# Prayer for Those Affected by Hurricane Harvey
*2017-08-26*

> Bill Young leads a prayer to Our Lady, based on a composition by St. Pope John Paul II, asking for protection and relief for the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana.

## Opening

Good afternoon, I’m Bill Young. Today, August 26, 2017, I’m offering a special prayer for those in the path of Hurricane Harvey. The prayer, “O Mary, stay with your children,” was written by St. Pope John Paul II and is especially fitting for the flooding in Texas and Louisiana. We pray that there be no loss of life, no injuries, and that property damage be kept to a minimum.

## The Prayer to Mary

O Mary, stay with your children. You who crushed the head of the evil one, do not allow us to be defeated by evil; rather, grant that the defeat of evil may be for the good. God, eternal Father, bows down to you, victorious in your Immaculate Conception and by the power of God’s grace. Your Son, who is of the same substance as the Father, crucified and risen, bows before you. The Holy Spirit, advocate of sanctity, embraces you. The inheritance of sin is forgiven to you; you are full of grace. In you the Kingdom of God is established, and the new virtue of redeemed humanity, free from sin, is made present. May this light penetrate the darkness that covers the earth and overshadows human hearts. Mary, you who know us, stay with us, your children. May the annunciation be ever in your ears, the canon of praise on your tongue, the infant Christ in your arms, the cross of suffering in your heart, the fire of the Holy Spirit upon your head, and beneath your feet the defeated evil one. Pray for us to the Redeemer, that He may ransom us from sin and free us from all slavery, uniting us in faithful bond to the Church and to the pastors who guide it. Show your motherly love to the poor, to those who suffer, and to all who seek the Kingdom. We thank you with all our hearts for your gifts of faith and glorify you with the Father of mercy through your Son, Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

## Petition for the Storm Victims

Through your Son, O Mary, we beg for protection for all who are in the path of this terrible storm. May no one be harmed by the floods in Texas or Louisiana, and may future storms be kept at bay. Protect us, your children, in our faith, that we may trust fully in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

## Closing

God bless you all. Keep praying.

*May Our Lady’s maternal care shield us and bring peace amid the storm.*