Prayer on the Feast of Saint Alexius

Saint Alexius, humble and faithful servant of God, today we remember you with love and a grateful heart. You renounced earthly riches to devote your entire life to Christ and to the service of those in need. We ask you to intercede for us before our heavenly Father.
 
Watch over and protect the communities of the Alexian Brothers throughout the world: in Ireland, Hungary, the Philippines, the United States, Germany, and Belgium. Send them new vocations so that their nearly eight-century-old mission may continue and bear fruit for the benefit of the sick, the elderly, the poor, and all those in need. Grant our sisters the gifts of wisdom, perseverance, and merciful love, so that they may follow Christ with joy and fidelity, that their lives may be a witness, and that the love of the Gospel may always shine forth in their service.

We ask that you remember all the benefactors and supporters of our order, the residents and staff of our institutions, as well as their family members and loved ones. Pour out God’s blessing upon them: grant them the grace of physical and spiritual health, hope, peace, and joy, so that they may experience the love of divine providence every day of their lives.
 
We give thanks that your example continues to call us today to give of ourselves to others and to serve our fellow human beings out of love. Accompany us with your intercession, that we may remain faithful to Christ and, walking the path of love, may one day reach our eternal home.

Amen.

The congregation’s coat of arms has changed significantly over the centuries. Its current design can be divided into three fields, which symbolize the spirituality and activities of our order. In the upper field, a pelican is depicted feeding its chicks with the blood of its own heart—a symbol of self-sacrificing Christian love. The two shovels in the lower left field evoke the memory of the Alexian Brothers’ former work: burying the dead in times of adversity. The flying raven, meanwhile, symbolizes feeding those suffering from hardship—a virtue the Congregation has practiced for centuries. The cross rises from the background of the coat of arms, signifying that our salvation lies in the cross, in Christ. Around the shield, on the ribbon, are the words of St. Paul: “Caritas Christi Urget Nos” – “The love of Christ compels us” (2 Cor 5:14).

We have selected from these coat of arms variations.

On the occasion of the upcoming feast day of our Order’s patron saint (July 17), a musical adaptation of the 1914 poem by Joyce Kilmer (1886–1918), an American writer and poet, about Saint Alexius, the patron saint of beggars.

Our Almighty God,

We ask that you hear our prayers as this new week begins. Accompany us on our journey and guide our steps throughout the days ahead. Please give us strength and courage to treat everyone we meet with responsibility and love. Help us to let love and truth guide all our decisions and actions. Teach us how to find peace amid our daily challenges and how to understand one another’s needs. We ask that you bless those with whom we work and live, and help us all to grow in our faith and love. We ask that Your example guide us and illuminate our path, so that every day may be a pilgrimage toward happiness and hope. Bless this new week, that it may be filled with opportunities, discoveries, and blessings.
 
Amen.

Evening Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing me to live through this day, and I remember with gratitude all the blessings I have received from you. Now that the day is drawing to a close, please calm my heart and my soul. Forgive me for the mistakes I made today, and help me to continue on my path tomorrow with renewed strength and determination. Please watch over my loved ones throughout the night and grant them peace and rest. Fill my dreams with your love and light, so that in the morning I may wake up refreshed and happy once again. Please guide me in my dreams, and grant that your wisdom may guide me in every area of my life. Thank you for always standing by my side and for being the protector of my heart. Bless my night, and grant that I may wake up tomorrow with renewed hope and faith.

Amen.

 

In front of the Apparition Chapell, built against the facade of the old parish church in Knock, stand the holy water fountains, which await thirsty pilgrims visiting this site. What makes them interesting is that each one is decorated with a Biblical scene related to water.

 

A walk along the Atlantic coast with Brother Barry and two members of the Alexian community in Hungary, Brother Leó and Brother Alexius.

On August 21, 1879, in the small village of Knock in Northern Ireland, an apparition occurred when the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the village church. In the more than 100 years since then, Knock has become the most visited pilgrimage site in Europe, along with Fatima and Lourdes, with one and a half million pilgrims visiting every year.  

The photos were taken at the museum showcasing life in the village, which has added new exhibits this year.

Almighty God, we thank you that the weekend has arrived, and we are grateful for all the blessings we have received this week. Please bless this weekend so that we may find moments of peace and renewal. Grant us strength and wisdom so that we may spend this special time in love and joy. We thank you for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us, and we ask you to guide us in the days ahead. Grant us the courage to let the worries of the week melt away and to find renewal in the weekend. Please protect our loved ones and help us to live each moment with an open heart and soul. We thank you for all Your goodness and blessings. Amen.

Brother Dermot and Brother Leo in front of the statue of Virgin Mary in the Church of the Holy Spirit in Hungary, which captures the moment of the Angelical salutation.  The sculpture is the work of Tibor Rieger, a Kossuth Prize-winning (the highest Hungarian state award for the cultivation of Hungarian culture) sculptor, who is 86 years old this year and whose sculptures can be found all over the country, such as the statue of St. George the Dragon Slayer in the main street of Győr, or the statue of St. Alexius (in Hungarian "Elek") in the monastery of the Alexian Mission in Hungary, the only outdoor statue of the saint in Hungary. 

 

Gergely Czuczor and Ányos Jedlik, former teachers, monks and inventors at the Benedictine
secondary school in Győr. Jedlik is credited with the patent for the industrial production of soda water

 

 Brother Barry in front of the St George's Well in the main street of Győr

 

Statue of Saint Alexius in the inner courtyard of the Alexian Monastery in Hungary