Prayers for Difficult Times
The Church keeps specialists for when everything has failed: St. Jude, patron of hopeless causes, and St. Rita, patron of the impossible. The Memorare's opening line — 'never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection was left unaided' — is the boldest sentence in Catholic prayer.
Traditional prayers
Memorare
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother;
to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
From Scripture
1A gradual canticle. Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord:
2Lord, hear my voice. Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
— Psalm 129 (130) — De Profundis, vv. 1-2, Douay-Rheims · read the full chapter
28And we know that to them that love God all things work together unto good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.
— Romans 8, vv. 28, Douay-Rheims · read the full chapter
8In all things we suffer tribulation: but are not distressed. We are straitened: but are not destitute.
9We suffer persecution: but are not forsaken. We are cast down: but we perish not.
— 2 Corinthians 4, vv. 8-9, Douay-Rheims · read the full chapter
Psalm numbers follow the Douay-Rheims (Vulgate) numbering; the common Hebrew numbering appears in parentheses.
Pray a novena
Patron saints for this intention
How to use these prayers
The traditional practice is a nine-day novena with the same short prayer daily. Consistency, not eloquence, is the discipline.