You love the saints. But gee, there are so many! 'Course, when we say "all you angels and saints, pray for us," that pretty much covers it. Yet let's say you're like me (Quick! Pray an Ave!) and would like to...well, customize your litany.Here's how I do it.
I generally ask the saints to pray for me after praying the Angelus. (Okay, the Regina Caeli during Easter.)
Start with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Natch!
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus/Have mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary/Pray for us.
Saint Joseph/Pray for us.
Okay, here's where the "customizing" comes in.
I used to enjoy the supreme privilege of bringing the Blessed Sacrament to children, cancer patients, and cardiac patients on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. So, on those days, I ask Our Lady, Health of the Sick, Our Lady, Mother of Compassion, Saints Gerard, Peregrine, and John of God for their prayers.
Personalize your litany even more.
I love the apostles, and so I always include Saints Peter and Paul, as many apostles as I can remember, and the notable disciples (Saints Stephen, Philip, Martha, and Mary Magdalene, e.g.)
Then I look at the spiritual leaders in my life, which prompts me ask:
Saints Francis, Clare, and Agnes of Assisi; Saints Benedict and Scholastica; Saints John the Baptist (my Cardinal Archbishop is Sean O'Malley who was ordained on this saint's Feast Day) and Bernard for their prayers.
Still with me?
I live in Boston. Saint Patrick is the patron of our Archdiocese. Saint Botolph is the patron of our city. Pray for us!
Okay, now to churches and chapels I've attended, which includes: Saints Anthony of Padua. (I also regularly attend Saint Francis Chapel, but since the new Pontiff has been our Rock? I've already asked the good Saint Francis et al for his prayers.)
And let's not forget the Venerables and Blesseds!
A fan of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, it'd be silly not to ask their founder, Venerable Bruno Lanteri, for his prayers. And gee...when I was born, Venerable Pius XII was pope, so he's included, along with my Mom and Dad's all-time favorite television host, Venerable Fulton Sheen!
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta has always been a favorite, and her friend, Blessed John Paul II as well. (How cool is it to have been alive and kickin' while Blesseds and Venerables were still walking the earth?)
You can add, for instance:
Your own patron, your spouses, your children's, your siblings'...the point isn't to include every saint in heaven, but to have fun...and to try and connect those causes and people who are important to you with your request for prayers.
The thing is? Saints are our friends!
So, chatting them up while walking, driving, taking a shower, or in the privacy in your room should be at least as much fun as a good heart-to-heart chat with your best buddies.
Try it! And, if you've a mind to, let me know how you pray with our great cloud of witnesses!
May God continue to bless you.
