Prayers to Saint Gertrude of Helfta and Saint Paulina against diabetes

Prayer to Saint Gertrude of Helfta for Those with Diabetes

O Saint Gertrude, Beloved of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, You who trusted completely in His mercy and love, Intercede for all who suffer from diabetes And from the burdens of chronic illness.

Obtain for us patience in weakness, Discipline in daily care, And peace of heart amid physical limitations. Ask the Lord to regulate what is disordered in the body, To strengthen what is weak, And to grant healing according to His holy will.

Teach us to unite our sufferings With the Heart of Jesus, That they may become a source of grace, Hope, and deeper trust in God.

Saint Gertrude, Pray for us. Amen.

Benedictine and mystic writer; born in Germany, 6 Jan., 1256; died at Helfta, near Eisleben, Saxony, 17 November, 1301 or 1302. Nothing is known of her family, not even the name of her parents. It is clear from her life (Legatus, lib. I, xvi) that she was not born in the neighbourhood of Eisleben. When she was but five years of age she entered the aluminate of Helfta. The monastery was at that time governed by the saintly and enlightened Abbess Gertrude of Hackerborn, under whose rule it prospered exceedingly, both in monastic observance and in that intellectual activity which St.Lioba and her Anglo-Saxon nuns had transmitted to their foundations in Germany. All that could aid to sanctity, or favor contemplation and learning, was to be found in this hallowed spot. Here, too, as to the center of all activity and impetus of its life, the work of works-the Opus Dei, as St. Benedict terms the Divine Office – was solemnly carried out. Such was Helfta when its portals opened to receive the child destined to be its brightest glory. Gertrude was confided to the care of St. Mechtilde, mistress of the alumnate and sister of the Abbess Gertrude. From the first she had the gift of winning the hearts, and her biographer gives many details of her exceptional charms, which matured with advancing years. Thus early had been formed between Gertrude and Mechtilde the bond of an intimacy which deepened and strengthened with time, and gave the latter saint a prepondering influence over the former. We invoke her for the Healing of diabètes. Pope emeritus Benedict XVI traced his biography in his general audience 6 October 2010.

Invocation

O most merciful Jesus, the giver of all goods and all the graces, all what the heavens and the earth contain praise you in return for the extreme kindness with which you have spilled into the heart of your servant, St. Gertrude, the abundance of your mercy and your grace. I would remind you, O Jesus, the promise you made to fulfill always and in all circumstances the requests that would be sent to You through St. Gertrude. So I pray you, in the name of your servant blessed, don’t let me go desolated and grant me the salutary effect of my request. By Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with God in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Gertrude, sure refuge and source of graces for all who invoke you refuge, pray for us.

Prayer Oration

Lord, deign always to be my good pastor, in spite of my ingratitude, and though I do not often follow your conduct, open to me the gates of your kingdom, and let me enter through your holy wounds. Alas! You are overwhelmed with the most cruel sufferings, I want to take my part in it. Protect me by your holy passion; because without your flagellation I would be scourged with the sharp rods of my sins; without your injuries, I cannot escape from the injuries of the devil, and without your death, I would die in my hardness. Ah! How my soul could be enriched by all that you have suffered for it! But I had the misfortune to flee from your cross and your passion, and this is why I have become so poor. Woe to me! Since fleeing the opprobrium of your cross, as the world calls it, I deserve to be despised by you, your angels, your saints, and all men.

The Litany of St. Gertrude the Great

Antiphon: Lord Jesus! In union with that love which drew Thee down upon earth and caused Thee to fulfill the work of our Redemption, I offer Thee this

prayer.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy,

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy, 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.

All ye holy choirs of Angels, pray for us.

All ye Saints and Elect of God, etc.

Saint Gertrude,

Thou chaste virgin,

Thou beloved daughter of the Heavenly Father,

Thou chosen bride of Jesus Christ,

Thou temple of the Holy Ghost,

Thou joy of the Holy Trinity,

Thou fragrant flower in the hand of Jesus Christ,

Thou ever-blooming spring flower, Thou rose without thorns,

Thou chaste dove without the stain of sin,

Thou earthly seraph,

Thou living sanctuary,

Thou strong protection of all who venerate thee,

Jesus Christ, Spouse of Saint Gertrude,

have mercy on us.

Through her humility, have mercy on us.

Through her charity, etc.

Through her untiring patience,

Through the ardent love she bore Thee,

Through the delight with which Thou didst dwell in her heart,

Through the love which Thou hast for her,

Through the love with which Thou hast chosen her from eternity,

Through the love with which Thou didst so sweetly attract her to Thyself,

Through the love with which Thou so delightfully didst unite her to Thyself,

Through the love with which Thou so complacently dwelt in her heart,

Through the love with which Thou didst end her life with a happy death,

Through the love with which Thou hast conferred on her eternal life,

Through the love with which Thou lowest and rejoices all the blessed,

Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us.

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.

V. Pray for us, O holy virgin Saint Gertrude,

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray.

O Lord Jesus, by the love Thou didst bear to the virginal heart of Saint Gertrude and by which Thou hast promised that no sinner who would honor and love her should die a sudden and unprovided death, grant me, I beseech Thee, this grace, and let me so love Thee and repent of my sins that with faith and confidence I may expect a happy death. R. Amen.

O God, Who in the heart of the holy virgin Gertrude didst provide for Thyself a pleasing abode, through her merits do Thou cleanse from our hearts every stain of sin and grant that we may enjoy fellowship with her forevermore, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lived and reigned with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. R. Amen.

Pray with Saint Paulina against Diabetes

Mother Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, also called Saint Paulina, was born Amabile Lucia Visintainer (December 16, 1865 – July 9, 1942). She was a Brazilian nun of Italian origin who became the first Brazilian citizen to be canonized when proclaimed a saint on May 19, 2002, by Pope John Paul II. Saint Paulina suffered from diabetes for much of her life and is considered by some to be the Patroness of diabetics. Also, she can intercede with great compassion for people suffering from this chronic disease.

O Saint Pauline, ever trusting in God and Jesus, and ever faithful in responding to Our Lady’s call to help the suffering of the world, we ask for your loving care of the Church that you love so dearly; we entrust to your loving care our lives, our families, and all of God’s people.

(Add your own intentions.)

Saint Pauline, intercede for us before the throne of God so that we will always have the courage to bring about a more human, just, and comradely world. Amen.

(One Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be)

Saint Pauline, pray for us!