UNIVERSAL PRAYER OF POPE CLEMENT XI

I thought I'd offer a prayer from a 1959 Missal. It's not in all missals, but somehow it seems appropriate for these days, as well as for all times. There is an Indulgence of 5 years, and a Plenary Indulgence under the usual conditions once a month. This means you go to Confession, as well as Mass.

He was born in 1649, and died in 1721. He was unamimously named Pope in 1700. Of the many things he did as Pope, Clement XI extended the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary to the Universal Church in 1716. And, among those whom he Canonized, one name stands out, at least to me, Pope Pius V.


UNIVERSAL PRAYER OF POPE CLEMENT XI

O my God, I believe in You; do You strengthen my Faith. All my hopes are in You; do You secure them. I love You with my whole heart; teach me to love You daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended You; do You increase my sorrow.

I adore You as my first beginning. I aspire after You as my last end. I give You thanks as my constant benefactor. I call upon You as my sovereign protector. Deign, O my God, to conduct me by Your wisdom, to restrain me by Your justice, to comfort me by Your mercy, and to defend me by Your power.

To You I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings; that henceforward I may think of You, speak of You, willingly refer all my actions to Your greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever You shall appoint.

Lord, I desire that in all things Your will may be done, because it is Your will, and in the manner that You will.

I beg of You to enlighten my understanding, to inflame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my soul.

Give me strength, O my God, to expiate my offenses, to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions, and to acquire the virtues proper for my state.

Fill my heart with tender affection for Your goodness, hatred for my faults, love for my neighbor, and contempt of the world.

Let me always remember to be submissive to my superiors, condescending to my inferiors, faithful to my friends, and charitable to my enemies.

Assist me to overcome sensuality by mortification, avarice by alms-deeds, anger by meekness, and tepidity by devotion.

O my God, make me prudent in my undertakings, courageous in dangers, patient in afflictions, and humble in prosperity.

Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers, temperate at my meals, diligent in my employments, and constant in my resolutions.

Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my exterior modest, my conversation edifying, and my comportment regular.

Assist me, that I may continually labor to overcome nature, to correspond with Your grace, to keep Your commandments, and to work out my salvation.

Discover to me, O my God, the nothingness of this world, the greatness of heaven, the shortness of time, and the length of eternity.

Grant that I may prepare for death, that I may fear Your judgments, that I may escape hell, and in the end, obtain heaven, through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.