In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day
our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning
is now, and ever shall be
world without end. Amen.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
Hail our life, our sweetness and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn, then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this, our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known
that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help,
or sought thy intercession,
was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence
I fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To thee do I come,
before thee I stand,
sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.

We fly to Thy protection, O Holy Mother of God.
Do not despise our petitions in our necessities,
but deliver us always from all dangers,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia!
for he whom you were worthy to bear, alleluia!
has risen as he said, alleluia!
Pray for us to God, alleluia!

Let us pray;
O God, who through the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, did vouchsafe to give joy to the world; grant, we beseech you, that through his Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary.
V. And the Word was made flesh.
R. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray;
Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

To recite the Chaplet to the Divine Mercy, a normal rosary is used. The following prayers are said:

1. Sign of the Cross
2. Our Father
3. Hail Mary
4. The Apostles’ Creed

5. On the Our Father bead of a rosary, the following prayer is said:

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly Beloved Son,
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

6. On the Hail Mary beads of a rosary, the following prayer is said:

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

7. The following invocation is repeated 3 times:

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

8. Optional closing prayer:

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

Saint Michael Archangel, defend us in battle,
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil;
may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Angel of God,
my guardian dear,
to whom God’s love commits me here,
ever this day be at my side,
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.

Soul of Christ, be my sanctification.
Body of Christ, be my salvation.
Blood of Christ, fill all my veins.
Water of Christ’s side, wash out my stains.
Passion of Christ, my comfort be.
O good Jesus, listen to me.
In Thy wounds I fain would hide,
N’er to be parted from Thy side,
Guard me, should the foe assail me.
Call me when my life shall fail me.
Bid me come to Thee above,
With Thy saints to sing Thy love,
World without end. Amen.

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. I believe one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became Man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

O my God, I firmly believe
that you are one God in three divine Persons,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I believe that your divine Son became man
and died for our sins and that he will come

O Lord God,
I hope by your grace for the pardon
of all my sins
and after life here to gain eternal happiness

O Lord God, I love you above all things
and I love my neighbor for your sake
because you are the highest, infinite and perfect
good, worthy of all my love.

Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend:
Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end.

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator come,
From your bright heavenly throne!
Come, take possession of our souls,
And make them all your own.
You who are called the Paraclete,
Best gift of God above,
The living spring, the living fire,
Sweet unction, and true love!
You who are sevenfold in your grace,
Finger of God's right hand,
His promise, teaching little ones
To speak and understand!
O guide our minds with your blessed light,
With love our hearts inflame,
And with your strength which never decays
Confirm our mortal frame.
Far from us drive our hellish foe
True peace unto us bring,
And through all perils guide us safe
Beneath your sacred wing.
Through you may we the Father know,
Through you the eternal Son
And you the Spirit of them both
Thrice-blessed three in one.
All glory to the Father be,
And to the risen Son;
The same to you, O Paraclete,
While endless ages run. Amen.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father
Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

You are God: we praise you;
You are God: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
Your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
And the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
The eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
You did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
And opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
Bought with the price of your own blood,
And bring us with your saints
To glory everlasting.
Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
Govern and uphold them now and always.
Day by day we bless you.
We praise your name forever.
Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope:
And we shall never hope in vain

V. Let us pray for Leo XIV, our Pope.

R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the
earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful,
look favorably on your servant Leo XIV,
whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd;
grant, we pray, that by word and example

he may be of service to those over whom he presides
so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care,
he may come to everlasting life.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if you were already there,
and I unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
(Saint Alphonsus Liguori)

At Your feet, O my Jesus,
I prostrate myself and I offer You
repentance of my contrite heart,
which is humbled in its nothingness
and in Your holy presence.
I adore You in the Sacrament of Your love,
the ineffable Eucharist.
I desire to receive You
into the poor dwelling that my heart offers You.
While waiting for the happiness of sacramental communion,
I wish to possess You in spirit.
Come to me, O my Jesus,
since I, for my part, am coming to You!
May Your love embrace my whole being in life and in death.
I believe in You,
I hope in You,
I love You. Amen.
(Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val)

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,
and defend us from every evil. Amen.

(Pope Francis, Patris Corde)

Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
in you we contemplate
the splendour 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,
make us once more mindful
of the sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Graciously hear our prayer.
Amen.

(Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia, 325)

O Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, in this time of trial we turn to you. As our Mother, you love us and know us: no concern of our hearts is hidden from you. Mother of mercy, how often we have experienced your watchful care and your peaceful presence! You never cease to guide us to Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Yet we have strayed from that path of peace. We have forgotten the lesson learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two world wars. We have disregarded the commitments we made as a community of nations. We have betrayed peoples’ dreams of peace and the hopes of the young. We grew sick with greed, we thought only of our own nations and their interests, we grew indifferent and caught up in our selfish needs and concerns. We chose to ignore God, to be satisfied with our illusions, to grow arrogant and aggressive, to suppress innocent lives and to stockpile weapons. We stopped being our neighbour’s keepers and stewards of our common home. We have ravaged the garden of the earth with war and by our sins we have broken the heart of our heavenly Father, who desires us to be brothers and sisters. We grew indifferent to everyone and everything except ourselves. Now with shame we cry out: Forgive us, Lord!

Holy Mother, amid the misery of our sinfulness, amid our struggles and weaknesses, amid the mystery of iniquity that is evil and war, you remind us that God never abandons us, but continues to look upon us with love, ever ready to forgive us and raise us up to new life. He has given you to us and made your Immaculate Heart a refuge for the Church and for all humanity. By God’s gracious will, you are ever with us; even in the most troubled moments of our history, you are there to guide us with tender love.

We now turn to you and knock at the door of your heart. We are your beloved children. In every age you make yourself known to us, calling us to conversion. At this dark hour, help us and grant us your comfort. Say to us once more: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” You are able to untie the knots of our hearts and of our times. In you we place our trust. We are confident that, especially in moments of trial, you will not be deaf to our supplication and will come to our aid.

That is what you did at Cana in Galilee, when you interceded with Jesus and he worked the first of his signs. To preserve the joy of the wedding feast, you said to him: “They have no wine” (Jn 2:3). Now, O Mother, repeat those words and that prayer, for in our own day we have run out of the wine of hope, joy has fled, fraternity has faded. We have forgotten our humanity and squandered the gift of peace. We opened our hearts to violence and destructiveness. How greatly we need your maternal help!

Therefore, O Mother, hear our prayer.
Star of the Sea, do not let us be shipwrecked in the tempest of war.
Ark of the New Covenant, inspire projects and paths of reconciliation.
Queen of Heaven, restore God’s peace to the world.
Eliminate hatred and the thirst for revenge, and teach us forgiveness.
Free us from war, protect our world from the menace of nuclear weapons.
Queen of the Rosary, make us realize our need to pray and to love.
Queen of the Human Family, show people the path of fraternity.
Queen of Peace, obtain peace for our world.

O Mother, may your sorrowful plea stir our hardened hearts. May the tears you shed for us make this valley parched by our hatred blossom anew. Amid the thunder of weapons, may your prayer turn our thoughts to peace. May your maternal touch soothe those who suffer and flee from the rain of bombs. May your motherly embrace comfort those forced to leave their homes and their native land. May your Sorrowful Heart move us to compassion and inspire us to open our doors and to care for our brothers and sisters who are injured and cast aside.

Holy Mother of God, as you stood beneath the cross, Jesus, seeing the disciple at your side, said: “Behold your son” (Jn 19:26). In this way he entrusted each of us to you. To the disciple, and to each of us, he said: “Behold, your Mother” (v. 27). Mother Mary, we now desire to welcome you into our lives and our history. At this hour, a weary and distraught humanity stands with you beneath the cross, needing to entrust itself to you and, through you, to consecrate itself to Christ. The people of Ukraine and Russia, who venerate you with great love, now turn to you, even as your heart beats with compassion for them and for all those peoples decimated by war, hunger, injustice and poverty.

Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust and consecrate ourselves, the Church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine. Accept this act that we carry out with confidence and love. Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world. The “Fiat” that arose from your heart opened the doors of history to the Prince of Peace. We trust that, through your heart, peace will dawn once more. To you we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world.

Through your intercession, may God’s mercy be poured out on the earth and the gentle rhythm of peace return to mark our days. Our Lady of the “Fiat”, on whom the Holy Spirit descended, restore among us the harmony that comes from God. May you, our “living fountain of hope”, water the dryness of our hearts. In your womb Jesus took flesh; help us to foster the growth of communion. You once trod the streets of our world; lead us now on the paths of peace. Amen.

Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,

Holy Mary,
pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of Mercy,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother of Hope,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother
most admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Saviour,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honour,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower
of ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Solace of Migrants,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of Angels,
Queen of Patriarchs,
Queen of Prophets,
Queen of Apostles,
Queen of Martyrs,
Queen of Confessors,
Queen of Virgins,
Queen of all Saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most holy Rosary,
Queen of families,
Queen of peace.

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 holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee,
O Lord God,
that we, your servants,
may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body;
and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin,
may be delivered from present sorrow,
and obtain eternal joy.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Introduction
The road to Calvary passes through the streets we tread each day. Usually, Lord, we are walking in the other direction, and so it may just happen that we encounter you, catch sight of your face, meet your gaze. We are going about our way as usual, and you are coming towards us. Your eyes look into our hearts. Then we find it hard to continue on, as if nothing happened. We can turn around, contemplate you and follow you. We can walk in your footsteps and come to realize that it was good for us to change direction.

