Catholic Prayer: Litany of Saint Peter Claver

Description:

This litany, from The Voice of the Sacred Heart, is included in Fr. Lasance's Blessed Sacrament Book. The Saint's Collect from the Roman Missal has been added.

Feast day September 9.

Prayer:

Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus Christ, hear my prayer. Jesus Christ, graciously hear my prayer.

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, immaculate Mother of God, Pray for us.

Saint Peter Claver, worthy son of Saint Ignatius, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, zealous disciple of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, emulator of the apostle of the Indies and Japan, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, Apostle of the Negroes, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, who didst procure for the slaves the holy liberty of the children of God, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, who didst sign thyself: Slave of the Negroes for ever, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, shining light of Cartagena and of America, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, model of evangelical laborers, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, tender father of the poor, the widows, and the orphans, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, refuge of all the unfortunate, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, who didst make and fulfill the heroic vow of consecrating thyself entirely to the service of slaves, Pray for the Negroes. O thou who didst make thyself all to all in order to gain all to Jesus Christ, Pray for the Negroes. O thou who vast superior to all the vicissitudes of life by thine unalterable confidence in God, Pray for the Negroes. O thou who in thine inexhaustible charity didst cure so many sicknesses and relieve so many miseries, Pray for the Negroes. O thou who didst despises the riches of the earth in order to embrace evangelical poverty, Pray for the Negroes. O thou who didst prefer to the honors of the world the ignominies of the Cross, Pray for the Negroes. O thou who didst always seek to be forgotten and to be accounted for nothing among men, Pray for the Negroes. O thou who didst glory in knowing nothing else but Jesus Crucified, Pray for the Negroes. O thou who didst incessantly reduce thy body to servitude by the most rigorous austerities, Pray for the Negroes. Prodigy of innocence and of mortification, Pray for the Negroes. Living example of humility and of abnegation, Pray for the Negroes. Model of obedience arid submission, Pray for the Negroes. Courageous and intrepid apostle in the midst of obstacles and contradictions, Pray for the Negroes. Martyr by the privations and sufferings which thou didst endure for the a salvation of souls, Pray for the Negroes. Fervent adorer of Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, Pray for the Negroes. Contemplator and faithful imitator of Jesus suffering, Pray for the Negroes. O thou for whom the name and remembrance of Mary was ever a source of graces in all thy labors, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, honor and ornament of the Society of Jesus, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, illustrious by the numerous miracles thou didst work, Pray for the Negroes. St. Peter Claver, charitable and zealous protector of all those who invoke thee, Pray for the Negroes.

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 the intercession of Thy servant in behalf of the poor Negroes. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us.

Let us pray. O God, Who in order that wretched slaves might come to the knowledge of Thy Name, didst endow St. Peter Claver, Thy confessor, with wonderful self-denial and eminent charity: grant that, by virtue of his example, many souls may be inspired with compassion for the poor Negroes and may courageously devote themselves to their conversion. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. R. Amen.

St. Peter Claver R. Pray for us.

O God, Who calling to the knowledge of Thy Name the Negro tribes sold into slavery, didst, in order that he might be a help to them, imbue blessed Peter with marvelous patience and charity: giving ear to his prayers, vouchsafe unto us to seek only the things which are of Jesus Christ, and thereby to love our neighbor in deed and in truth. Through the same Christ our Lord, Who will, Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. R. Amen.

Prayer Source: Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944