“We stand before You, Holy Spirit”

We stand before You, Holy Spirit,
as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us,
make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go
and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful;
do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path
nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that
we may journey together to eternal life
and not stray from the way of truth
and what is right.
All this we ask of You,
who are at work in every place and time,
in the communion of the Father and the Son,
forever and ever.
Amen.




Latin for “We stand before You, Holy Spirit”
is a traditional and ancient Catholic prayer attributed to St. Isidore of Seville.
Every session of the Second Vatican Council began with this prayer, which has historically
been used at Councils, Synods and other Church gatherings for hundreds of years.