From the Gospel according to Mark (10:21)
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

Your name is Jesus, and truly in you “God saves.” The God of Abraham who calls, the God of Isaac who provides, the God of Jacob who blesses, the God of Israel who liberates: in your gaze, Lord, as you pass through Jerusalem, an entire revelation is contained. The steps you take as you leave the city can foreshadow our own exodus to a new land. You came to change the world: for us, that means changing direction, seeing the goodness of your path, letting the memory of your glance transform our hearts.

The Stations of the Cross is the prayer of people on the move. It disrupts our usual routine and enables us to pass from weariness and apathy towards true joy. Yes, following the path of Jesus has a price: in this world that puts a price on everything, gratuitousness proves costly. In that gift, however, everything blossoms anew: a city split into factions and torn by conflict can move towards reconciliation; an arid piety can rediscover the freshness of God’s promises; and a heart of stone can turn into a heart of flesh. We need only hear his invitation: “Come! Follow me!” And trust in that gaze of love.

First Station
Jesus is condemned to death

From the Gospel according to Luke (23:13-16)
Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”

It did not work out that way. Pilate did not set you free. Yet, it might have gone differently. Such is the dramatic interplay of our individual freedoms. That was what you so greatly respected in us, Lord. You trusted Herod, Pilate, your friends and your enemies alike. You never take back the trust with which you place yourself in our hands. We can learn marvellous lessons from this: how to free those unjustly accused, how to acknowledge the complexity of situations, how to protest lethal judgements. Even Herod could have followed the holy restlessness that attracted him to you: yet he chose not to, even when he was finally in your presence. Pilate could have freed you: he had already acquitted you. He chose not to. The way of the cross, Jesus, is a possibility that we have already too many times failed to consider. Let us admit it: we have been prisoners of the roles we choose to continue playing, fearful of the challenge of a change in the direction of our lives. Yet you are always there, silently standing before us, in every one of our sisters and brothers exposed to judgement and bigotry. Religious disputes, legal quibbles, the so-called common sense that keeps us from getting involved in the fate of others: a thousand reasons drag us to the side of Herod, the priests, Pilate and the crowd. Yet, it could be otherwise. You, Jesus, do not wash your hands of all this. You continue to love, in silence. You have made your choice, and now it is our turn.

Let us pray, saying: Open my heart, Jesus!
When I see someone I have already judged,
Open my heart, Jesus!
When my certainties are simply prejudices,
Open my heart, Jesus!
When I am harsh and unbending,
Open my heart, Jesus!
When goodness quietly attracts me,
Open my heart, Jesus!
When I want to be strong, but fear my frailty,
Open my heart, Jesus!

Second Station
Jesus carries his cross

From the Gospel according to Luke (9:43-45)
While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.” But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

For months, perhaps years, you bore that burden, Jesus. When you spoke of it, no one listened to you: there was invincible resistance even to thinking about it. You did not ask for the cross, yet you felt it, ever more clearly, moving towards you. If you accepted it, it was because you felt not only its burden, but also its responsibility. The way of your cross, Jesus, is not only uphill. It is also your descent towards those whom you loved, towards this world that God loves. It is a response, an acceptance of responsibility. The cross has its price, as do all the deepest bonds, the greatest loves. The burden you bear speaks of the Spirit that moves you, the Holy Spirit “who is Lord, the giver of life.” Why, really, are we afraid even to question you about this? In truth, we are the ones who gasp, out of breath, as a result of our attempts to flee responsibility. All we need do is to stop running away and to remain in the company of those you have given us, in the situations where you have placed us. To bind ourselves to them, recognizing that only in this way can we stop being prisoners of ourselves. Selfishness burdens us more than the cross. Indifference burdens us more than sharing. The prophet had foretold it: Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Is 40:30-31).

Let us pray, saying: Deliver us from weariness, Lord
If we feel burdened by life,
Deliver us from weariness, Lord!
If we lack the will to help others,
Deliver us from weariness, Lord!
If we seek excuses to shirk our duties,
Deliver us from weariness, Lord!
If we have talents and skills to share,
Deliver us from weariness, Lord!
If our hearts rebel against injustice,
Deliver us from weariness, Lord!

Third Station
Jesus falls the first time

From the Gospel according to Luke (10:13-15)
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgement it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.”

