Memorial Card Verses

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.
Amen.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Hail Our life, our sweetness, and our hope
To thee do we cry, poor banished
children of Eve, to thee do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.

Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us; and
after this our exile show unto us the
blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.

O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage to the most Loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for me. Amen

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born
to eternal life.

O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth Whom nothing can encompass or limit, Thou Who dost enfold and hold all under Thy Loving Power, remember the very bitter pain Thou didst suffer when the Jews nailed Thy Sacred Hands and Feet to the Cross by blow after blow with big blunt nails, and not finding Thee in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their rage, they enlarged Thy Wounds, and added pain to pain, and with indescribable cruelty stretched Thy Body on the Cross, pulled Thee from all sides, thus dislocating Thy Limbs. I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most Loving suffering of the Cross, to grant me the grace to fear Thee and to love Thee. Amen.

Christ be near at either hand,
Christ behind, before me stand.
Christ with me where e’er I go,
Christ around, above, below.
Christ be in my heart and mind,
Christ within my soul enshrined.
Christ control my wayward heart,
Christ abide and ne’er depart.
Christ my life and only way,
Christ my lantern night and day.
Christ be my unchanging friend,
Guide and shepherd to the end.

O ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, health of the sick, refuge of sinners, comforter of the afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings; look with mercy upon me. By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence you dispense your favours; and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with complete confidence to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the grant of my requests. Through gratitude for your favours, I will endeavor to imitate your virtues, that I may one day share your glory. Amen.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the confession
of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to our people in a time of distress and comforted them in sorrow. You have inspired countless pilgrims to pray with confidence to your divine Son, remembering His promise: “Ask and you shall receive, Seek and you shall find”. Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort me when I am sick or lonely or depressed. Teach me how to take part ever more reverently in the holy Mass. Pray for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.

God looked around his garden
And found an empty place,
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain.
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb.
So he closed your weary eyelids
And whispered, ‘Peace be Thine’.
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone,
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.

Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what’s to be,
A resting place along the road
To sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
But never meant to stay...
Our destination is a place
Far greater than we know.
For some, the journey’s quicker,
For some, the journey’s slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We’ll claim a great reward
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the Lord.

Hail, glorious Saint Patrick!
We honor thy name,
tho’ Erin may claim thee,
the world knows thy fame.
The faith of our fathers is our treasure, too.
How holy the thought,
that they learned it from you.
Thru crosses and trials its fire burn bright,
they show us the way, and the truth,
and the light. Our love and devotion be ever like thine,
our thought be of Jesus,
our heart be His shrine.
And when to the end of life’s path
we have trod,
be near us great bishop,
anointed of God.

O holy St. Anthony, gentlest of saints, your love for God and charity for his creatures made you worthy while on earth to possess miraculous powers. Miracles waited your word, which you were ever ready to speak for those in trouble or anxiety. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me the favour I seek in this novena (State your intention). The answer to my prayer may require a miracle; even so, you are the saint of miracles. O gentle and loving Saint Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms, and thee gratitude of my heart will always be yours.

The Lord is my shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; he leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
My soul he doth restore again,
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
E’en for his own name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill:
For thou art with me, and thy rod
And staff me comfort still.
My table thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house for evermore
My dwelling-place shall be.

Stay with me, Lord, for it is You
alone I look for, Your Love,
Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart,
Your Spirit, because I love You
and ask no other reward but to love
You more and more.
With a firm love, I will love You
with all my heart while on earth
and continue to love You perfectly
during all eternity.
Amen.

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free
I’m following the path God has chosen for me.
I took His hand when I heard him call;
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I’ve now found peace at the end of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss;
Oh yes, these things, I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
Look for the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savoured much;
Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seems all to brief;
Don’t lengthen your pain with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and peace to thee,
God wanted me now-He set me free.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
filled with infinite love,
broken by my ingratitude,
pierced by my sins, yet loving me still - accept the consecration that I make to You of all that I am and all that I have.
Take every faculty of my soul and body.
Draw me, day by day, nearer and nearer to your Sacred Heart, and there, as I can bear the lesson, teach me Your blessed ways.
Amen.

Teach us, we pray, humility of heart,
so that we may be counted
among the little ones of the Gospel
to whom the Father promised to reveal
the mysteries of His Kingdom.
Help us to pray without ceasing,
certain that God knows what we need
even before we ask Him.
Obtain for us the eyes of faith
that will help us recognise in the poor and suffering,
the very face of Jesus.
Sustain us in the hour of trouble and trial and,
if we fall, let us experience the joy of the
sacrament of forgiveness.
Grant us your tender devotion to Mary,
mother of Jesus and our Mother.
Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage
toward the blessed Homeland, where we too,
hope to arrive to contemplate forever
the Glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Most merciful Father,
we commend our departed into Your hands.
We are filled with the sure hope
that our departed will rise again on the Last Day
with all who have died in Christ.
We thank You for all the good things
You have given during our departed’s earthly life.
O Father, in Your great mercy,
accept our prayer that the Gates of Paradise
may be opened for Your servant.
In our turn, may we, too,
be comforted by the words of faith
until we greet Christ in the glory
and are united with You and our departed.

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room.
Why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little - but not too long
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared,
Miss me - but let me go.
For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone.
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan,
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds.
Miss Me - But Let me Go!

To you Saint Martin de Porres we prayerfully lift up our hearts filled with serene confidence and devotion. Mindful of your unbounded and helpful charity to all levels of society and also of your meekness and humility of heart, we offer our petitions to you. Pour out upon our families the precious gifts of your solicitous and generous intercession; show to the people of every race and every colour the paths of unity and of justice; implore from our Father in heaven the coming of his kingdom, so that through mutual benevolence in God men may increase the fruits of grace and merit the rewards of eternal life. Amen.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to him and the other to the LORD. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me. The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

Soul of Christ sanctify me
Body of Christ save me
Blood of Christ fill me
Water from the side of Christ wash me
Passion of Christ strengthen me
O good Jesus hear me
Within your wounds hide me
Allow me not to be separated from thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
and bid me to come to thee
That with your saints I may praise thee
for ever and ever.

I’d like the memory of me
To be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an After Glow
Of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo
Whispering softly down the ways.
Of happy times and laughing times
And bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve
To dry before the sun.
Of happy memories that I leave
When my life is done.

Death is nothing at all
I have slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that, we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Pray, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort.
Without the trace of a shadow in it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, somewhere very near
Just around the corner. All is well.

Don’t think of him/her as gone away
Her journey’s just begun,
Life holds so many facets,
This earth is only one.
Just think of her as resting,
From the sorrow and the tears,
In a place of warmth and comfort,
Where there are no days and years.
Think how she must be wishing,
That we could know today,
How nothing but our sadness,
Can really pass away.
And think of her as living,
In the hearts of those she touched,
For nothing loved is ever lost,
And she was loved so much.

I’m writing this from Heaven
Where I dwell with God above
Where there’s no more tears and sadness
There’s just eternal love.
When you are walking down the street
And you’ve got me on your mind
I’m walking in your footsteps
Only half a step behind.
And when you feel that gentle breeze
Or the wind upon your face
That’s me giving you
A great big hug
Or just a soft embrace.
And when it’s time for you to go
From that body to be free
Remember you’re not going
You are coming here to me.