PRAYER TO ST. ANTHONY FORHEALTH OF AN EXPECTANT MOTHERAND HER UNBORN CHILD

Glorious St. Anthony,

you were blessed to hold the Infant Jesus in your arms.

I come to you now on behalf of (mention name)

who pleads for the health and safety of the child

that God has graced her to conceive.

St. Anthony, guard this life God has created,

and the mother God has chosen for this child.

Let your gentle hand,

like that of a skilled physician,

aid in her delivery

so that this baby will know good health and lasting happiness.

May her child be favored with the grace of holy baptism,

and grow to love our lord Jesus Christ

above all else in this world.

Amen.

NOVENA TO SAINT ANTHONY

It is the practice to pray the Thirteen Tuesdays before the feast of St. Anthony.

Begin in March, then end on the Tuesday before June 13th. You may conclude the

Novena to St. Anthony with the appropriate prayer for the respective Tuesday.

OPENING

In the name of the Father,

and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

ST. ANTHONY’S PRAYER

Lord Jesus, bind us to you

and to our neighbor with love.

May our hearts not be turned from you.

May our souls not be deceived

nor our talents or minds enticed by allurements of error,

so that we may never distance ourselves from your love.

Thus may we love our neighbor as ourselves with strength,

wisdom and gentleness.

With your help, you who are blessed throughout all ages.

Amen.

Pray for us, St. Anthony.

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

God, our loving Father,

You are glorified in your servant St. Anthony,

whose glory is the crowning of Your gifts to him.

In his life on earth You give us an example.

In our prayerful communion with him

You give us his friendship.

In his prayer for the Church

You give us strength and protection.

We praise and thank You, Lord,

for these benefits through Jesus Christ, Your Son.

Amen.

PRAYER OF PETITION

Holy St. Anthony,

you are the consolation of so many people.

We come to invoke your help,

confident of experiencing your goodness and power.

Pray for us to the Father of mercies

that we may obtain the graces we need

for ourselves and for our loved ones.

(Pause for your Personal Petitions)

True follower of St. Francis,

put into our hearts the flame of your love

that we may love our merciful Father in heaven

and our neighbors as ourselves.

Pray that we may fulfill the will of God

and live the way Jesus shows us in the Gospel.

Be a guide for us this day

that we may recognize the opportunities God gives us to be helping and caring.

Assist us in keeping the promises we made at our Baptism.

Help us to obtain the grace to walk in the light of faith

and to proclaim that faith by the way we live.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR EACH TUESDAY

Conclude each Tuesday’s Novena with the appropriate prayer.

First Tuesday

Finding Quiet Time

St. Anthony, you found quiet time to retreat into private communion

with God to replenish your life with new strength.

Help me in the midst of my busy life

to seek the Spirit’s guiding presence within my heart.

Second Tuesday

A Spirit of Prayer

St. Anthony, you lived in the midst of storm and danger

and were exposed to evils,

yet you kept a prayerful spirit.

Keep me prayerful and surround me by your constant care.

Third Tuesday

Spirit of Renewal

St. Anthony, you were challenged by change and new experiences

so many times in the course of our life.

Help me not to be afraid of the changes

that will take place in my own life

and to realize that by dealing with them I grow in faith.

Fourth Tuesday

Sorrow for Sin

St. Anthony, in your preaching of the Gospel

you proclaimed that God forgives sinners

and understands our human frailty.

Help me to acknowledge my trespasses against God

and act as a compassionate and forgive person.

Fifth Tuesday

Forgiveness of Sin

St. Anthony, you experienced in your ministry as a priest

the power of God healing the wounds through your touch.

Heal me and my dear ones according to God’s will.

Sixth Tuesday

Living Faith

St. Anthony, you carried out the daily responsibilities

of your religious life with attention,

care and loving faith.

May I dedicate myself in the same spirit of love

to the tasks God has given to me in union with Jesus.

Seventh Tuesday

A Grateful Heart

St. Anthony, you felt grateful for the countless blessings

that flowed into your life from the hands of God.

May I also gratefully recognize God’s presence in the events of my daily life.

Eighth Tuesday

The Gift of Love

St. Anthony, you found that the companionship

of your Franciscan brothers and sisters gave you happiness

and support as you spread the Gospel of "love at work".

May I be loyal and honest with my friends and respect their support.

Ninth Tuesday

Our Daily Bread

St. Anthony, each day you celebrated the Sacrifice of God’s Son,

the Living Bread broken and shared in love.

May I nurture others by sharing my daily bread unselfishly.

Tenth Tuesday

Gospel Living

St. Anthony, you walked in the footsteps of our Suffering Savior

by accepting with love the challenges of life.

Help me to live in your Gospel spirit

by accepting patiently whatever God permits for my own growth in holiness.

Eleventh Tuesday

Christ in the Poor

St. Anthony, you brought hope and comfort to the needy

and outcast people of your day.

Help me to view any problems as opportunities to grow

and share myself with those in need.

Twelfth Tuesday

Light to the World

St. Anthony, you led many from darkness to light

by your preaching and works of kindness.

May I also become light to others

and a radiant instrument of peace.

Thirteenth Tuesday

Reward of Eternal Life

St. Anthony, you rejoiced in God’s mysterious ways

and holy designs for your life here on earth.

I thank the Lord for my own unique existence

and for the people I alone can influence for good during my lifetime.

-from The Franciscans, St. Anthony’s Guild (Paterson, New Jersey)