It was like hitting rock bottom, and you spoke harsh words, Jesus, about those places that were so dear to you. The seed of your word seemed to have fallen into the abyss, as did all your acts of deliverance. Every prophet felt himself plunging into the abyss of failure, only then to get up and keep walking in the ways of God. Your life, Jesus, is a parable: on the soil of our lives, you never fall in vain. Even at that first fall, your disappointment was soon interrupted by the joy of remembering the disciples whom you had sent out: they returned from their mission and told you of the signs of the Kingdom of God. Then you rejoiced with a spontaneous, overflowing joy that made you leap to your feet with contagious energy. You blessed the Father, who conceals his plans from the wise and the learned in order to reveal them to the little ones. Even the way of the cross is traced close to the earth. The mighty withdraw from it; they desire to grasp at heaven. Yet heaven is here below; it hangs low, and we can encounter it even when we fall flat on the ground. Today’s builders of Babel tell us that there is no room for losers, and that those who fall along the way are losers. Theirs is the construction site of Hell. God’s economy, on the other hand, does not kill, discard or crush. It is lowly, faithful to the earth. Your way, Jesus, is the way of the Beatitudes. It does not crush, but cultivates, repairs and protects.

Let us pray, saying: May your kingdom come!
For those who think they have failed,
May your kingdom come!
To challenge an economy that kills,
May your kingdom come!
To restore strength to those who have fallen,
May your kingdom come!
In a world of competition and competitors,
May your kingdom come!
For those left behind, lacking hope for the future,
May your kingdom come!

Fourth Station
Jesus meets his Mother

From the Gospel according to Luke (8:19-21)
Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Your Mother is there, on the way to the cross: she was your first disciple. With quiet determination, with the wisdom born of pondering all these things in her heart, your Mother is present. From the moment she was asked to welcome you in her womb, she turned to you. She bent her ways to yours. This was not a sacrifice but a continuous discovery, all the way to Calvary. To follow you is to let you go; to possess you is to make room for your newness. As every mother knows, children constantly surprise us. Beloved Son, you realize that your mother and your brothers and sisters are all those who hear your words and let themselves be changed, those who do not speak, but act. In God, words are deeds, promises are realities. On the way to the cross, O Mother, you are among the few who remember this. Now it is your Son who needs you: he knows that you do not despair. He senses that you continue to give birth to the Word in your heart. We too, Jesus, can follow you because we were begotten by your followers. We too can live in the world due to the faith of your Mother and of the countless witnesses who generate life even in those places where everything speaks of death. That time, in Galilee, it was they who wanted to see you. Now, as you ascend to Calvary, you seek the gaze of those who listen and act. An ineffable understanding. An unbreakable covenant.

Let us pray, saying: Behold my Mother!
Mary listens, then speaks:
Behold my Mother!
Mary asks and reflects:
Behold my Mother!
Mary sets out with determination:
Behold my Mother!
Mary rejoices and consoles:
Behold my Mother!
Mary welcomes and cares:
Behold my Mother!
Mary risks and protects:
Behold my Mother!
Mary has no fear of judgements and insinuations:
Behold my Mother!
Mary stays and waits:
Behold my Mother!
Mary guides and accompanies:
Behold my Mother!
Mary concedes nothing to death:
Behold my Mother!

Fifth Station
Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross

From the Gospel according to Luke (23:26)
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.

He did not volunteer; they stopped him. Simon was returning from his work and they made him carry the cross of a condemned man. He may have had the right physique, but surely he had something else in mind, another set of things to do. Yet we can encounter God like that. Lord, who knows why that name — Simon of Cyrene — was never forgotten by your disciples. On the way to the cross they were not there, nor were we, but Simon was. It is true to this day: when someone offers himself completely, we can be elsewhere, even on the run, or we can choose to get involved. We believe, Lord, that the reason we remember Simon’s name was because that unexpected event changed him forever. After that, he never stopped thinking of you. He became part of your body, a first-hand witness of how you were unlike any other condemned man. Simon of Cyrene found himself, without having asked, bearing your cross, like the yoke of which you once said: “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt 11:30). Even beasts plough better when they move forward together. You, Jesus, love to involve us in your work, which ploughs the earth so that it may be sown anew. We need the surprising lightness of your yoke. We need people who can stop us at times and put some burden on our shoulders, one that we have no choice but to bear. We can work all day long, but without you, it is in vain. Vain is the toil of the builders, in vain does the watchman keep watch over a city that God does not build (cf. Ps 127). On the way of the cross, the new Jerusalem is rising. May we, like Simon of Cyrene, alter our course and work with you.

Let us pray saying: Alter our course, Lord!
When we go our own way, eyes averted:
Alter our course, Lord!
When news reports do not disturb us:
Alter our course, Lord!
When faces become statistics:
Alter our course, Lord!
When we never find time to listen:
Alter our course, Lord!
When we make decisions in haste:
Alter our course, Lord!
When we refuse to break out of our routine:
Alter our course, Lord!

