Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth

The Pope's Prayer for Families

Lord God, from you every family in Heaven and on earth takes its name,
Father, you are love and life,
Through Your Son, Jesus Christ, born of woman,
And through the Holy Spirit, fountain of Divine Charity,
grant that each family on earth may become for each successive generation, a true shrine of life and love.

Grant that Your grace may guide the thoughts and actions of husbands and wives
for the good of their families and of all the families in the world.

Grant that the young may find in the family
solid support for their human dignity and for their growth in truth and love.

Grant that love, strengthened by the grace of the sacrament of marriage,
may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass.

Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth,
Grant that the Church may fruitfully carry out her world-wide mission in the family and through the family.

Through Christ our Lord, who is The Way, the Truth and the Life for ever and ever.

Amen.


We celebrate today (December 30) the Universal Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The Church invites us to pray for our own family and for all the families in the world. We all know that the family has been under the attack of the evil one. Let us then beseech God's throne of mercy that He, in His goodness and love, protect all families from harm and evil brought about by division, strife, too much materialism, and secularism. May our Lady, the Mother of God, pray for our families, that each and every Catholic family would become God's herald of love and mercy.

May the Holy Family of Nazareth protect and uphold all families and preserve them in love, holiness, and peace.