Philomena. We beseech Thee, O Lord, to grant us the pardon of our sins by the intercession of Saint Philomena, virgin and martyr, who was always pleasing in Thy sight by her eminent chastity and by the profession of every virtue. Amen.
O faithful virgin and glorious martyr,
Saint Philomena, who works so many miracles
on behalf of the poor and the sorrowing,
have pity on me.
You know the multitude and diversity of my needs.
Behold me at your feet,
full of misery, but full of hope. The Lord commanded us to make intercession. Because God commanded it is one of the most simple reasons to pray. Discipleship requires a life of obedient service to God. “Remain vigilant and seek divine intervention. If you don’t, you’ll give in to temptation. Thought and emotion are on board, but the body can’t keep up. Matthew 26:41, New Living Translation Then Jesus used a tale to impress upon his followers the need of persistent intercession. (Lucas 18:1) And always, ask for everything you want, whenever you want, in the Spirit. Keep this in mind as you continue to pray for the saints and watch over them. (NIV) Quote from Ephesians 6:18 Why Bother If I Can’t Pray? When you don’t know what to say in prayer, the Holy Spirit will show you what to say: The Spirit strengthens us when we are feeble. When we do not know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit prays for us. Whoever examines our hearts knows the thoughts of the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the righteous in accordance with God’s will. New International Version (NIV): Romans 8:26-27
Prayer To St Philomena For Healing
I entreat your charity, O great Saint.
Graciously hear me and obtain from God a favorable answer to the requests
which I now humbly lay before you.
(mention your requests)
I am firmly convinced that through your merits,
through the scorn, the sufferings and death you endured,
united to the merits of the Passion and Death
of Jesus your spouse, I shall obtain what I ask of you,
and in the joy of my heart I will bless God,
who is admirable in His Saints.
Amen.
Imprimatur: + Carolus Hubertus Le Blond, Episcopus Sancti Josephi, January 1952.
Hail, O Saint Philomena,
Virgin and Martyr,
Patroness of the Children of Mary
whom God glorifies by so many miracles,
we rely on your aid.
Obtain for us the grace to be faithful
to Jesus Christ even to death.
Amen.
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Prayer to St. Philomena
for use with her Blessed Oil
O St. Philomena,
Virginal bride of Jesus and daughter of Mary Immaculate,
As we bless ourselves with your holy oil,
we invoke your powerful intercession
for heroic purity of heart
and the perfection of Christian love.
May its use strengthen our souls and heal our bodies
according to God’s perfect will.
Dear St. Philomena, model of purity and icon of courage,
especially for the youth of today,
pray for us that God may grant to our hearts
a martyrs courage under persecution,
A holy purity of mind and body,
And a heroic love for Jesus,
our divine Lord and Master.
Amen
NOVENA PRAYERS TO SAINT PHILOMENA,
In Preparation for Her Feast Day on August 11th
The Novena begins at the Sanctuary in Mugnano del Cardinale on Monday, August 4th. All of her friends throughout the world are invited to join us in praying to our powerful wonder-worker during these special days.
9 Day Miracle Prayer To St Philomena
O Glorious Virgin and Martyr, beloved of God, Saint Philomena! I rejoice with thee in the power which God gave thee for the glory of His Name, for the edification His Church, and to reward the merits of thy life and death. I rejoice to see thee so great, so pure, so generous, so faithful to Jesus Christ, and to His Gospel, and so splendidly rewarded in Heaven, and on earth. Attracted by thy example to the practice of solid virtue full of hope at the sight of thy recompense granted to thy merits. I resolve to follow thee in avoiding all evil and in fully obeying what God commands. Help me, O great Saint by thy powerful intercession. Obtain for me particularly, a purity inviolable forever, a strength of soul always invincible in every kind of assault, a generosity which denies no sacrifice to God, and a love as strong as death for the Faith of Jesus Christ, for the Holy Roman Church and for Our Holy Father, the Father of all the Faithful, the Shepherd of shepherds and of their flocks, the Vicar of Jesus Christ over all the world.
With all the fervor of my soul, I implore these graces from thee, and, in addition, I ask these other benefits from thee with equal confidence in obtaining them through thy powerful intercession. (Here tell Saint Philomena what you need, with simplicity, confidence and humility).
Surely that God so good for Whom thou didst give thy blood and thy life that God so good Who is so generous to thee and through thy mediation, so generous with gifts and favors to us, that God so good Who has loved me even unto dying for me, even unto giving me Himself under the Eucharistic appearances, surely He will never be deaf to thy prayers, nor to my appeals, unless it be that He Himself is in some different way seeking to do me good. Full of confidence, I place all my trust in Him and in thee. Amen
FIRST DAY – Monday August 4th
- Consider that Saint Philomena was a virgin… A virgin in such a world and in such an age… A virgin in spite of persecution… A virgin until death… What an example! Can I meditate upon it without blushing? What is the cause of my confusion? What is the remedy for it?