Sixth Station
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

From the Gospel according to Luke (9:29-31)
While he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

From Psalm 27

“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, do I seek. Do not hide your face from me.
Contemplating your face, Jesus, we see into your heart. In your eyes, we see your determination; it is etched into your face, which manifests your clear resolve. You see Veronica, as you do me. I too see your face, which tells of your decision to love us to your last breath and even beyond, for love is strong as death (cf. Song 8:6). Our hearts are changed by the sight of your face, which I long to contemplate and cherish. You deliver yourself into our hands, day by day, in the face of every man and woman we meet, a living reminder of your Incarnation. Whenever we turn to the least of our brothers and sisters, we see you, your flesh and your presence among us. In this way, you brighten our hearts and our facial expressions. Instead of rejecting others, we now accept them. On the way of the cross, our faces, like yours, can at last become radiant and a source of blessing. You have impressed the memory of your face in our hearts as a pledge of your return, when you will recognize each of us at first glance. Then, perhaps, we will come to be like you. Then we shall be — face to face, in eternal dialogue, in joyful intimacy — the family of God.
Let us pray, saying: Jesus, impress your memory upon us!
If our faces are expressionless:
Jesus, impress your memory upon us!
If our hearts are indifferent:
Jesus, impress your memory upon us!
If our actions are divisive:
Jesus, impress your memory upon us!
If our choices cause hurt:
Jesus, impress your memory upon us!
If our plans exclude others:
Jesus, impress your memory upon us!

Seventh Station
Jesus falls the second time

From the Gospel according to Luke (15: 2-6)
And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’”

Fall and get up again; fall and get up again. That is how you taught us, Jesus, to approach the adventure of human life. A life that is human because it is open to the future. We do not permit machines to make mistakes: we expect them to be perfect. People, on the other hand, get confused, distracted, lost. Yet they also know joy: the joy of new beginnings, the joy of rebirth. Humans are not mass-produced but handcrafted: we are unique treasures, a blend of grace and responsibility. Lord Jesus, you made yourself one of us; you were not afraid to stumble and fall. All those who are embarrassed by this, those who want to appear infallible, who hide their own falls yet refuse to pardon those of others, reject the path that you chose. You, Jesus, are the Lord of joy. In you, all of us were found and brought home, like the one sheep that had gone astray. An economy in which the ninety-nine are more important than the one is inhumane. Yet we have built a world that works like that: a world of calculation and algorithms, of cold logic and implacable interests. The law of your home, the divine economy, is different, Lord. When we turn our hearts to you, who fall and rise again, we experience a change of course and a change of pace. A conversion that restores our joy and brings us safely home.

Let us pray, saying: Raise us up, God, our salvation!
We are children who cry at times:
Raise us up, God our salvation!
We are adolescents who feel insecure:
Raise us up, God our salvation!
We are young people dismissed by many adults
Raise us up, God our salvation!
We are adults who have made mistakes:
Raise us up, God our salvation!
We are elderly people who still want to dream:
Raise us up, God our salvation!

Eighth Station
Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

From the Gospel according to Luke (23:27-31)
A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us;’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

In women, Lord, you always saw a special likeness to the heart of God. That is why, amid the great crowd of people who turned around and followed you that day, you immediately caught sight of the women and once again felt their closeness. A city is a different place when women care for those around them, when we see mothers holding their children and nursing them; then we look beyond power and profit, and sense the things that really matter. The wailing women find their hearts moved at the sight of your suffering. For the heart is where things connect, and thoughts and decisions are born. “Do not weep for me.” God’s heart throbs with love for his people; he creates a new city: “Weep for yourselves and for your children.” There is a kind of weeping, indeed, which can bring forth a new birth. It brings forth tears of regret, unabashed and unrestrained. Lord, our broken world, and the hurts and offences that tear our human family apart, call for tears that are heartfelt and not merely perfunctory. Otherwise, the apocalyptic visions will all come true: we will no longer generate life, and everything around us will collapse. Faith, on the other hand, can move mountains. The mountains and the hills will not crash down upon us, but a path will open up in their midst. It is your path, Jesus: an uphill path, a path on which the apostles abandoned you, while the faithful women — the mothers of the Church — continued to follow you.

Let us pray, saying: Jesus, grant us a maternal heart!
You filled the Church’s history with holy women:
Jesus, grant us a maternal heart!
You disdained arrogance and domination:
Jesus, grant us a maternal heart!
You embraced and consoled the tears of mothers:
Jesus, grant us a maternal heart!
You made women the messengers of the resurrection:
Jesus, grant us a maternal heart!
You inspire new charisms and missions in the Church:
Jesus, grant us a maternal heart!

