O Holy Family of Nazareth, . . . Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, you are the example for every Christian family. We give our families to you.

Open the heart of every family to faith. Show them how to welcome the Word of God, and witness to Christ in their lives. Help our families to become a source of new and holy vocations.

Touch the hearts of parents. Give them love that is quick to act, wise care, and loving dedication to their children. Make them sure guides to spiritual and eternal values.

—JOHN PAUL II
Message for the XXXI World
Day of Prayer for Vocations
December 26, 1993

Stir up the hearts of young people. Give them a right conscience and free will, so that as they grow in “wisdom, age, and grace,” they may generously welcome the gift of God’s calling.

Holy Family of Nazareth, help us all to reflect your constant prayer, your generous obedience, your honorable poverty, and your simple purity. Give us the grace to set out doing God’s will. Gently encourage those of us who are called to follow the Lord Jesus who “has given himself for us” (Gal 2:20).

Amen!

—JOHN PAUL II
Message for the XXXI World
Day of Prayer for Vocations
December 26, 1993

Saint Joseph, as Jesus’s guardian and Mary’s husband

you spent your life completing your duties with love.

You supported the holy family with the work of your hands.

Please protect all who come to you with trust.
You know their dreams, struggles, and hopes.
They turn to you because they know you will understand and protect them.

Saint Joseph, you also experienced troubles, hard work, and exhaustion.

But in the worries of daily life, your soul was full of deep peace.

With God’s Son and his tender Mother Mary in your care, your soul sang out in true joy.

Help all those you protect to know that they do not work alone.

Teach them how to find Jesus near them and to watch over him faithfully as you did.

Amen.

—JOHN XXIII
Prayer for Fathers at the Meeting with Italian Workers
May 1, 1960

Holy Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the people of Mexico and Latin America call you “Mother.” Encouraged by your love, we once again place our lives in your motherly hands.

Blessed Mother, may you guide our hearts, and the hearts of all the mothers of the world. With great hope, we turn to you and trust you.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you,
blessed are you among women and blessed
is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Blessed Virgin Mary,
Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Pray for us.

—BENEDICT XVI
Prayer before the Image of
Our Lady of Guadalupe
May 11, 2005

Virgin of Nazareth,
Queen of the family,
make our Christian families
“schools” of the Gospel.
Make us rich with the gift of many
vocations to the priesthood
and consecrated life.
Though the family is threatened on all sides,
protect the unity of our families.
Make them homes of peace and of harmony,
where patient communication
overcomes difficulties and differences.
Above all, Mother of forgiveness
and reconciliation, watch over those families
who are divided and in crisis.

—BENEDICT XVI
Prayer to Our Lady of the Oak Tree
Viterbo, Italy, September 6, 2009

O Lord, God of goodness and mercy,
. . . You see how family life is threatened on all sides
and how every effort is being made to pull the family
away from faith, the Church, and what is right.

Look after the work of your hands, Lord.
Guard the virtues and values
of the family, for these alone will give us harmony and
peace.

Come, Lord, and stir up champions and apostles of the family. . . .
Through their efforts bless us,
so that the home may again become respected and loved in the minds and hearts of all.

—ATTRIBUTED TO PIUS XII
Prayer for Christian Families