The Holy Family

THE PRAYERS.

i. O Jesus, Son of the living God, brightness of the Eternal Light, generated most pure from all eternity in the bosom of the Eternal Father; who didst will to be born in time of a most pure amid immaculate Virgin, - I, Thy most frail creature, with all my heart pray Thee to keep me pure in soul and body, and to make holy purity flourish to the full again in Thy Holy Church, to Thine own greater glory, and to the Salvation of the souls redeemed by Thee.

ii. O most pure and Immaculate ever-Virgin Mary, Daughter of the Eternal Father, Mother of the Eternal Son, Spouse of the Holy Ghost, venerable and living Temple of the most Holy Trinity, Lily of purity, and Mirror without spot; obtain for me, dear Mother, from good Jesus, thine and mine, purity of soul and body; and pray to Him that He may cause this fair virtue more and more to flourish in all classes of the faithful.

iii. Most chaste Husband of Mary Immaculate, who didst merit from God the special honour to be the reputed father of Christ Jesus, innocence itself, guardian undefiled of the Virgin of virgins; obtain for me the love of Jesus, God my Saviour, and the special protection of Mary my most Holy Mother; and make it thy care, holy Joseph, my patron, protector of all chaste souls, that this virtue of holy purity, so loved by thee, may be better loved by me and by all men.

iv. And do thou, our special advocate and example, St. Bernardine, lover of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, model of Christian modesty, and restorer in thine own time of piety and good morals, present our supplications to the Holy Family, and implore of them for our times that, together with piety and the fear of God, holy purity of soul and body may reign in all Christian families, and in all who are the children of the holy Roman Church our Mother. Amen.