Motherhood is a sure way to sainthood! The opportunities to grow in holiness abound. All we need to do is accept the plethora of graces God sends us to love and serve our families and those around us for love of Him. Well, that’s easier said than done!
One lesson that I learned while writing my book Saintly Moms: 25 Stories of Holiness is that while Jesus is the only way to Heaven, he guides us each through our own path. Being a saintly mom looks different for each of us. There is no one “right” way to be a good and holy mother.
Here’s another thing I came to realize – having friends and mentors, sisters in the faith, sure does help us along the way. So, for this Mother’s Day, I have composed a litany of some of the mommy saints I have encountered over the years. Come, find a new heavenly mommy friend.
We ought to pray for one another. too. Motherhood is not easy, but it is 100% worth it! So, let us pray:
A Litany of Mommy Saints
Lord, have mercy on us –
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us –
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father in Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God – pray for us mothers.
Saint Elizabeth – pray for us who struggle with infertility.
Saint Gianna Molla – pray for us pregnant mothers.
Saint Perpetua – pray for us new mothers.
Saint Louise de Marillac – pray for us mothers with children who have special needs.
Saint Monica – pray for us mothers with wayward children.
Saint Bassa – pray for us mothers who had to bury our children.
Saint Zelie Martin – pray for us mothers fighting cancer or other illnesses.
Saint Helen – pray for us mothers with heavy crosses to bear.
Saint Theneva – pray for us mothers in crisis pregnancies.
Saint Margaret of Cortona – pray for us single mothers.
Saint Rita of Cascia – pray for us mothers in difficult relationships.
Blessed Marianna Biernacka – pray for us mothers-in-law.
Venerable Margaret Bosco – pray for us foster mothers.
Saint Margaret of Clitherow – pray for us working mothers.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton – pray for us homeschooling mothers.
Blessed Maria Corsini – pray for us busy mothers.
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary – pray for us mothers who need a little more energy and zeal.
Saint Jane Frances de Chantal – pray for us mothers who are suffering from depression.
Saint Frances of Rome – pray for us mothers who need a supporting friend.
Blessed Anna Maria Taigi – pray for our husbands, the fathers of our children.
Saint Gladys – pray for us to have holy children.
Saint Ludmila – pray for us who are raising our grandchildren.
Saint Anne – pray for us and our mothers.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, we praise you for the gift of motherhood. Help us to follow the example of your own dear Mother, who did all things for love of you. Send us the graces we need to love and serve you through our families. And thank you, Lord, for the blessing that our children are to us and to the world. May they grow in wisdom and stature and grace before God and man.
Amen.
*For a free printable version of this Litany, please visit my CatholicMom.com post. Thanks to CatholicMom.com editor, Barbara Szyszkiewicz.