Spiritual Advocacy

Lord Jesus,

who wished to spend thirty years of your mortal life

in the family of Nazareth,

we ask you to call many young men to follow more closely

your way of life in our religious family,

that desires to perpetuate and realize in our time,

your virtues and examples of domestic sanctity.

 

Grant us the grace, in our entire ministry,

to help families grow in natural and spiritual virtue,

according to your will,

so that, becoming true domestic churches,

they may welcome and accompany, as a true gift,

the grace of religious and priestly vocation for their children.

Make of us, for young people,

joyful witnesses of the Gospel of Nazareth,

so that they also feel personally challenged

by the urgent needs of the family institution

and the present reality of the youth.

 

Mary Most Holy and Saint Joseph,

most loving parents and first teachers of Jesus,

look upon each one of us with your benevolence

and to all who come to experience our way of life;

grant us all the grace to be called brothers of Jesus in this your family.

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,

community of faith, hope, and charity, of praise and service,

school of the Gospel,

norm of consecrated life and model of family living,

make us participants in your life and images of your holiness

so that, like Saint Joseph Manyanet, and through his intercession,

we may be, in the Church and for the Church,

sons, witnesses, and apostles of the mystery of Nazareth.

Amen