Solemn Blessing of the Professed

From the Rite of Perpetual Profession

This prayer is prayed by the Bishop over the Sister(s) professing perpetual vows. The prayer outlines how God has wedded human nature to Himself throughout the course of salvation history. The Bishop invokes the Holy Spirit to aid the perpetually professed on their pilgrimage to the “wedding feast of heaven.”

Doctrine: Evangelical Counsels

Audience: Junior high or high school

Use: Include in celebration, asking students to pray for all religious, especially any they know personally. Excerpts could also be incorporated into explanation: the individual cooperates with God’s grace to profess the counsels, thus requiring the divine assistance sought through this prayer.

Father in heaven,

the desire to serve you is itself your gift,

and to sustain it is your care.

For this and all your gifts we give you thanks and praise.

With love no words can tell

you created the human family

through your Word in the Holy Spirit.

You took our human nature into communion with yourself.

You make it your bride,

radiant with your own likeness,

and adorned with the gifts of everlasting life.

Even though your bride was deceived by the devil,

and broke faith

you did not abandoned her.

Love for your servant Noah

moved you to renew the Covenant

you first made with Adam.

(Then from the race of Abraham, the man of faith,

you chose a people destined to outnumber

the stars of heaven.

By the hand of Moses

you sealed a Covenant with them in the tables of the Law.

From age to age

there arose from this favoured people,

holy women renowned for devotion and courage,

sanctity and faith.)

In the fullness of time

you raised up a holy virgin from the stock of Jesse:

the Holy Spirit was to come upon her,

and your power overshadowed her,

making her the Immaculate Mother

of the world’s Redeemer.

He became poor, humble, and obedient

the source and pattern of all holiness.

he formed the Church into his bride,

loving it with love so great

that he gave himself up for it

and sanctified it in his blood.

In your loving wisdom

you have led countless daughters of yours

to follow him as disciples

and be honored as brides.

(With their rich variety

the Holy Church is a garden of many splendors,

a bride adorned with jewels,

a queen robed in grace,

a mother rejoicing in her children.)

Father, we earnestly pray you:

send the fire of the Holy Spirit

to warm into flame

the resolve he has kindled in the hearts of your daughters.

Lord, may the glory of their baptism shine again

with the innocence of newborn life.

Strengthened by the vows of their consecration,

may they be always one with you in fervent love,

faithful to Christ, their only Spouse.

May they cherish the Church as their mother

and love the whole world as God’s creation,

teaching it to look forward in joy and hope

to the good things of heaven.

Lord, holy Father,

guide the steps of your servants

and guard them on their pilgrimage.

At the judgment seat of the King of heaven

let them not fear him as their judge,

but hear the voice of their Bridegroom

inviting them to the wedding feast of heaven.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.