Ninth Station
Jesus falls the third time

From the Gospel according to Luke (7:44-49)
[Jesus] said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Not just once or twice, Jesus: you fall yet another time. When you were a child, like every child, you knew what it was to fall. In this way, you came to understand and embrace our humanity, which falls constantly. Sin distances us from one another, yet your sinless existence brings you close to every sinner, even amid their falls. And this invites them to conversion. That is a scandal for all those who keep their distance from others and even from themselves. It is a scandal for those who lead a double life, between what they should be and what they really are. Before your mercy, Jesus, all hypocrisy falls away. Our masks, our elegant veneers, are of no use. God sees into the heart. He loves the heart. He warms the heart. And so it is that you lift me up and set me on my way once more on paths yet untrodden, paths of boldness and generosity. Who are you, Jesus, who forgives even sins? Fallen to the ground on the way of the cross, you are the Saviour of this earth that we tread, this earth from which we were made. Here, on this earth, you continue to shape us, like a skillful potter.

Let us pray, saying: We are clay in your hands
When it seems that nothing can change, remind us:
We are clay in your hands.
When conflicts seem interminable, remind us:
We are clay in your hands.
When technology tempts us to feel all-powerful, remind us:
We are clay in your hands.
When prosperity estranges us from the earth, remind us:
We are clay in your hands.
When we are more concerned about appearances than the heart, remind us:
We are clay in your hands.

Tenth Station
Jesus is stripped of his garments

From the Book of Job (1:20-22)
Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.

You do not remove your robe, it is stripped from you. The difference is clear to all of us, Jesus. Only one who loves us can see our nakedness and make it his own. We, on the other hand, are fearful of the eyes of those who do not know us, who are concerned only to possess us. Stripped naked, exposed to the view of all, you change even humiliation into intimacy. You want to reveal yourself completely even to those who kill you; you look upon those who strip you of everything as loved ones given to you by the Father. There is something greater here than the patience of Job, greater even than his faith. You are the Bridegroom who lets himself be taken and touched, who turns everything to good. You leave us your garments, like relics of a consummated love. They are now in our hands, a sign that you were with us, in our midst. We have kept your garments and now we cast lots for them, but the winner, here, is not just one, but all. You know each of us singly, so as to save us together: all of us, each and every one. And if the Church may appear today as a torn garment, teach us how to weave anew the fabric of our fraternity, grounded in your gift. We are your body, your seamless robe, your Bride. For so we are, all together. For our lots have fallen on goodly places; we have a splendid heritage (cf. Ps 16:6).

Let us pray, saying: Grant peace and unity to your Church
Lord Jesus, you see your disciples divided:
Grant peace and unity to your Church
Lord Jesus, you bear the wounds of our history:
Grant peace and unity to your Church
Lord Jesus, you know how frail is our love:
Grant peace and unity to your Church
Lord Jesus, you wish us to be members of your body:
Grant peace and unity to your Church
Lord Jesus, you are enrobed in mercy:
Grant peace and unity to your Church

Eleventh Station
Jesus is nailed to the cross

From the Gospel according to Luke (23:32-34)
Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Nothing frightens us more than being unable to move. Yet here you are, bound, nailed, held fast. Still, you are not alone, but in the company of two others, resolved to reveal yourself even on the cross as “God with us.” Revelation never stops; it is not nailed to one place. Lord, you show us that in every situation there is a choice to be made. That is the amazing reality of our freedom. Not even on the cross are you stripped of your freedom: you decide why and for whom you are there. You are attentive to both the men crucified with you: you let slip the insults of one and you hear the plea of the other. You are even concerned for the men who crucify you: you peer into the hearts of those who “know not what they do.” You look up to the sky: you would like it clearer, yet you break through its barrier of gloom with the light of your intercession. Nailed to the cross you intercede: you “stand between” conflicting parties. And you bring them to God, because your cross tears down walls, cancels debts, quashes judgements, establishes reconciliation. You yourself are the true Jubilee. Convert us to you, Jesus; though nailed fast to the cross, you are able to do all things.

Let us pray, saying: Teach us to love
When we are strong and when we are not:
Teach us to love.
When we are bound by unjust laws or decisions:
Teach us to love.
When we are at odds with those uninterested in truth and justice:
Teach us to love.
When we are tempted to despair:
Teach us to love.
When everyone says, “There is nothing to be done:”
Teach us to love.

