Let Us Pray with Hermano Pedro
(A Short Preface – I met the Franciscan Brothers at the Franciscan Church in Antigua, Guatemala, looking for a blessing for my friends Mikki and Nadia who where being married on that day. I wanted to take a picture of the friars and St. Claire nuns forming a heart in front of the church, but they said there was only 3 friars there, and that I would need to go to the franciscan seminary in Guatemala City to muster any significant numbers of Fransican Brothers). Instead, the friar gave me a stack of prayers, some blessed bread, and blessed my friends with prayer en absentia.
I normally ask that people write their own prayers, not give me a prayer from someone else; however, I have learned that this is a big part of Catholic culture, and as I have learned, the prayers of others do help! Please take a moment to read St. Hermano Pedro´s story at the bottom of the page.)
Let Us Pray with St. Hermano Pedro
Holy God, Holy mighty one, Holy Immortal one, have mercy on us, and all you have gathered here, unite us in your glory.
Grant me. Lord, faith, hope and charity, and since you are all-powerful, giv me a deep sense of humility. But before all this, grant me the grace to do everything according to your holy will.
Praise God for everything and give Him thanks for we were born to die. He saves our souls. Amen.
Eternal Father, I offer you my heart, my soul, my life and all the good intentions that I have this week. May all be for your honor and glory and my the enemy have no part of it. I also ask you to touch the hearts of others so that, without offending you, they may help me in my spiritual and physical needs. In my final hours I beg you to grant me a happy death and free me from all attacks of the devil. Amen.
The Lord´s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven; deliver me from all my sorrows..
Hallowed be thy name; God make me a good person in everything.
Thy kingdom come; Save me, Lord, from hell.
Thy will be done; May I serve you Lord in all truth.
Give us this day our daily bread; May I serve everyone with joy.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; I forgive everyone through the God of my love.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us, Lord, from all evil; Help me my God, to serve everyone and command no one , and in my life never to sin again.
Prayer to St. Hermano Pedro
St. Hermano Pedro, your charity, humility and poverty have brought blessings from God to the people of Central America and especially to our Guatemala, so loved by you. Intercede now before Jesus, his holy mother, the Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph, so that they may help us build our homes in unity, love and mutual respect. May all parents be witnesses and teachers of faith and love for their children.
Free our country from violence and all evil. Help us to be instruments of peace, justice, and mutual respect, and to show speical concern, as ou did, for the weak, for those in need, and for sinners. May we always persere in doing good, in loyalty to our faith and to the Church: may we show respect for mother earth, which God, the Creator, has given to us as a gift. May we strive to live as brothers and sisters without hypocrisy or ostentation. So be it.
(From a very interesting Wikipedia article)
Born in Vilaflor, on the island of Tenerife, he spent some time in a little cave in the arid region near the present-day town of El Médano (municipality of Granadilla de Abona).
He worked as a shepherd until age 24, when in 1649, he began to make his way to Guatemala, hoping to connect with a relative engaged in government service there. By the time he reached Havana, Cuba he was out of money. After working there to earn more, he got to Guatemala City the following year.
When he arrived he was so destitute that he joined the bread line which the Franciscans had established. He fell sick almost immediately but was able to recover his health.
He very much wanted to become a priest and soon enrolled in the local Jesuit college (Jesuit College of San Borgia) in hopes of studying for the priesthood. No matter how hard he tried, however, he could not master the material, and thus withdrew from the school.
Unable to take holy orders, he became a tertiary in the convent of Costa Rica in Antigua Guatemala, and took the name “Peter of Saint Joseph”. He visited hospitals, jails, the unemployed, and the young. Three years later, he opened Our Lady of Bethlehem, a hospital for the convalescent poor. Soon after there was a shelter for the homeless, schools for the poor, an oratory, and an inn for priests. He was imitated by other tertiaries and Hermano Pedro soon wrote up a rule, which was adopted by the women who were involved in teaching the children. This led to the formation of a new religious order: la Orden de los Bethlemitas y de las Bethlemitas, subsequently recognized and approved by the Holy See.
He died in Antigua Guatemala at the age of 41. He left behind devotional writings.
St. Hermono Pedro´s Cave
Stopover at Saddleback
October 13, 2008
A wonderful person in Laguna Beach suggested I stop by Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, pastored by Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life. (more…)
