Prayer is the glue that holds a marriage and a family together. Prayer comes in many forms, including: recited prayers, such as the Hail Mary; spontaneous prayer, as a husband and wife might say before bedtime; praying with Scripture; and that perfect prayer–the Mass.
The book, Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, is an excellent resource for your marriage as you explore the Catholic tradition of prayer. Here are some excerpts:
Blessing of an Engaged Couple
The betrothal of a Christian couple is a special occasion for their families, who should celebrate it together with prayer and a special rite. In this way, they ask God’s blessing that the happiness promised by the engagement will be brought to fulfillment. When the engagement is celebrated within the circle of the two families, one of the parents should preside.
When the families have gathered, all make the sign of the cross.
The leader greets those present in the following words:
Brothers and sisters, let us praise our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. Let us bless him now and forever.
R/. Blessed be God forever.
In the following or similar words, the leader prepares those present for the blessing.
We know that all of us need God’s blessing at all times; but at the time of their engagement to be married, Christians are in particular need of grace as they prepare themselves to form a new family.
Let us pray, then, for God’s blessing to come upon this couple: that as they await the day of their wedding, they will grow in mutual respect and in their love for one another; that through their companionship and prayer together they will prepare themselves rightly and chastely for marriage.
One of those present or the leader reads a text of sacred Scripture.
Listen to the words of the first Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians: 13:4-13
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Or John 15:9-12: This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
R/. Thanks be to God.
The intercessions are then said.
Leader: God our Father has so loved us that in Christ he makes us his children and the witnesses of his love before the entire world. Let us, therefore, call upon him in all confidence, saying:
R/. Lord, help us to remain always in your love.
God our Father, you willed that your true children, brothers and sisters in Christ, should be known by their love for one another. R/.
You place upon us the sweet demands of love so that we may find happiness by responding to them. R/.
You call N. and N. to the communion of life and love that binds the Christian family together, mind and heart. R/.
The engaged couple may exchange rings or some other gift that signifies their pledge to each other.
One of the parents may bless these gifts:
N. and N., in due course may you honor the sacred pledge symbolized by these gifts which you now exchange.
R/. Amen.
The leader says the prayer of blessing with hands joined.
We praise you, Lord, for your gentle plan draws together your children, N. and N., in love for one another. Strengthen their hearts, so that they will keep faith with each other, please you in all things, and so come to the happiness of celebrating the sacrament of their marriage. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
The leader concludes the rite by signing himself or herself with the sign of the cross and saying:
May the God of love and peace abide in you, guide your steps, and confirm your hearts in his love, now and forever.
R/. Amen.
The blessing may conclude with a suitable song.
Prayer of a Future Husband
Adapted from Tobit 8:5-7
Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors, and blessed too is your name forever. Let the heavens bless you for evermore and all the things you have made. It was you who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife to be his help and support; and from these two the human race was born. It was you who said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself.”
I take N. in sincerity of heart. Have mercy on her and on me and allow us to live together to a happy old age.
Prayer of a Future Wife
Adapted from Psalm 16
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the Lord, “My God are you. Apart from you I have no good.” I bless the Lord who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the Lord ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices, my body abides in confidence.
You, O Lord, will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.
Blessing of a Son or Daughter Before Marriage
In the days immediately before the wedding, the family may gather around its member who is to be married, perhaps at a special meal in the family’s home.
All make the sign of the cross. A parent begins:
Let us bless the Lord, by whose goodness we live and by whose grace we love one another. Blessed be God forever.
R/. Blessed be God forever.
Then the Scripture is read:
Listen to the words of the Book of Deuteronomy: 6:4-7
Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
R/. Thanks be to God.
The parents may give a Bible or crucifix to the one who is to be married. Then all join in prayers of intercession for the couple to be married and for the world. After the Lord’s Prayer, the parents and other family members place their hands on the head of their son or daughter as one or both parents speak the blessing.
May the Lord, who gave you into our care and made you a joy to our home, bless you and keep you.
R/. Amen.
May the Lord, who turns the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, smile on you and be kind to you.
R/. Amen.
May the Lord, who delights in our love for one another, turn toward you and give you peace.
R/. Amen.
All make the sign of the cross as the leader concludes:
May the God of love and peace abide in you, guide your steps, and confirm your heart in his love, now and forever.
R/. Amen.
Table Blessing for Weddings
This blessing may be used before the meal at a wedding reception. A member of the wedding party or one of the parents of the newly married couple may serve as the leader.
When everyone has gathered at table and the meal is ready to be served, all make the sign of the cross.
Leader: Blessed be God who has brought us together in joy.
R/. Blessed be God forever.
The leader introduces the blessing in these or similar words:
We have gathered here to celebrate the love of N. and N. God has brought them together, and we pray that God will hold them in his love always. As the food we share will strengthen our bodies, may our time together strengthen the love that binds us.
After a time of silence, the leader prays:
Let us pray. Lord God, you sustain all creatures and never cease to give your children the food they need. We bless you for bringing us together in the love that unites us around this table where the food we take strengthens our bodies. We pray that, nourished by your Word, we may grow ever stronger in faith as we strive for the coming of your Kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
Blessing on Anniversaries #1
When the household and friends have gathered, all make the sign of the cross.
The leader greets those present in the following words:
Blessed be the God of all consolation, who has shown us his great mercy. Blessed be God now and forever.
R/. Blessed be God forever.
In the following or similar words, the leader prepares those present for the blessing.
We have come together to celebrate the anniversary of the marriage of our brother and sister. As we join them in their joy, we join them also in their gratitude. God has set them among us as a sign of his love and through the years they have remained faithful (and have fulfilled their responsibilities as parents). Let us give thanks for all the favors N. and N. have received during their married life. May God keep them in their love for each other, so that they may be more and more of one mind and one heart.
One of those present or the leader reads a text of sacred Scripture.
Listen to the words of the first Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1:4-9
I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
R/. Thanks be to God.
The intercessions are then said.
Leader: In the tender plan of his providence, God our almighty Father has given married love, its faithfulness, (and its fruitfulness,) a special significance in the history of salvation. Let us therefore call upon him, saying:
R/. Lord, hear our prayer.
Father all-holy, you have made marriage the great symbol of Christ’s love for his Church; bestow on these your servants the fullness of your own love. For this we pray: R/.
Father all-holy, the faithful one, you ask for and respond to fidelity to your covenant; fill with your blessings your servants who are celebrating their wedding anniversary. For this we pray: R/.
It is your will that all married life should be a lesson in Christian living; grant that all husbands and wives may be witnesses to the wonders of your Son’s love. For this we pray: R/.
The leader says the prayer of blessing with hands joined.
Lord God and Creator, we bless and praise your name. In the beginning you made man and woman, so that they might enter a communion of life and love. You likewise blessed the union of N. and N., so that they might reflect the union of Christ with his Church: look with kindness on them today. Amid the joys and struggles of their life you have preserved the union between them; renew their marriage covenant, increase your love in them, and strengthen their bond of peace, so that (surrounded by their children) they may always rejoice in the gift of your blessing. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
Blessing on Anniversaries #2
Almighty and eternal God, you have so exalted the unbreakable bond of marriage that it has become the sacramental sign of your Son’s union with the Church as his spouse. Look with favor on N. and N., whom you have united in marriage, as they ask for your help and the protection of the Virgin Mary. They pray that in good times and in bad they will grow in love for each other; that they will resolve to be of one heart in the bond of peace.
Lord, in their struggles let them rejoice that you are near to help them; in their needs let them know that you are there to rescue them; in their joys let them see that you are the source and completion of every happiness. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
The leader concludes the rite by signing himself or herself with the sign of the cross and saying:
May the God of hope fill us with every joy in believing. May the peace of Christ abound in our hearts. May the Holy Spirit enrich us with his gifts, Now and forever.
R/. Amen.
Exerpts from Blessings and Prayers for Home and Family (c) Concacan, Inc, 2004. Used and adapted by permission of the Canadian Conferene of Catholic Bishops.
Excerpts from the English translations of Book of Blessings (c) 1988, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. (ICEL). All rights reserved.