Twelfth Station
Jesus dies on the cross

From the Gospel according to Luke (23:45-49)
The sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Where do we stand on Calvary? Beneath the cross? Somewhere nearby? At a safe distance? Or perhaps, like the apostles, no longer even there. You breathe your last, and this breath, both last and first, asks only to be received. Lord Jesus, direct our paths towards this, your gift. Do not allow your breath of life to be dispersed. Our darkness seeks light. Our temples want to remain ever open. Now the Holy One is no longer beyond the veil: his mystery is revealed to all. It is perceived by a soldier, who, watching you die, recognizes a new kind of power. The crowd that had cried out against you understands it: formerly distant, they now encounter the spectacle of an unprecedented love, a beauty that revives faith. To those who watch you die, Lord, you give an opportunity to repent, to return to you, and to beat our breast in order to shatter our hardness of heart. Jesus, grant that we, who all too often regard you from a distance, may always be mindful of you, so that when at last you come, death itself may find us alive.

Let us pray, saying: Holy Spirit, come!
We have kept our distance from the Lord’s wounds:
Holy Spirit, come!
We have turned away from our brothers and sisters in need:
Holy Spirit, come!
We have regarded the merciful and the poor in spirit as losers:
Holy Spirit, come!
Believers and non-believers stand before your cross:
Holy Spirit, come!
The whole world yearns for a new beginning:
Holy Spirit, come!

Thirteenth Station
Jesus is taken down from the cross

From the Gospel according to Luke (23:50-53)
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.

Your body is now, at last, in the hands of a good and righteous man. You are shrouded in the sleep of death, Jesus, but a vibrant, generous heart has now chosen to stand by you. Joseph was not one of those who talk but then fail to act. “He had not agreed to their plan and action,” the Gospel tells us. And this is good news: someone who chose not to care for the opinion of others now cares for you, Jesus. You are cared for by someone who is concerned to do what he considers right. You are now in the hands of Joseph of Arimathea, one who “was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.” You are now in the hands of someone who continues to hope, one of those who refuse to think that injustice always prevails. You break the bonds of the inevitable, Jesus. You challenge the mindsets that devastate the earth, our common home, and human solidarity. You grant to those who “wait expectantly” for your kingdom the courage to speak to power: like Moses before Pharaoh, like Joseph of Arimathea before Pilate. You embolden us to take on great tasks. In this way, even in death, you continue to reign. For us, Jesus, to serve you is itself to reign.

Let us pray, saying: To serve you is to reign
When we feed the hungry:
To serve you is to reign.
When we give drink to the thirsty:
To serve you is to reign.
When we clothe the naked:
To serve you is to reign.
When we welcome the stranger:
To serve you is to reign.
When we visit the sick:
To serve you is to reign.
When we visit prisoners:
To serve you is to reign.
When we bury the dead:
To serve you is to reign.

Fourteenth Station
Jesus is laid in the tomb

From the Gospel according to Luke (23:53-56)
[Joseph of Arimathea] wrapped [the body of Jesus] in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath, they rested according to the commandment.

In a world of hectic activity, Jesus, you now experience your Sabbath. The women experience it too; their spices and ointments seem already to prefigure the resurrection. Teach us how to do nothing at those times when it is asked of us only to wait. Teach us sensitivity to the seasons of the earth, which are not those of our making. Laid in the tomb, Lord Jesus, you share in our common human condition, descending to the depths that so terrify us. You see how we try to escape them by keeping desperately busy. Often we end up merely going around in circles, but then the light of the Sabbath shines forth: it teaches us; it tells us of our need to rest. To experience a godly life, life on a truly human scale, a life that knows the peace of the Sabbath. This is what the prophet Micah foretold: “They shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid” (Mic 4:4). So too, Zechariah tells us: “On that day, says the Lord of hosts, you shall invite each other to come under your vine and fig tree” (Zech 3:10). Lord Jesus, who seem to sleep amid the tempests of this world, bring us all into the peace of the Sabbath rest. Then we shall see creation in all its beauty and goodness, destined for resurrection. Then there will be peace for your people and peace among the nations.

Let us pray, saying: May your peace come!
For earth, air and water:
May your peace come!
For the just and the unjust alike:
May your peace come!
For those who are overlooked and voiceless:
May your peace come!
For the powerless and the poor:
May your peace come!
For those who await a springtime of justice:
May your peace come!

Concluding Reflections and Prayer

“‘Laudato sì, mi’ Signore’ — ‘Praise be to you, my Lord.’ In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister... This sister now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her” (Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, 1-2).

“‘Fratelli tutti.’ With these words, Saint Francis addressed his brothers and sisters and proposed to them a way of life marked by the flavour of the Gospel” (Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, 1).

“‘He loved us, Saint Paul says of Christ... in order to make us realize that nothing can ever ‘separate us’ from that love” (Encyclical Letter Dilexit Nos, 1).

