God, Our Father, loving and merciful, bring together and keep all families in perfect unity of love and mutual support.

Instill in each member the spirit of understanding and affection for each other.

Keep quarrels and bitterness far from them, and for their occasional failures instill forgiveness and peace.

May the mutual love and affection of parents set a good example.

Instill in children self-respect that they may respect others and grow in mature independence.

May the mutual affection and respect of families be a sign of Christian life here and hereafter, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

O Jesus, lover of the young, the dearest Friend I have, in all confidence I open my heart to You to beg Your light and assistance in the important task of planning my future. Give me the light of Your grace, that I may decide wisely concerning the person who is to be my partner through life. Dearest Jesus, send me such a one whom in Your divine wisdom You judge best suited to be united with me in marriage. May her/his character reflect some of the traits of Your own Sacred Heart. May s/he be upright, loyal, pure, sincere and noble, so that with united efforts and with pure and unselfish love we both may strive to perfect ourselves in soul and body, as well as the children it may please You to entrust to our care. Bless our friendship before marriage, that sin may have no part in it. May our mutual love bind us so closely, that our future home may ever be most like Your own at Nazareth.

O Mary Immaculate, sweet Mother of the young, to your special care I entrust the decision I am to make as to my future wife/husband. You are my guiding Star! Direct me to the person with whom I can best cooperate in doing God’s Holy Will, with whom I can live in peace, love and harmony in this life, and attain to eternal joys in the next.

Amen.

O God the Father of mankind, who hast given unto me these my children, and committed them to my charge to bring them up for Thee, and to prepare them for eternal life: help me with Thy heavenly grace, that I may be able to fulfil this most sacred duty and stewardship. Teach me both what to give and what to withhold; when to reprove and when to forbear; make me to be gentle, yet firm; considerate and watchful; and deliver me equally from the weakness of indulgence, and the excess of severity; and grant that, both by word and example, I may be careful to lead them in the ways of wisdom and true piety, so that at last I may, with them, be admitted to the unspeakable joys of our true home in heaven, in the company of the blessed Angels and Saints.

Amen.

O Heavenly Father, I commend my children to Thy care. Be Thou their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is lacking in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and strengthen and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit, that they may daily grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter.

Amen.

O Heavenly Father, I commend my children unto Thee. Be Thou their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is wanting in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world, to resist all solicitations to evil, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and confirm and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit, that they may daily grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter.

Amen.

O Almighty God,
who hast given unto me my father and mother,
and made them to be an image of Thine authority,
and love, and tender watchfulness;
and hast commanded me to love, and honour,
and obey them in all things:
give me grace cheerfully and with my whole heart
to keep this Thy law.
Help me to love them fervently,
to honour them truly,
to yield a ready obedience to their commands,
to comply with their wishes,
to study their happiness in everything,
and to bear their rebukes with patience and humility.
Deliver me O God, from pride,
rebellion and wilfulness,
from passion and stubbornness,
from sloth and carelessness.
Make me diligent in all my duties and studies,
and patient in all my trials;
that so living, I may deserve to be Thy child,
who art our Father in Heaven.

Amen.

Dear Lord! Fill our parents with Thy choicest blessings;
enrich their souls with Thy holy grace;
grant that they may faithfully
and constantly guard that likeness to Thy union with Thy Church,
which Thou didst imprint upon them on their wedding day.
Fill them with Thy spirit of holy fear,
which is the beginning of wisdom;
inspire them to impart it to their children.
May they ever walk in the way of Thy commandments,
and may we their children be their joy on earth
and their crown of glory in heaven.
Finally, Lord God, grant that both our father and mother
may attain to extreme old age
and enjoy continuous health in mind and body.
May they give Thee abundant thanks
because Thou bast bestowed upon them the great gift of parenthood.

Amen.

Holy Mary, mother fair, Filled with love for God, Pray for us in all our needs. Pray for us today.