Prayer to St
Michael
Let us pray.
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection
against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Restrain him, O God, we
humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of
God, thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who wander
through the world seeking the ruin and destruction of souls. Amen.
Amen.
Saint
Michael
Patron saint:
Every parish is named after a saint and our
patron is Saint Michael, the archangel. The name Michael means, who
is like to God.
There is a strong tradition of dedicating Churches to Saint Michael in
this area.
For example, at Faslane, the
cemetery has the ruins of a Church dedicated to Saint Michael. In Glen
Luss there are the remains of a Pre-Reformation Church of Saint Michael.
Kirkmichael is an area of Helensburgh (and
the Episcopalian Church in Helensburgh is Saint Michael and the
Angels), and the Strathleven part of Dumbarton used to be called
Kirkmichael because there was a chapel to Saint Michael there in
medieval times.
Devotion to Saint
Michael goes back to the very beginning of the Church and
beyond. He is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (chapters 10 and
12) in his role as an angel who protects people from harm and as a
captain or commander of the angels. And then in the Book of
Revelation (12: 7-9) we read of Michael as the leader of the angels
in the great war against Satan where Satan and his followers are driven
out of heaven.
And
so, since Old Testament times and then especially since the 7th
century when the Lombard’s defeated the Saracens, Michael has been seen
as the great Protector from plague, pestilence and all sorts of harm.
Visions:
There have been several visions of Saint Michael including:
Monte Gargano, Italy in the 8th Century where there is still
a large shrine.
Mont Saint Michel in Normandy is world
famous.
Saint Michael’s Mount in England claims a
vision of Saint Michael.
Castel Sant’ Angelo,
Rome where Pope Gregory I saw Michael returning his
sword to its sheath, ending the plague which was devastating the city.
We pray at
Mass for the assistance of the angels especially on the feast of Saint
Michael and the Archangels (29th September).
In
the Opening Prayer, we pray to God that “those who serve you
constantly in heaven may keep our lives safe from all harm on earth.”
In
the Responsorial Psalm, we join the angels in praising God.
In
the Prayer over the Gifts, we pray: “By the ministry of the
angels let our sacrifice of praise come before you”.
In
the Prayer after Communion, we pray that “under the watchful care
of the angels, we may advance safely along the way to salvation”.
Whenever Eucharistic Prayer I is used, we pray that “your angel
may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven”.
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