We have walked the Stations of the Cross. We have turned towards the love from which nothing can ever separate us. Now, as the King sleeps and a great silence descends upon all the earth, let us pray, in the words of Saint Francis, for the gift of heartfelt conversion:

Most High and glorious God,
Cast your light into the darkness of my heart.
Grant me right faith,
firm hope,
perfect charity,
and profound humility.
Grant me, Lord, wisdom and understanding,
so that I may do your true and holy will. Amen.

Mary, look at us! We stand here before you. You are our Mother, and you know our struggles and our hurts. Queen of Peace, you suffer with us and for us, as you see so many of your children suffering from the conflicts and wars that are tearing our world apart.

This is a dark hour. This is a dark hour, Mother. In this dark hour, we look to you, and in the light of your countenance we entrust ourselves and our problems to your maternal Heart, which knows our anxieties and fears. How great was your concern when there was no place for Jesus at the inn! How great was your fear when you fled in haste to Egypt because Herod sought to kill him! How great was your anguish before you found him in the Temple! Yet, Mother, amid those trials, you showed your strength, you acted boldly: you trusted in God and responded to concern with tender care, to fear with love, to anguish with acceptance. Mother, you did not step back, but at decisive moments you always took initiative: with haste you visited Elizabeth; at the wedding feast of Cana you prompted Jesus’ first miracle; in the Upper Room you kept the disciples united. And when, on Calvary, a sword pierced your heart, Mother, by your humility and strength you kept alive the hope of Easter through the night of sorrow.

Now, Mother, once more take the initiative for us, in these times rent by conflicts and laid waste by the fire of arms. Turn your eyes of mercy towards our human family, which has strayed from the path of peace, preferred Cain to Abel and lost the ability to see each other as brothers and sisters dwelling in a common home. Intercede for our world, in such turmoil and great danger. Teach us to cherish and care for life – each and every human life! – and to repudiate the folly of war, which sows death and eliminates the future.

Mary, how many times have you come, urging prayer and repentance. Yet, caught up in our own needs and distracted by the things of this world, we have turned a deaf ear to your appeal. In your love for us, you never abandon us, Mother. Lead us by the hand. Lead us by the hand and bring us to conversion; help us once again to put God first. Help us to preserve unity in the Church and to be artisans of communion in our world. Make us realize once more the importance of the role we play; strengthen our sense of responsibility for the cause of peace as men and women called to pray, worship, intercede and make reparation for the whole human race.

By ourselves, Mother, we cannot succeed; without your Son, we can do nothing. But you bring us back to Jesus, who is our Peace. Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, we come before you and we seek refuge in your Immaculate Heart. Mother of mercy, we appeal for mercy! Queen of Peace, we appeal for peace! Touch the hearts of those imprisoned by hatred; convert those who fuel and foment conflict. Dry the tears of children – at this hour, so many are weeping! – be present to those who are elderly and alone; strengthen the wounded and the sick; protect those forced to leave their lands and their loved ones; console the crestfallen; awaken new hope.

To you we entrust and consecrate our lives and every fibre of our being, all that we possess and all that we are, forever. To you we consecrate the Church, so that in her witness to the love of Jesus before the world, she may be a sign of harmony and an instrument of peace. To you we consecrate our world, to you we consecrate especially those countries and regions at war.

Your faithful people call you the dawn of salvation; Mother, grant that glimmers of light may illumine the dark night of conflict. Dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit, inspire the leaders of nations to seek paths of peace. Queen of all peoples, reconcile your children, seduced by evil, blinded by power and hate. You, who are close to all, shorten our distances. You, who have compassion on everyone, teach us to care for one another. You, who reveal the Lord’s tender love, make us witnesses of his consolation and peace. Mother, Queen of Peace, pour forth into our hearts God’s gift of harmony. Amen.

Good Father, I know you are with me. Here I am on this new day. Place my heart once more with the Heart of your Son Jesus, who gives himself for me and who comes to me in the Eucharist. May your Holy Spirit make me his friend and apostle, available for his mission of compassion.
I place in your hands my joys and hopes, my works and sufferings, everything that I am and have, in communion with my brothers and sisters of this Worldwide Prayer Network.
With Mary, I offer you my day for the mission of the Church and for the prayer intentions of the Pope and my Bishop for this month.
Amen.

Prayers taught by the Angel

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You!

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly and I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference with which He is offended. And through the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.

Prayers taught by Our Lady

O Jesus, it is for love of You, and for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary!

O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need.

Prayer communicated to the children in an interior impulse

O most Holy Trinity, I adore You. My God, my God, I love You in the most Blessed Sacrament.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
O God, whose only-begotten Son,
by his life, death and resurrection,
has purchased for us
the rewards of eternal life,
grant, we beseech thee,
that meditating on these mysteries
of the most holy Rosary of the
Blessed Virgin Mary,
we may imitate what they contain
and obtain what they promise,
through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.