# St. Joseph's manual/Evening Prayers

EVENING PRAYERS.
BLESSED be the most holy and undivided Trinity, now and forever.
O my God, I adore thee through the sacred heart of thy divine Son, as my Creator and Sovereign Good; I give thee thanks for all thy mercies to me, spiritual and temporal, general and particular, but more especially for the favors bestowed on me this day. May thy holy name be eternally praised and glorified, and may I never be ungrateful for thy bounties. Amen.
O my Lord Jesus Christ, Judge of the living and the dead, before whom I must one day appear to give an exact account of my whole life, enlighten me, I beseech thee, and give me a humble and contrite heart, that I may see wherein I have offended thy infinite majesty, and judge myself now with a just severity that thou mayest then judge me with mercy and clemency.
Examine yourself how you have passed the day, what sins you have committed against God, your neighbor, or yourself; and reflect whether you have complied with the full duty of your state of life.
THE CONFITEOR.
I CONFESS to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter ​and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary ever Virgin, the blessed Michael the archangel, the blessed John the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord, our God, for me.
May the almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution, and remission of all our sins. Amen.
THE LORD'S PRAYER.
OUR FATHER, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.
THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION.
HAIL, MARY, full of grace; our Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst 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 our death. Amen.
THE APOSTLES' CREED.
I BELIEVE in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He ​descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead: he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
MOST merciful Lord, I am sorry from the bottom of my heart for all the sins I have committed, purely because they are offensive to thee, who art a God of infinite goodness; I sincerely detest them, and firmly purpose, through thy holy grace, never to offend thee any more. Enlighten my understanding, and strengthen my will, that I may persevere in thy favor till death. Amen.
O my God, I firmly believe all the sacred truths the Catholic Church believes and teaches, because thou hast revealed them.
Relying on thy goodness and promises, I hope to obtain the pardon of my sins, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, and by the intercession of his blessed Mother, and of all the saints.
I love thee, above all things, with my whole heart and soul, purely for thyself, and I desire to love thee as the blessed do in heaven. I also love my neighbor, for thy sake, as I love myself. And I sincerely forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
I adore all the designs of thy divine providence, resigning myself entirely to thy will. I renounce the devil with all his works, the world with all its pomps, and the flesh with all its temptations. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.
V. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
R. Sweet Jesus, receive my soul.
​May the blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, and all the saints and angels, glorify and love the sacred heart of Jesus for me this night, and pray for me to our Lord that I may be preserved during it from all sin and evil.
Blessed St. Michael, defend me in the day of battle, that I may not be lost at the dreadful judgment. O angel of God, to whose care I have been committed by the supreme clemency, enlighten, govern, and defend me, this night, from all sin and danger.
Save me, O Lord, waking, and keep me, sleeping, that I may watch with Christ, and rest in peace. Amen.
V. Vouchsafe, O Lord, this night to keep me with out sin.
R. Have mercy on me. O Lord, have mercy on me.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my supplication come unto thee.
Visit, I beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation, and drive from it all the snares of the enemy. Let thy holy angels dwell herein to preserve me in peace; and may thy blessing be upon us forever, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God the Father, bless me; Jesus Christ, defend and keep me; divine Spirit, enlighten and sanctify me, this night and forever. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, I humbly beg of thee, by the precious blood thou didst shed for me in the garden of Olives, that thou wilt give thy blessing to those who are in their agony; that thou wilt deliver the poor souls from purgatory, but especially the most abandoned. Conduct them to thy glory, where they will praise and bless thee forever and ever. Amen.
LITANY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
WE fly to thy patronuge, O holy Mother of God: despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever-glorious and blessed Virgin.
| Lord, have mercy on us. |
| Christ, have mercy on us. |
| Lord, have mercy on us. |
| Christ, hear us. |
| Christ, graciously hear us. |
| God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. |
| God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. |
| God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. |
| Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. |
| Holy Mary, | Pray for us. |
| Holy Mother of God, | Pray for us. |
| Holy Virgin of virgins, | Pray for us. |
| Mother of Christ, | Pray for us. |
| Mother of divine grace, | Pray for us. |
| Mother most pure, | Pray for us. |
| Mother most chaste, | Pray for us. |
| Mother undefiled, | Pray for us. |
| Mother inviolate, | Pray for us. |
| Mother most amiable, | Pray for us. |
| Mother most admirable, | Pray for us. |
| Mother of our Creator, | Pray for us. |
| Mother of our Redeemer, | Pray for us. |
| Virgin most prudent, | Pray for us. |
| Virgin most venerable, | Pray for us. |
| Virgin most renowned, | Pray for us. |
| Virgin most powerful, | Pray for us. |
| Virgin most merciful, | Pray for us. |
| Virgin most faithful, | Pray for us. |
| Mirror of justice, | Pray for us. |
| Seat of wisdom, | Pray for us. |
| Cause of our joy, | Pray for us. |
| Spiritual vessel, | Pray for us. |
| Vessel of honor, | Pray for us. |
| Vessel of singular devotion, | Pray for us. |
| Mystical rose, | Pray for us. |
| Tower of David, | Pray for us. |
| Tower of ivory, | Pray for us. |
| House of gold, | Pray for us. |
| Ark of the covenant, | Pray for us. |
| Gate of heaven, | Pray for us. |
| Morning star, | Pray for us. |
| Health of the weak, | Pray for us. |
| Refuge of sinners, | Pray for us. |
| Comforter of the afflicted, | Pray for us. |
| Help of Christians, | Pray for us. |
| Queen of angels, | Pray for us. |
| Queen of patriarchs, | Pray for us. |
| Queen of prophets, | Pray for us. |
| Queen of apostles, | Pray for us. |
| Queen of martyrs, | Pray for us. |
| Queen of confessors, | Pray for us. |
| Queen of virgins, |
| Queen of all saints, |
| Queen conceived without sin, |
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
    Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
    Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
    Have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
​Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, thy Son, has been made known by the message of an angel, may, by his passion and death, be brought to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
DE PROFUNDIS.
OUT of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice.
Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand it?
For with thee there is merciful forgiveness; and by reason of thy law I have waited for thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on his word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy; and with him plentiful redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
V. Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
V. May they rest in peace.
R. Amen.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of thy servants departed the ​remission of all their sins, that, through pious supplications, they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired; who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
AFTER EVENING PRAYERS.
WHILST UNDRESSING.
DIVEST my soul, O my Jesus, of all sin and of all affection to sin; of all pride and vanity; of all self-will and self-love; of whatever is in the least displeasing to thy divine majesty.
WHEN GOING TO BED.
IN the name of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified. I lay me down to rest; bless me, O Lord, defend and govern me, and after this short and miserable pilgrimage bring me to everlasting happiness. Amen.
WHEN CLOSING YOUR EYES TO SLEEP.
O LORD JESUS, whose unwearied eye neither slumbers nor sleeps, but continually watches in defence of thy servants, receive me, I beseech thee, into thy protection this night, and grant that when my body is asleep my soul may be awake to thee, and that I may one day behold that blessed and heavenly country, where thou, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest forever. Amen.
DURING THE NIGHT.
On awaking during the hours of rest, make the sign of the cross, and say,
GREAT GOD! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! I adore thee truly, present here by thy immensity, which fills all space; and I rejoice with adoring love and gratitude that in thee we live, move, and have our being.
Then, in spirit before the tabernacle, say,
My divine Jesus, Lover of mankind, I thank thee for thy tender and loving condescension, in remaining with us day and night. O angels of our sanctuary, love, praise, and adore my Jesus for me.