Padre Graziotti’s March 2006 Letter

The following letter was written by Padre Luigi Duilio Graziotti, co-founder of the Missionaries of Faith in Bergamo, Italy. In the letter Padre makes referrence to Mother Providence. Mother is the foundress of the Missionaries of Faith, who left this world on 16 June 2002. Padre and the Sisters are working every day to gather all the documents and teachings of Mother Providence in order to bring her cause for sainthood to light. Padre Graziotti writes simply, but with great love from the heart. Please read on . . .

Dear Friends,

This year the month of March is all devoted to Lent. During this time it seems we have to speak only of penitence, fast, renouncement, sacrifices, and separation from every thing that keeps us from God. They are all good things, a lot of profits for the spiritual and Christian life. But there is another thing that can help us to prepare for Easter. Personal prayer, that is prayers done secretly. Prayers that nobody sees and has no knowledge of them being said, but are very effective and pleasing to God.

Of what do these prayers consist, and what form do they take? They consist of repeating often during the day, these little prayers, so-called ejaculatory prayers. Unfortunately, the practice is hardly in use anymore.

Yet how many ejaculatory prayers could be recited while we work, while we travel, and also when the mind is not busy writing, reading or occupied in some other way. Also, who prevents us from saying a thousand times this simple sentence every day, “Jesus I love you”, only with the mind? Or these two words: “Hail Mary?”

During an ecstasy of Mother Providence, the Madonna told me: “This evening, before lying down, you will say for three times this ejaculatory prayer: “Hail Mary” and I promise that I will save three souls.”

Think how powerful is such a small ejaculatory prayer!

St. Bernard continually used to repeat such regard. One day, it happened that while he was passing in front of an image of the Madonna repeating “Hail Mary”; from that picture a voice came saying: “Hail Bernard.” The Madonna made him understand in such a way how pleasing this regard was for Her.

From the very beginning of the day, up to when we go to bed in the evening, how many times could we say “Hail Mary!” Why don’t we repeat it in the morning, as soon as we get up, while we are preparing breakfast, instead of turning on the television to listen to the first news of the day?

Friends, let’s take advantage of the time that the Lord grants us every day, and let’s try also to show small acts of love towards Him, because the time that passes doesn’t return anymore. Each one will reap for the eternal life, what they have sowed.

Therefore let’s often recite many ejaculatory prayers during the day, remembering what Jesus said in the Gospel: “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” Mt:6:20 (DR). All the ejaculatory prayers that we will have said, we will find at the end of our life, and they will be there to defend us in front of God, if we need them.

You may ask, what are some of the ejaculatory prayers that we can recite? They are many. Here are some examples:

• Jesus I love Thee
• Hail Mary
• All for Thee Jesus
• Jesus think of us
• Sweet Heart of my Jesus make me love Thee more and more
• I adore Thee my God
• Jesus, Mary, and Joseph save souls
• Hail Immaculate Heart of Mary
• Jesus, resolve my problems… etc, etc.

Each of us can say what comes to mind. The main point is to recite them. Even if what you say is not perfect word for word, it doesn’t matter: in this case the desire and love is enough.

The ejaculatory prayers are like many jewels that we deposit in the Heart of God, that is the Bank of Heaven. At the end of our life we will withdraw them with interest, because they will be multiplied in our favor and for our glory.

The ejaculatory prayers we recite could be also for us a protection during this life. They will perhaps preserve us from some misfortune. Listen to what happened to me one day, while I was reciting the ejaculatory prayer “Hail Mary, full of grace.”

“After having parked the car, I began to cross to the opposite side of the road. As usual I recited the aforesaid ejaculatory prayer. However, I was distracted by a garden in bloom. All of a sudden it came me to return to the car, but I stopped in an instant. When suddenly realizing a heavy motor vehicle passed fast behind my shoulders. You can imagine how frightened I was at that moment. I immediately thought the Madonna had saved me, because if I had followed my thought to return to the car, I would have been crushed by that big vehicle. Still today I tear thinking that the Madonna had preserved me from sure death, and of similar events I could tell of so many.”

The Saints said that the ejaculatory prayers are as arrows of love that directly strike the Heart of God, and they move him more than every other prayer, because they are spontaneous and fruit of sincere love.

When as a child I worked in the fields with my Parents, I saw that their lips continually stirred. Then I asked them the reason. They answered me that they recited some ejaculatory prayers.

If we will fill our life with these small prayers, it will become as a lawn in bloom, as a perfumed garden, an abundance of graces that will go down on us, and on all of those dear to us alive and dead.

Dear Friends, let’s attempt while we have time, as St. Paul tells in the Letter to the Galatians: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians:6:10 (DR)”

This is my wish, which I accompany with the promise to pray for all of you day and night.
I greet you and I bless you from my heart.

Your affectionate,

Padre Luigi Duilio Graziotti