Bring prayer into your marriage! Use Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers to:
- Learn the “by-hearts”-the prayers that every Catholic needs to know by memory
- Practice the simple form of the Liturgy of the Hours as a family
- Celebrate the feasts and seasons of the Church year in ritual and prayer
- Bless the Advent wreath, Christmas crèche, and Easter foods
- Lead grace before and after meals
- Pray for family members
- Bless the home before a move and in times of trouble
Additional Resources:
- The Couple Prayer Series
- Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb (USCCB)
www.foryourmarriage.org
In late November, we were privileged to have in our chapel a High Mass for a couple’s fiftieth anniversary of marriage. It was a most edifying occasion, during which those gathered from near and far heard a beautiful sermon on the nature of matrimony, and the gift of perseverance in this day when marriage is so undermined by perversity and selfishness. Besides the traditional High Mass, there was a ritual of blessing at the beginning, and a sung Te Deum at the end, both of which we present below. The “Allocution” that begins the rite of blessing comes from the Weller edition of the Roman Ritual. Psalm 127 and the Te Deum were both chanted in Latin, as were certain of the other prayers of the ritual. Here, we present everything in English.
Allocution
Beloved of Christ: “Wedlock is a holy thing and it should be dealt with in a holy manner.” This is the teaching of the Council of Trent. Evidently you subscribe wholeheartedly to this solemn pronouncement, because you begin the festivities of your golden wedding anniversary in the house of God. You are come to render thanksgiving to Him for His benevolent favors of the past fifty years, and to entreat His benediction upon you for the years that remain. You return as devout pilgrims today to the altar of God, where in your youth you were made joyful and glad with the marriage sacrament. You were married in Christ, and the Lord has continued these many years to be your portion in happiness and your chalice in sorrow, just as you live in hope that He will bequeath an everlasting inheritance when the journey comes to an end.
On the day of your wedding, so long past, grace was laid up in your souls through the sacrament which you administered to each other. Today you stand before the world as a striking testimony of what God’s grace, conferred in matrimony, can effect in the husband and wife who will work along with the divine treasure that is in them. Our world has great need of the living sermon which your example of fidelity and loyalty dins into its ears. All who validly receive the sacrament of matrimony are meant to be sanctified and strengthened for the duties and for the dignity of their state, but sad to say not all use the powers of grace laid up in the soul by this sacrament. Because so many married folks have gone astray from the living God and turned to the false gods of their own inordinate whims and desires, we are confronted on all sides by the spectacle of overwhelming unhappiness and frustration that plagues our present society. Hatred between spouses, adultery, divorce, race suicide, unbridled selfishness, broken homes, forsaken children — these are the accursed fruits resulting when the grace of matrimony lies unused and its duties neglected. But now that we have mentioned these evils in protest and warning for the ears that can benefit from the Church’s solemn admonition, let us turn quickly from these unpleasant considerations, so offensive to the devout people of God, and instead take inspiration and courage from the lessons afforded by this happy occasion.
We are inclined to believe that you have lived the years of wedlock in imitation of the chaste nuptials of Christ with His Church, that your love for each other has resembled Christ’s love for His spotless Bride, and that as Christ is the Savior of the Church, so you have been to each other a savior, helping each other to grow in holiness and in true love for God and neighbor. Thus it has come about that now there is found in your marriage peace, dignity, happiness, and security. Of course, it is no secret that your way has not been easy at all times. You have had to endure suffering together. You have often been nailed to the cross of sacrifice. There have been temptations to overcome. You have been put to the test of heroic generosity and unselfishness, so that you might patiently bear each other’s weaknesses and imperfections. But because you have been subject to God, you have subdued the rebellion of the flesh. With God’s help you have been enabled to accomplish what of yourselves you would not have been able.
In the name of Christ, of the Church and all her children who are present, as well as in my priestly office, I extend heartiest congratulations to you and all good wishes for your future years together. Shortly we shall offer the Holy Sacrifice in praise and thanksgiving to our heavenly Father for the great work He has wrought in you. In the course of the Mass let us also beseech the Most High to be ever at your side in His full power and glory, assisting you to continue and to persevere unto the end, so that the wedlock kept holy on earth may adorn you for the hour in which the heavenly messenger comes to conduct you to the divine nuptials of the Lamb of God.
Blessing For Wedding Anniversaries
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
V. And let my cry come unto Thee.
R. The Lord be with you.
V. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray
Direct, O Lord, we beseech Thee, our actions by Thy holy inspirations, and carry them on by Thy gracious assistance, that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
Priest: N., do you renew and confirm your taking of N., here present for your wedded wife?
Husband: I do.
Priest: N., do you renew and confirm your taking of N., here present for your wedded husband?
Wife: I do.
May the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Ghost, descend upon you and remain forever. R. Amen
Ant. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
Psalm 127
Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. May the Lord bless thee out of Sion: and mayest thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. And mayest thou see thy children’s children, peace upon Israel. Glory be…
Ant. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Our Father (silently as far as):
V. And lead us not into temptation.
R. But deliver us from evil.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray
Almighty, everlasting God, look with kindness on these your servants, who with gladness approach Thy holy temple to give thanks, and grant that, after this life they may, with their children, attain to the joys of eternal happiness. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
Te Deum
We praise Thee, O God: we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship Thee and the Father everlasting.
To Thee all Angels: to Thee the heavens and all the Powers therein.
To Thee the Cherubim and Seraphim cry with unceasing voice:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Lord God of Hosts.
The heavens and the earth are full of the majesty of Thy glory.
Thee the glorious choir of the Apostles.
Thee the admirable company of the Prophets.
Thee the white-robed army of Martyrs praise.
Thee the Holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge.
The Father of infinite Majesty.
Thine adorable, true and only Son
Also the Holy Ghost the Paraclete.
Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
Thou having taken upon Thee to deliver man
didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb.
Thou having overcome the sting of death
didst open to believers the kingdom of heaven.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou shalt come to be our Judge.
We beseech Thee, therefore, help Thy servants:
whom Thou has redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints in glory everlasting.
Lord, save Thy people: and bless Thine inheritance.
Govern them and lift them up forever.
Day by day we bless Thee.
And we praise Thy name forever: and world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day to keep us without sin.
Have mercy on us, O Lord: have mercy on us.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us: as we have hoped in Thee.
O Lord, in Thee have I hoped: let me never be confounded.
V. Blessed are art Thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
R. Praised, worthy and exalted above all forever.
V. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
R. Let us praise him and exalt him above all forever.
V. Bless the Lord, O my soul.
R. And forget not all he has done for Thee.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to Thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray
O God, whose mercy is unlimited and whose goodness is inexhaustible, we thank Thee for all that Thou in Thy loving majesty hast given us. We ask that Thou, who always answerest those who pray, may in Thy mercy not abandon them, but prepare them to receive eternal rewards. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
catholicism.org
(Name) and (Name), May
God
bless you and grant you joy. May He deepen your love for each other. May He bless you + in your
family
and friends, And lead you to unending
happiness
in Heaven.
May Almighty God, Father, Son, + and Holy Spirit, Bless us all, And keep us in His love for ever and ever.
Amen.
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Welcome to our collection of anniversary prayers and prayer request.
Nothing is more beautiful thank celebrating the continued success of a happy marriage. Bring God into the celebration with these beautiful prayers.
Anniversary Prayer
Lord, we thank you for this couple and for all of the years that
they have had together. Today, as we celebrate their anniversary,
our prayer is that you will continue to bless them.
Let their testimony of love and forgiveness be a help to other couples
as they start on their own journeys into married life. Lord, we pray that
You will honor their commitment to each other and to You by granting them
many more years of happiness together.
Amen
Protect This Relationship, Lord
Keep us, 0 Lord, from pettiness. Let us be thoughtful in word and deed.
Help us to put away pretense, and face each other in deep trust without
fear or self-pity. Help us to guard against faultfinding, and be quick to
discover the best in each other and in every situation.
Guard us from ill temper and hasty judgment; encourage us to take time for
all things, to grow calm, serene and gentle. Help us to be generous with
kind words and compliments. Teach us never to ignore, never to hurt, and
never to take each other for granted. Engrave charity and compassion on our hearts.
Please, pray for us.
Amen
Bless This Couple
Your Word tells us that when a man finds a wife that he has found a good thing.
You also make it clear in Your Word how important and sacred marriage is in Your eyes.
Lord, we pray that You will bless this couple with the grace, forgiveness and love that
is needed for a continued happy marriage.
We know it takes work, God, but we also know that if You’re in the midst
of the marriage that it will succeed. Let Your blessings be on this couple in
Jesus name.
Amen
From the scriptures…
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”
Read more bible verses about Love and Marriage.
Return to Anniversary Prayers
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