For a Happy Death

To St. Benedict

O holy Father, St. Benedict, blessed by God both in grace and in name, who, while standing in prayer, with hands raised to heaven, didst most happily yield your angelic spirit into the hands of your Creator, and has promised zealously to defend against all the snares of the enemy in the last struggle of death, those who shall daily remind you of thy glorious departure and heavenly joys; protect me, I beseech thee, O glorious Father, this day and every day, by your holy blessings, that I may never be separated from our dear Lord, from the society of yourself, and of all the blessed. Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.

To Our Lord and Savior

O my Lord and Savior, support me in my last hour by the strong arms of Thy sacraments and the fragrance of thy consolations. Let Thy absolving words be said over me, and the holy oil sign and seal me; and let Thine own body be my food and Thy blood my sprinkling; and let Thy Mother Mary come to me, and my angel whisper peace to me, and Thy glorious saints and my own dear patrons smile on me, that in and through them all I may die as I desire to live, in Thy Church, in Thy faith, and in Thy love.
Amen.

To the Blessed Mother

Dearest Lady, sweet Mother mine, watch the hour when my departing soul shall lose its hold on all earthly things, and stand unveiled in the presence of its Creator. Show thyself my tender Mother then, and offer to the Eternal Father the precious blood of thy Son Jesus for my poor soul, that it may, thus purified, by pleasing in His sight. Plead for thy poor child at the moment of my departure from this world, and say to the heavenly Father: Receive him (her) this day into Thy kingdom!
Amen.

Virgin Mary

Through your help I hope to die a happy death. O my Mother I beg you, by the love you bear my God, to help me at all times, but especially at the last moment of my life. Do not leave me, I beseech you, until you see me safe in Heaven, blessing you and singing your mercies for all eternity.
Amen, so I hope, so may it be.

To the Holy Family

Grant unto us, Lord Jesus, ever to follow the example of Thy holy Family, that in the hour of our death Thy glorious Virgin Mother together with blessed Joseph may come to meet us and we may be worthily received by Thee into everlasting dwellings: Who livest and reignest world without end.
Amen.

To St. Joseph

O Glorious St. Joseph, behold I choose thee today for my special patron in life and at the hour of my death. Preserve and increase in me the spirit of prayer and fervor in the service of God. Remove far from me every kind of sin; obtain for me that my death may not come upon me unawares, but that I may have time to confess my sins sacramentally and to bewail them with a most perfect understanding and a most sincere and perfect contrition, in order that I may breathe forth my soul into the hands of Jesus and Mary.
Amen.

To Blessed St. Joseph

O BLESSED JOSEPH, who yielded up thy last breath in the arms of Jesus and Mary, obtain for me this grace, O holy Joseph, that I may breathe forth my soul in praise, saying in spirit, if I am unable to do so in words:
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give Thee my heart and my soul.”
Amen.

The Special Prayer of the Pious Union of St. Joseph

O St. JOSEPH, foster father of the Child Jesus and true spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us and for the dying of this day (or this night).
Amen.

 

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