By Carol Glatz
The Vatican hung the banners of Blesseds John Paul II and John XXIII on the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica April 25. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
VATICAN CITY — The banners of Blesseds Pope John Paul II and John XXIII were hung on the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica today and the official prayer cards of the two new saints have been printed.
Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the papal vicar for Vatican City, produced the cards, which will be distribution after the two popes’ canonizations on Sunday.
This is what they look like with the prayers on the back:
The cardinal’s office said there were no plans to provide official translations of the prayers. So, for the time being, we’d like to offer you our own translation here:
Prayer to St. John Paul II
Oh, St. John Paul, from the window of heaven, grant us your blessing! Bless the church that you loved and served and guided, courageously leading it along the paths of the world in order to bring Jesus to everyone and everyone to Jesus. Bless the young, who were your great passion. Help them dream again, help them look up high again to find the light that illuminates the paths of life here on earth.
May you bless families, bless each family! You warned of Satan’s assault against this precious and indispensable divine spark that God lit on earth. St. John Paul, with your prayer, may you protect the family and every life that blossoms from the family.
Pray for the whole world, which is still marked by tensions, wars and injustice. You tackled war by invoking dialogue and planting the seeds of love: pray for us so that we may be tireless sowers of peace.
Oh St. John Paul, from heaven’s window, where we see you next to Mary, send God’s blessing down upon us all. Amen.
Prayer to St. John XXIII
Dear Pope John,
Your simplicity and meekness carried the scent of God and sparked in people’s hearts the desire for goodness. You spoke often of the beauty of the family gathered around the table to share bread and faith: pray for us that once again true families would live in (Read More)
Source: http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2014/04/25/vatican-issues-official-prayers-to-saints-john-xxiii-john-paul-ii/