epilogue
A beautiful and inspiring collection of poetic prayers
Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s magnificent baldacchino in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome
POETIC PRAYERS
Before I conclude this web book, let me share with you some wonderful prayers, many of which are also very beautiful and poetic. The first section (“Holy Prayers”) includes prayers that were written by some of the greatest saints in history, and I have incorporated the majority of them into my own prayer life. The second section (“Miscellaneous Prayers”) includes prayers that I learned from Fr. Chris Alar, MIC. The third and fourth sections include prayers that I myself have composed (“Little Candles of Love” are the ones I use regularly in my own prayer life, and “Other Prayers” are additional poems that I have felt inspired to write).
HOLY PRAYERS
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES’ MORNING PRAYER
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES' PRAYER AFTER MEDITATION
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES’ SPIRITUAL-RETREAT PRAYER
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES’ SPIRITUAL-BOUQUET PRAYER
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES' PRAYER BEFORE CHRIST CRUCIFIED
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES’ EVENING PRAYER
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES' PRAYER BEFORE MAKING AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES' MEDITATION ON VOCATION
ST. MOTHER TERESA’S MEDITATION ON LOVE
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI'S SPIRITUAL COMMUNION PRAYER
ST. BONAVENTURE’S PRAYER AFTER MASS
ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT'S PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH
ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT'S DAILY CONSECRATION PRAYER
ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT'S PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
CONCLUDING PRAYER OF "THE LITTLE CROWN OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY"
ST. CHARLES DE FOUCAULD'S PRAYER OF ABANDONMENT
ST. JOHN PAUL II'S SOLEMN ACT OF ENTRUSTMENT OF THE WORLD TO DIVINE MERCY
OUR LADY’S MEDITATION ON SPIRITUAL WARFARE
THE DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET: CLOSING PRAYER
miscellaneous PRAYERS
PRAYER FOR DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
lITTLE CANDLES OF LOVE
MORNING PRAYER: MY SPIRITUAL PLAN
MEDITATION ON DIVINE MERCY IN THE DARK NIGHT OF UNKNOWING
LITTLE MEDITATION ON HOLY COURAGE AND THE DIVINE MERCY
LITTLE MEDITATION ON THE PASSION AND THE DIVINE MERCY
CHECKLIST PRAYER FOR A PLENARY OR PARTIAL INDULGENCE
LITTLE PRAYER TO OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS
LITTLE SPIRITUAL COMMUNION PRAYER
LITTLE PRAYER BEFORE HOLY COMMUNION
LITTLE PRAYER AFTER HOLY COMMUNION
NIGHT PRAYER: BEFORE FALLING ASLEEP
NIGHT PRAYER: WHILE SLUMBERING
MORNING PRAYER: BEFORE FULLY AWAKENING
AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING: TO JESUS THROUGH MARY
OTHER PRAYERS
PRAYER OF DIVINE MERCY IN THE DARK NIGHT OF THE CROSS
LITTLE PRAYER FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING IN THE DARK NIGHT OF UNKNOWING
NIGHT PRAYER TO THE SAINTS AND ANGELS
LITTLE PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL
PRAYER OF SUFFERING IN THE DARK NIGHT
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE: THE GREAT GRACE OF DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
LONGER SPIRITUAL COMMUNION PRAYER
ABOUT ME
In the chapel of the Kino Catechetical Institute (courtesy of Ambria Hammel of the Catholic Sun)
My name is Joseph Peter Castorino III, and my confirmation name is Anthony, but most people simply know me as Joe. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree and also a Master of Arts degree in English literature, with an emphasis in fiction, from Loyola Marymount University, and for over ten years I taught writing (and also some literature), mostly on the community-college level but also to a limited extent on the university level and high-school level. In addition, for a little under 15 years I worked as an academic training leader for Edward Jones Investments, during which time I held the designation of Accredited Asset Management Specialist.
In terms of my spiritual life, since 2007 I have been a member of the Association of Mary, Queen of All Hearts (this is a part of the Company of Mary that was founded by St. Louis de Montfort). Then, from 2011-2013, I was a pre-diaconate candidate and graduated from the Kino Catechetical Institute with a specialization in Respect Life ministry. In addition, I have given various different presentations at parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix. The first one was “A Mission to Jesus through Mary” and focused on St. Louis de Montfort’s very powerful Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. The second one was “A Mission of Divine Mercy” and focused on the very beautiful Divine Mercy Novena. The third one was a dramatic presentation on selections from “Introduction to the Devout Life,” the masterpiece of spiritual direction by St. Francis de Sales.
If you would like to read an article on my poetry that was published in The Catholic Sun, then please feel free to copy the link below and paste it into an internet search engine:
https://www.catholicsun.org/2018/03/22/catholic-poet-shares-faith-in-verse-ponders-spiritual-battle/
May God richly and wonderfully bless you all! Let me close with the triumphant words of the great St. Francis de Sales: “Vive Jésus!”