- Humiliate yourself many times for the reason that has made you blush, remembering her virginal purity.
- Assist at Holy Mass in her honor and visit one of her statues or pictures, if you can.
SECOND DAY – Tuesday August 5th
- Consider that Saint Philomena was and did not cease to be a virgin… Because she knew how to control the corrupt desires of the flesh… How to preserve, in the use of her senses, the modesty of Jesus Christ, holding aloof from a deceitful world and from dangerous occasions. Do you imagine her in all that? What are the sources of your temptations… of your weaknesses… of your anxieties… of your falls? Try to eliminate these sources.
- Fly from everything that has injured you. Practice what you have had the misfortune to neglect with regard to purity.
- Assist at Mass if possible, and pray the Novena Prayer
THIRD DAY – Wednesday August 6th
Reflection on the suffering of Saint Philomena for love of Our Lord, at the Altar of the tiles from the catacombs of Saint Pricilla
- Consider that Saint Philomena preserved and increased the love which she had for chastity by means of prayer which is the abundant source of spiritual life… by means of the Sacraments, wherein the soul is washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ, and is nourished with His Sacred Body, divine gem of Christian chastity… by remembering that her members were the members of the Body of Jesus Christ, and that her body was the temple of the Holy Spirit… It is not true that you have these same means at your disposal? What use do you ask of them?
- Redouble the fervor of all your prayers… Say to yourself from time to time. My members are those of Jesus Christ… the temple of the Holy Spirit.
- Assist at Mass if possible, and pray the Novena Prayer
FOURTH DAY – Thursday August 7th
- Consider that Saint Philomena was a Martyr… that she had to suffer… to suffer much… to suffer even unto death, and that she showed an invincible patience in these torments…Are suffering and patience invariably found together in you? You have to suffer rarely… to suffer a little… never to suffer to the extent of dying from it. Now whence is the reason for so much weakness on your part? Do you not want to remedy that weakness? What sort of remedy will you choose?
- Suffer patiently those few sorrows oppositions and pains which the Lord may be pleased to send you this day.
- Assist at Mass if possible, and pray the Novena Prayer
FIFTH DAY – Friday August 8th
- Consider that Saint Philomena suffered martyrdom for Jesus Christ… They wanted to wrest her Faith from her… they wanted to make her violate her Baptismal vows, to persuade her to follow the example of idolaters and apostates. And what does the devil, the world; the flesh and your own heart want from you on so many occasions but the same sort of unfaithfulness? All forms of it are an offence against God. Are these not vain fears, indeed, which make you lacking something in your duties, or which cause you to betray your faith?… O my God, what a shameful slackness!…Take courage at last…
- To overcome human respect, say to yourself from time to time: It is better to please God than men.
- Assist at Mass if possible, and pray the Novena Prayer
SIXTH DAY – Saturday August 9th
- Consider that Saint Philomena, is dying for Jesus Christ, had to put into practice the maxim of the Savior. “He who does not despise his father, his mother and even his own life for the love of Me, cannot be called disciple.” She did not hesitate… She sacrificed everything, no matter how her blood and her nature raised their voices in proteSaint In far less difficult circumstances do we show ourselves to be worthy of Jesus ChriSaint If at some juncture we were called upon to choose between God and creatures, between grace and nature, between the love of God and the affection of creatures, to whom would we give our preference?… Oh! in the future let us no longer fall away from our dignity as sons of God and disciples of Jesus ChriSaint
- Let us endeavor during this day to please only God, or to please creatures solely for God’s sake. Let us remove far from us all disordered affection.
- Assist at Mass if possible, and pray the Novena Prayer
SEVENTH DAY – Sunday August 10th
- Consider that Saint Philomena, in dying for Jesus Christ, had to endure the jeers, the sarcasms, the outrages of her persecutors, of her executioners and of the majority of the witnesses to her torture… She was none the less generous, none the less constant, none the less joyous in the public confession of her faith… If the world gave you a similar chalice to drink would you have enough courage to drain the bitterness of it with the same kind of sentiments? Oh! What do the jokes, the scorn, or the most unjust or bloodiest persecution of the world matter?… Can anything ever dishonor a soul that is honored by God? Fear nothing… Follow out your road… It is leading straight to the possession of eternal glory.
- Do not allow your heart to be changed if abrupt words are spoken to you, or rough, biting and offensive words, are hurled at you.
- Assist at Mass if possible, and pray the Novena Prayer
EIGHT DAY – Monday August 11th
- Consider that when Saint Philomena died, for love of Jesus Christ, to all the things of this wretched world, she entered into the joy of eternal life… Yes I am certain, she said in her heart: “the supreme Judge will give me the crown of justice which He has promised me in return for all the fleeting goods which I sacrifice to His Love.” She dies… and behold her in the tabernacle of God, with the Saints who follow the Lamb… Are these the thought which I try to have when I find myself confronted with some sacrifice?… What impression do they make on my spirit?… To what side do they make the balance fall?… Ah! in order to gain all, the Saints used to say: “Let us lose it all”… and what shall I say?
- To-day let us decide on some voluntary sacrifice… Let us do readily and with a good heart everything in connection with our duties.
- Assist at Mass if possible, and pray the Novena Prayer
NINTH DAY – Tuesday August 12th
- Consider that Saint Philomena, having sacrificed everything in this miserable world for Jesus Christ, received back from Himself in this world more than the hundredfold of what He had given! What renown! What power! What glory! What greatness humbled at her feet! What throngs of pilgrims to her different Shrines! What festivities in her honor. What tributes of reverence have been paid to her! What an ardent longing to get possession of her relics! Thus precisely does God fulfill His promises. Ah! If only we maintained our promises to Him with the same fidelity! But when we deprive Him of His glory, do we not perhaps deprive ourselves of great merit and favor both in this world and in the next?… Courage, therefore… Be faithful in order that God may be faithful with you.
- Today do some little work of mercy in honor of the Saint. Prepare yourself! By a good Confession to receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in a fitting manner in Holy Communion
- Assist at Mass if possible, and pray the Novena Prayer
Let us Pray
O God, who in Thy great might didst raise up martyrs even from among the weaker sex, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who celebrate the feast of Thy blessed Virgin and Martyr, Philomena, may be led by her example and brought by her to thee: Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth one God, in perfect Trinity, for ever and ever. Amen
Litany in Honor of Saint Philomena
Composed by Saint John Vianney
Lord have mercy on us, All: Lord have mercy on us
Christ have mercy on us, All: Christ graciously hear us
Lord have mercy on us, All: Lord have mercy on us
God the Father of Heaven, All: have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, All: have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, All: have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity one God, All: have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Queen of Virgins, All: Pray for us
Saint Philomena, All: Pray for us
Saint Philomena filled with the most abundant graces from your very birth, Saint Philomena, faithful imitator of Mary
Saint Philomena, model of Virginity
Saint Philomena, temple of the most perfect humility
Saint Philomena, inflamed with zeal for the Glory of God
Saint Philomena, victim of the love of Jesus
Saint Philomena, example of strength and perseverance
Saint Philomena, invincible champion of chastity
Saint Philomena, mirror of the most heroic virtues
Saint Philomena, firm and intrepid in the face of torments
Saint Philomena, scourged like your Divine Spouse
Saint Philomena, pierced by a shower of arrows
Saint Philomena, consoled in chains, by the Mother of God
Saint Philomena, miraculously healed in prison
Saint Philomena, comforted by angels in your torments
Saint Philomena, who preferred torments and death to the splendors of a throne
Saint Philomena, who converted the witnesses of your martyrdom
Saint Philomena, who wore out the fury of your executioners
Saint Philomena, protectress of the innocent
Saint Philomena, patroness of youth
Saint Philomena, refuge of the unfortunate
Saint Philomena, health of the sick and the weakSaint Philomena, new light of the church militant
Saint Philomena, who confounds the impiety of the world
Saint Philomena, who stimulates the faith and courage of the faithful
Saint Philomena, whose name is glorious in Heaven and feared in Hell
Saint Philomena, made illustrious by the most striking miracles
Saint Philomena, all powerful with God
Saint Philomena, who reigns in glory
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Pray for us, Saint Philomena,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray,
We implore You, O Lord, by the intercession of Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, who was ever most pleasing to Your eyes for her eminent purity and the practice of every virtue, pardon us our sins and grant us all the graces we need. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen
O Philomena!
By Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot
Favorite daughter of the Queen of the heavens,
Your mother delights
In your beauty;
she glories in your graceful virtue
and she rejoices for the flowers and offerings
made to you by all nations.
Oh Philomena!
The nations applaud you
for the continuous benefits received,
and your name has rekindled
in many souls the sweetest hope.
Amiable Saint,
manifest your power
and come to our aid.
Help us oh generous Virgin and fearless Martyr
to meditate the mysteries of the Faith
And to remain like you, faithful to Jesus Christ until death.
Amen.
Prayer for the Holy Father
Lord, source of eternal life and truth,
give to Your shepherd, the Pope,
a spirit of courage and right judgement,
a spirit of knowledge and love.
By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care may he,
as successor to the apostle Peter and vicar of Christ,
build Your church into a sacrament of unity,
love, and peace for all the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.