Understanding General Intercessions for Daily Mass
General intercessions, also known as the "Prayer of the Faithful" or "Universal Prayer," are an essential part of the Catholic Mass where the congregation joins together to pray for the needs of the Church and the world. These intercessions are called "general" because they address universal concerns that affect all Catholics and humanity as a whole.
📖 How to Use These General Intercessions
1. Choose Your Option: Browse the available intercession options for today's Mass.
2. Download PDF: Click "Download PDF" to get a formatted copy for your lector or liturgy coordinator.
3. Edit if Needed: Use "Edit" to customize intercessions for your parish's specific needs.
4. Browse Other Dates: Use the calendar to access intercessions for any date throughout the year.
General Intercessions for Daily Mass
Thursday, March 19, 2026
SAINT JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF MARY
✚Solemnity
Liturgical Color: White
General Intercessions for SAINT JOSEPH, HUSBAND OF MARY
Option 1
1.For the Church, that she may learn from Saint Joseph's hidden and faithful service, honouring those who give without recognition or acclaim, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That governing authorities may uphold and strengthen family life, recognising the family as the first school of virtue, love, and human dignity, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For fathers who are struggling — with absence, with failure, or with the weight of responsibility — that Joseph's example and intercession may give them courage, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may imitate Saint Joseph's prompt obedience to God's call, responding to what God asks of us without delay or calculation, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That our parish may honour and support fathers, recognising the quiet heroism of daily, unnoticed service to family and community, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For all who are discerning a vocation to marriage and fatherhood.Lord, hear our prayer.
That N. and all who have died, especially fathers and workers, may enjoy eternal rest through Saint Joseph's intercession, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Option 2
1.For the Church, that she may be enriched by those who serve in hidden ways — who, like Joseph, give without counting the cost, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That governing authorities may enact policies enabling parents to be genuinely present to their children, with fair wages and humane working conditions, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For children who have no father in their lives, that the fatherly love of God and the intercession of Saint Joseph may fill what is absent, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may entrust our anxieties to Saint Joseph, who carried the weight of uncertainty and found God's providence unfolding within it, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That our parish may be a true family where no one is invisible, and where quiet contributors are noticed, valued, and supported, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For our sick, bereaved, and all who have asked for our prayers.Lord, hear our prayer.
For N. and all the faithful departed, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Variations if Solemnity is not celebrated
Option 1
1.For those on the margins of the Church's life — the housebound, the elderly in care homes, those for whom Sunday Mass is impossible — that the Church may find ways to reach them, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That governing authorities may care for the elderly and ensure that old age is never met with abandonment or neglect, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For those waiting for medical test results, living with the anxiety of not yet knowing, that they may find calm in God's steadfast presence, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may be generous in small, unnoticed acts of kindness this week, after the hidden example of Saint Joseph, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That our parish may draw on the wisdom of its older members and pray attentively for their daily needs, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For our sick, bereaved, etc., special projects or events.Lord, hear our prayer.
That N. and all the faithful departed may be welcomed into God's eternal light, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Option 2
1.For the Church, that prayer in this season may not become routine but remain a living conversation with the God who hears and responds, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That governing authorities may prioritise the welfare of the elderly and invest in quality care for an ageing population, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For caregivers who are quietly exhausted — caring for a parent, a spouse, or a child with high needs — with no respite in sight, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may turn this Lent to genuine examination of conscience — not anxious scrupulosity, but honest and trusting self-knowledge before God, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That our parish this Lenten season may find concrete ways to help those who carry invisible burdens alone, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For our sick, bereaved, and all who have asked for our prayers.Lord, hear our prayer.
For N. and all the faithful departed, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Pro Life Option
1.That the Church may be undaunted in her witness to the dignity of every unborn child, speaking truth with compassion even where it is unwelcome, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That lawmakers may strengthen legal protections for the unborn and provide generous support for parents who choose life, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For teenage mothers who fear that continuing a pregnancy will destroy their future, that mentors and practical help may show them a path forward, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may intercede for the unborn with persistence and faith, trusting that God hears prayer offered with a whole heart, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That our parish may have concrete relationships with organisations supporting mothers in crisis, so that our solidarity goes beyond good intentions, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For all who intercede for the unborn and work to end abortion.Lord, hear our prayer.
That N. and all innocent children lost to abortion may be welcomed by God's infinite mercy into eternal life, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
About Our General Intercessions for Daily Mass
Our general intercessions are carefully written by Giuseppe Njualem, a seminarian at St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario. Each set of intercessions follows the guidelines established by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) and is crafted with input from theology students and experienced clergy.
📅 Liturgically Accurate
Every intercession is crafted to reflect the specific liturgical season, rank, and saint of the day, ensuring theological accuracy and seasonal appropriateness.
🌍 Universally Focused
Our general intercessions address the four traditional categories: Church needs, world concerns, those in distress, and local community intentions.
📝 Ready to Use
Each option is formatted for immediate use by lectors and can be downloaded as a professional PDF for easy printing and reading during Mass.
✏️ Customizable
Edit any intercession to address your parish's specific needs while maintaining the theological structure and universal focus of general intercessions.