From the moment our new pope steps onto the loggia of St Peter’s he will be the target for an onslaught of personal attacks, prejudice and hate from large sections of the media, such as the BBC and much of the British national press, and from a legion of anti-Catholic hate sites on the world wide web. The new pope will also have to endure the disobedience of clergy, religious and laity who habitually reject fundamental moral doctrines of the Faith, and who frequently collaborate with the Church’s enemies in the media to attack the Holy Father.
Examination of Conscience
On the eve of the Conclave Protect the Pope invites our readers to an examination of conscience, did we pray enough for the protection of Pope Benedict XVI during his pontificate? Did we make the Holy Father’s intentions our daily prayer? When hearing the latest scurrilous attack on Pope Benedict XVI did we pray for him and the Church or first indulge our anger? If we find that in conscience that we did not pray enough for Pope Benedict XVI, now is the time to make the commitment to pray daily for his successor.
Invitation to join Protect the Pope’s prayer bodyguard
Protect the Pope invites our readers to make the commitment through the comment function of this site to join a spiritual bodyguard to protect the new pope against all attacks, demonic and human. Basically, this is a commitment to engage in spiritual combat to protect our new Holy Father.
Protect the Pope recommends the following prayers as simple ways of preparing ourselves for spiritual combat in defence of the Holy Father.
Preparing for Spiritual Combat
A reading from St Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Anima Christi
Soul of my Savior sanctify my breast,
Body of Christ, be thou my saving guest,
Blood of my Savior, bathe me in thy tide,
wash me with waters gushing from thy side.
Strength and protection may thy passion be,
O blessed Jesus, hear and answer me;
deep in thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me,
so shall I never, never part from thee.
Guard and defend me from the foe malign,
in death’s dread moments make me only thine;
call me and bid me come to thee on high
where I may praise thee with thy saints for ay.
Prayer to St Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in the day of battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl through the world
for the ruin of souls. Amen.
Prayers for the protection of the Pope
Pope Leo XIII’s Prayer for the Pope
O Lord, we are the millions of believers, humbly kneeling at your feet and begging you to preserve, defend and save the Sovereign Pontiff for many years. He is the Father of the great fellowship of souls and our Father as well. On this day, as on every other day, he is praying for us also, and is offering to you with holy fervour the sacred Victim of love and peace.
Therefore, O Lord, turn toward us with eyes of pity; for we are now, as it were, forgetful of ourselves, and are praying above all for him. Unite our prayers with his and receive them into the bosom of your infinite mercy, as a sweet savour of active and fruitful charity, whereby the children are united in the Church to their Father. All that he asks of you this day, we too ask it of you in unison with him.
Whether he weeps or rejoices, whether he hopes or offers himself as a victim of charity for his people, we desire to be united with him; we desire that the cry of our hearts should be made one with his. Of your great mercy grant, O Lord, that not one of us may be far from his mind and his heart in the hour that he prays and offers to you the Sacrifice of your blessed Son. At the moment when our venerable High Priest, holding in his hands the very Body of Jesus Christ, shall say to the people over the Chalice of benediction these words: “The peace of the Lord be with you always,” grant, O Lord, that your sweet peace may come down upon our hearts and upon all the nations with new and manifest power. Amen.
Prayer for the Church during a time of attack from her enemies
Grant to your Church, we beseech you, O merciful God, that She being gathered together by the Holy Spirit, may be in no way troubled by attack from her enemies.
O God, who by sin are offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of your people making supplication to you, that free from sin through your Son’s sacrifice on the Cross, we may know your love, though we deserve to know your anger.
Almighty and Everlasting God, in whose Hand are the power and the government of every realm: look down upon and help the Catholic people that the secularist powers seek to crush by the exercise of their power. Through our Lord Jesus Christ,your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, worlds without end. Amen.
Protect the Pope comment: If readers of Protect the Pope know of any other prayers for the protection of the Pope and the Church please send them in for our consideration for inclusion with the daily prayers for the prayer bodyguard. Deacon Nick Donnelly
Lord, please bless and protect Pope ..[N.]..
