infinite Forgiver, by your mercy and grace, help family
members to respond to your call to reconcile with one
another. Lord of Light, expose faults and convict us of
hidden resentments, wrongs, and unresolved differences
between family members, and lead parents, children,
and siblings to forgive one another. Heal hearts broken
by empty promises and selfish choices and give family
members heroic virtue to respond with divinely-given
mercy and forgiveness. Holy Family of Nazareth, pray
that we may have hearts of forgiveness.

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Litany of the Family

Eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Eternal Son, intercede for us.
Eternal Spirit, live in us.
Holy Trinity, God-Family, bless us.
Christ, our brother, pray for us.
Joseph, our father, pray for us.
Mary, our mother, pray for us.
Holy spouses and parents, pray for us.
Holy Trinity, God-Family, bless us.
Saints Abraham and Sarah, pray for us.
Saints Isaac and Rebekah, pray for us.
Saints Jacob and Rachel, pray for us.
Saints Boaz and Ruth, pray for us.
Saints Tobiah and Sarah, pray for us.
Holy spouses and parents, pray for us.
Holy Trinity, God-Family, bless us.
Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us.
Saints Zechariah and Elizabeth, pray for us.
Saints Aquila and Priscilla, pray for us.
Saints Philemon and Appia, pray for us.
Holy spouses and parents, pray for us.
Holy Trinity, God-Family, bless us.
Saints Isidore and Maria, pray for us.
Saints Gregory and Nonna, pray for us.

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Saints Timothy and Maura, pray for us.

Saints Adrian and Natalia, pray for us.
Saints Basil and Emilia, pray for us.
Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, pray for us.
Blessed Luigi and Maria Quattrocchi, pray for us.
Holy spouses and parents, pray for us.
Holy Trinity, God-Family, bless us.
Be merciful to husbands,
Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.
Be merciful to wives,
Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.
Be merciful to children,
Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.
Protect chastity and love,
Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.
Restore broken families,
Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.
Bring forgiveness and peace,
Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer.
Let us pray. God of the human family, who have worked
throughout human history to draw all peoples to yourself,
keep us always in the good and blessed company of
your holy families, parents, and spouses. Give to us
a share in their crowns of white and red martyrdom,
and may our prayers be heard through their powerful
intercession. We ask this through Christ, who is our Lord
forever and ever. Amen.

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-39-

Becoming like us in all things but sin, it is no

coincidence that when Jesus came to live among us on
the Earth, he was born into a family of his own.
At a time when the beauty of this ancient institution is
misunderstood and under attack, Steubenville Press offers
this prayer booklet, inspired by the teachings and example
of Pope Francis, to illuminate, enrich, protect, and
celebrate the family.
The comforting and timely prayers within this
booklet can bring healing and holiness to your family
life. Prayers for the Family includes many new prayers
for a variety of family needs, a novena with nine days of
specific intentions related to family life, and a new and
unique Litany of the Family that calls for the
intercession of holy spouses and parents throughout
salvation history, from Abraham and Sarah to Louis
and Zelie Martin.
Following the form and beauty of Understanding Mary
Undoer of Knots, Steubenville Press first novena
booklet, Prayers for the Family is sure to touch hearts
and inspire prayer in all readers.

STEUBENVILLE

PRESS

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