Make a Pledge to Recite the St. Michael's Prayer

O glorious prince St. Michael,
chief and commander of the heavenly hosts,
guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits,
servant in the house of the Divine King
and our admirable conductor,
you who shine with excellence
and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil
who turn to you with confidence
and enable us by your gracious protection
to serve God more and more faithfully every day

There can be no doubt that Satan has been unleashed upon the world.  The 20th Century was by far the bloodiest, most deadly century in the history of mankind.  It is estimated that 180 million people were killed in war in the 20th century, and this new century seems headed on the same path. No time has ever seen such immorality as we have seen.  No culture, no matter how debauched, ever considered destroying marriage as we have, no one ever killed their children on such a massive scale as we have.  Right is now wrong, and wrong is right.  Those who live upright moral lives are now considered the outcasts. 

I believe that one of the most important prayers given to the Catholic Church in the last 150 years to combat the terrible evil that reigns in this world is the St. Michael's Prayer.  Below is the story of how it came to be written:

The Saint Michael prayer was written by Pope Leo XIII in 1884. There are some variations on the exact events that inspired him to write this prayer.

After saying Mass one day, Pope Leo suddenly fell into an unconscious state.

People who were around him thought he was having a stroke or some other medical emergency.

Just as suddenly he regained consciousness and there was no evidence of a medical condition.

He is reported to have said, "What a horrible picture I was permitted to see!"

He heard two distinct voices coming from the tabernacle, the place where Jesus, truly present under the appearance of a consecrated host remains after the Mass.

One voice was kind and gentle. This was the voice of Jesus.

The other voice was harsh and wicked. This was the voice of Satan.

The conversation he heard was Satan telling Jesus that he could destroy His Church.

Jesus told Satan that if he thought he could destroy the Church then he could try.

Satan responded that he needed more power and more time. Satan asked for a century and for more influence over those people who were willing to be his servants.

Jesus said He would allow this to happen.

This frightening vision inspired Pope Leo XIII to write the Saint Michael Prayer.

He knew that the world would need this prayer to get through the horrible century when Satan would have more power over the wicked.

Pope Leo XIII felt this prayer was so important that he asked that it be said after Mass.

Even though this practice (saying the Saint Michael Prayer after mass) was suppressed in 1964 by Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II asked people to reestablish the practice of saying this prayer after Mass once again in 1994. John Paul II said,

"May prayer strengthen us for the spiritual battle we are told about in the Letter to the Ephesians: "Draw strength from the Lord and from His mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10). The Book of Revelation refers to this same battle, recalling before our eyes the image of St. Michael the Archangel (Revelation 12:7). Pope Leo XIII certainly had a very vivid recollection of this scene when, at the end of the last century, he introduced a special prayer to St. Michael throughout the Church. Although this prayer is no longer recited at the end of Mass, I ask everyone not to forget it and to recite it to obtain help in the battle against forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world." 

Human Life International, a group dedicated to pro life causes, has a campaign that encourages people to make a pledge to recite the St. Michael prayer after every Mass to specifically pray for the conversion of abortionists.  You may go here to to sign the pledge and download St. Michael prayer cards.  Below is the pledge you will make:

To our dear priests and bishops: As a faithful member of the Church Militant, I intend to say the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel at the end of every Mass that I attend. I respectfully ask that you lead the faithful entrusted to your care in doing the same. I do so because our fight against the culture of death is fundamentally a fight against “the principalities and powers of this world of darkness” (Eph 6: 12). That being true, then surely we need to invoke St. Michael’s assistance if we are to bring to conversion and to the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, all abortionists who commit crimes against our unborn brothers and sisters. In union with millions of others around the world who labor to restore the sanctity of human life, I promise you my prayers as you consider this request.

PRAYER TO
SAINT MICHAEL
THE ARCHANGEL

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the snares and temptations of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who roam about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen