July/August 2025: Prayers and Reflections
The Pope’s Monthly Intention
July: For formation in discernment: Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.
August: For mutual coexistence: Let us pray that societies where coexistence seems more difficult might not succumb to the temptation of confrontation for ethnic, political, religious or ideological reasons.
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Prayer for going on holiday
Heavenly Father,
Please bless our holiday time.
Help our family to have patience and understanding.
Guide us to be mindful of this gift of time together.
Help us to make compromises when necessary and handle any chaos that comes our way with Your love and grace.
Open our eyes to truly see the beauty of the memories we are creating.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Guideposts.org
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Prayer for the family Martha, Mary and Lazarus • Feast 29 July
Lord, You befriended this ordinary family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. You visited their home, received their hospitality, gently corrected them when needed and eventually raised them to the new life of eternal glory. May I also welcome You into the home of my soul, within my family and into every aspect of my life. Please come to me and raise me to the newness of the life of grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
Catholic-daily-reflections.com
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Prayer of St Ignatius of Loyola • Feast 31 July
Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve; to give, and not to count the cost, to fight, and not to heed the wounds, to toil, and not to seek for rest, to labor, and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we are doing your will. Amen.
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Indulgence of St Mary of the Portiuncula • 2 August
On 2 August, or on another day determined by the Ordinary for the convenience of the people, a plenary indulgence may be acquired in parish churches. The practices prescribed for the obtaining of the indulgence are a devout visit to the church and the recitation there of the Our Father and Creed, and in addition a sacramental confession, Holy Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. This indulgence may be acquired only once. The visit may be made from noon the previous day until midnight of the day itself.
Liturgical Calendar for Ireland 2025
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St Clare of Assisi (1193-1253) • Feast 11 August
Happy the soul to whom it is given to attain life with Christ, to cleave with all one’s heart to him whose beauty all the heavenly hosts behold forever, whose love inflames our love, the contemplation of whom is our refreshment, whose graciousness is our delight, whose gentleness fills us to overflowing, whose remembrance makes us glow with happiness, whose fragrance revives the dead, the glorious vision of whom will be the happiness of all the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem. For he is the brightness of eternal glory, the splendor of eternal light, the mirror without spot.’
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St Augustine of Hippo • Feast 28 August
Five profound quotes from St Augustine (354–430), one of the greatest theologians and philosophers of the early Church: his writings – especially Confessions and The City of God – are filled with deep spiritual insights.
- ‘You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.’
- ‘To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.’
- ‘Love, and do what you will. For if you love, you will do no evil.’ (Homily on 1 John 7:8)
- ‘Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.’
- ‘Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new! Late have I loved You!’
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Prayer of St Monica (mother of St Augustine) • Feast 27 August
St Monica is a patron saint of mothers, troubled children, and perseverance. Her life teaches that no soul is beyond the reach of prayer.
Prayer for Her Son’s Conversion
‘Nothing is far from God, and I need not fear that He will not know where to find my son.’
On Perseverance in Prayer
‘The child of so many tears shall never perish.’ (A bishop’s reassurance to Monica about Augustine, which became a testament to her faithful intercession.)
Her Dying Words to Augustine
‘Bury my body wherever you will… Only one thing I ask of you: Remember me at the altar of the Lord.’ (Her humble request, emphasising her lifelong devotion to the Eucharist.)
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