Grant him the wisdom, humility and discernment to know Your will, and the health, strength and courage to carry it out.
Guard and protect him from his enemies and from all harm.
Bless him now and always, and help him to lead Your Church to unity.
Amen.
As a Protestant, I will be happy to pray for the new Pope, and his greatly respected predecessor.
Appreciative Protestant Reader, thank you for your willingness to pray for the new Pope. I am very struck by the fact that a protestant was the first to respond to my call for prayers to protect the new pope. In fact, you are one of the few to commit to this service. Thank you. Deacon Nick
So the wall-to-wall coverage by the BBC of the Pope Benedict’s State Visit is proof of the BBC’s anti-Catholic position is it? If the Papacy and Roman Catholic Church are criticised on occasions, some of it may be well justified…let’s be honest and not pretend that everything in the Church’s garden is lovely, as ProtectThePope.com seeks to do, because it isn’t! Even the cardinals in conclave know that.
For the protection of the Church, the Pope and in defense of our faith.
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.
I’m afraid I am not a Roman Catholic either (Russian Orthodox), but have been an admirer of Benedict XVI for many years, and will happily offer prayer for his eventual successor. Thank you for proposing this initiative!
Andrew, thank you for committing to praying for the new pope. I think it marvelous that a Russian Orthodox and a Protestant will join me in praying for the protection of the new pope. Deacon Nick
Hi, just two grammatical errors if I may bring them to your notice:
In the Anima Christi above,
“O blessèd Jesus, hear and answer me;”
should read
“O blessed Jesus, hear and answer me;”
and in Pope Leo XIII’s Prayer for the Pope,
“At the moment when our venerable High Priest, holding in His hands the very Body of Jesus Christ,”
should read
“At the moment when our venerable High Priest, holding in his hands the very Body of Jesus Christ,”
(referring to the High Priest one should not capitalise the first letter of the possesive pronoun).
I have said a Rosary for the cardinals who must elect a successor to St Peter, I will say another one this evening.
Many thanks and I will pray!
Prayer to St Michael, The Archangel
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
Blessed JP II recommended this prayer in 1994, so that Holy Mother Church is protected.
Kinga Grzeczynska
Dcn Nick
I see from your comments that you had the same idea. We always used to say the prayer to St Michael after each Mass. It would be good to bring this prayer back.
Sorry, I did not mean to be repetitive after you had already posted the prayer.
KG
Of course. I am a foot soldier in the battle.
What better prayers to pray than those of the Memorare and the Protection Prayer to St. Michael, The Archangel for the help, guidance and protection of our Holy Father. May God grant him the strength and wisdom to do His Holy Will as Vicar of Christ on earth.
I prayed for Pope Benedict every day (and still do) and will do the same for his successor.
I hope the new Pope reinstates the prayer to St Michael that we used to pray at the end of Holy Mass for the conversion of Russia.
The version of the prayer we used to pray used the word “safeguard”
‘Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle.
Be our safeguard against the wickedness and the snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray and do thou O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.’
Amen
The above is available on a prayer card from The Catholic Truth Society
http://www.ctsbooks.org/prayer-to-st-michael-pack-of-25
Count me in.
The BBC – a shadow of its former ‘self’.
I am praying for the Cardinals in their deliberations [and specifically for the Cardinal that I 'adopted' at adoptacardinal.org];
I pray for Benedict XVI and give thanks for his ministry.
And I will pray for the new Pope.
Pax et bonum
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Hi Shropshire Anglican, thanks for joining us in praying for the new pope. It heartens me to know that an Anglican, a Protestant and a Russian Orthodox will join us Catholics in praying for the protect of the pope. God bless you. Deacon Nick
MAY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER ALWAYS PROTECT AND GUIDE OUR NEW POPE FRANCES !!
THANK YOU MY LORD FOR OUR NEW POPE!
SACRED HEART OF JESUS AND MARY PROTECT AND GUIDE POPE FRANCES, OUR NEW POPE !!
AMEN AMEN !!
Many thanks for the suggestion, add my daily prayer to the chain !