Older Catholic Woman In A Burning House - What Prayer Is The Best One?

[JulieHowe]

If an elderly Catholic woman woke up to find her house was on fire, what would be the most appropriate prayer to utter as she is trying to get to her sleeping grandchildren? She was a refugee during WWII, so the fire and smoke would give her flashbacks, and an extra sense of panic.

Would a prayer to St. Agatha be the most appropriate?

Thanks in advance!

[Duncan J Macdonald]

If an elderly Catholic woman woke up to find her house was on fire, what would be the most appropriate prayer to utter as she is trying to get to her sleeping grandchildren? She was a refugee during WWII, so the fire and smoke would give her flashbacks, and an extra sense of panic.

Would a prayer to St. Agatha be the most appropriate?

Thanks in advance!

Possibly Saint Barbara, or, if the extent of the fire and/or the heat is too intense, Saint Jude.

Of course, going to the top would work better. Maybe a continuous Lord's Prayer?

[WriteKnight]

There's a scene in one of the "Volcano" movies - I think it's the one with Tommy Lee Jones - Anyway, a subway car is stopped underground - and the BOILING LAVA is flowing underneath it. The conductor is carrying a child towards safety - the floor is heating up - his shoes are litterally smoking - the lava is getting higher - and he starts mumbling...
"Hail Mary, full of grace... the Lord is with thee..." - Over and over.

As a (lapsed) Catholic - that scene struck me as very REAL. It was a bit of a surprise -but it just resonated with me. So yeah, I'd go with the very fast - very familiar - "Hail Mary" - especially with "Now and at the hour of our death..."

[RJK]

If I can remember back to the days I attended church, it may be the Act of Contrition, which is said after confession.

[johnnysannie]

Hail Mary or prayer to St. Jude most likely; not Act of Contrition unless she thinks she is about to die by fire. Outside Confession, it isn't commonly said unless you think you are about to die without benefit of clergy.

She might pick a particular saint but in an emergency situation, she's most likely to go with the familiar, the Hail Mary or St. Jude.

I know that years ago when a tornado destroyed our home and my mom was still searching for my dad, she said the Hail Mary over and over and over again.

[Skyraven]

I'd go with the Hail Mary. Especially since she's an older Catholic woman.

[JamieB]

Ditto on the Hail Mary.

[KTC]

Just reading the title, I'd go with Hail Mary. Reading through...I'd still go with Hail Mary. As a seriously lapsed Catholic, I see it being the one falling on the lips of the soon to be damned by fire. Our Father is a close second...but Hail Mary I think would be the most natural. She'd probably fiddle with her fingers, too, at the non-existent rosary beads.

[pink lily]

I am the granddaughter of an older Catholic woman; Grammy would definitely pray to The Blessed Mother for help (other than the Our Father, she does not like to address God directly).

[Dicentra P]

Hail Mary or Guardian Angel Prayer:

Angel of God my guardian dear to whom his love entrusts me here ever this day be at my side to light and guard to rule and guide.

[johnnysannie]

Hail Mary or Guardian Angel Prayer:

Angel of God my guardian dear to whom his love entrusts me here ever this day be at my side to light and guard to rule and guide.

Angels of God is a good prayer but it's normally a child's prayer. Not to say that an older woman might not fall back on it....but my main choice remains the Hail Mary.


Our version of Angels of God is:

Angels of God,
Our guardians dear,
To whom God's love
Commits Us here.
Ever this day
Be at our side
To light and guard,
to rule and guide.

But then I'm Pre-Vatican II so I learned some of the prayers - MOST of the prayers back when.

[Dicentra P]

Angels of God is a good prayer but it's normally a child's prayer. Not to say that an older woman might not fall back on it....but my main choice remains the Hail Mary.


Our version of Angels of God is:

Angels of God,
Our guardians dear,
To whom God's love
Commits Us here.
Ever this day
Be at our side
To light and guard,
to rule and guide.

But then I'm Pre-Vatican II so I learned some of the prayers - MOST of the prayers back when.

Hail Mary would be the more adult prayer, I was thinking of the angel prayer as reverting to childhood in her panic but actually for that she would probably go with something that she learned in the old country. Hail Mary is a safer bet -regardless of the location.

[JulieHowe]

You are all wonderful. Thank you! :)

[maryland]

Definitely the 'Hail Mary' - it's like calling out for your mother.'Pray for us sinners Now and at the hour of our death.Amen' -You can't get closer to the edge than that!

[JoshEllingson]

I would like to point something out. In a true life or death situation, such as what you describe, a standard prayer would be last thing some one thought of. if the old woman prayed at all it would be something along the lines of: 'Oh, f---!!! Dear God! Help me!'

[StephanieFox]

I would like to point something out. In a true life or death situation, such as what you describe, a standard prayer would be last thing some one thought of. if the old woman prayed at all it would be something along the lines of: 'Oh, f---!!! Dear God! Help me!'


What she said.

[WriteKnight]

Not necessarily what she said. If the situation allows time to think - prayers are a real probability.

Yeah.

[pink lily]

I would like to point something out. In a true life or death situation, such as what you describe, a standard prayer would be last thing some one thought of. if the old woman prayed at all it would be something along the lines of: 'Oh, f---!!! Dear God! Help me!'
There is no way my Grammy would say the F word. She can not speak without praying. She is one of those old-school elderly Catholic women who still cover their heads when they go to church, and receive communion on their tongues instead of in the hand, and carry the rosary at all times. I don't think these women even know the F word. As far as I know, Grammy only had 5 kids because she learned to shut her eyes and pray when Grandpop crossed the bedroom to visit her bed.

A truly devout elderly Catholic woman simply would not say the F word. The Hail Mary is the most likely thing to come out of such a woman's mouth.

[JulieHowe]

I would like to point something out. In a true life or death situation, such as what you describe, a standard prayer would be last thing some one thought of. if the old woman prayed at all it would be something along the lines of: 'Oh, f---!!! Dear God! Help me!'

As the poster of the original question, I have to respectfully disagree. Oh F--- would be my reaction, but when someone is raised with great faith, especially a German Catholic who survived WWII and hid Jewish kids to save them from the Nazis, this woman's first reaction, knowing that her severely handicapped grandchild is asleep in the burning house, is going to turn to her faith as she's running through the smoke-filled hallways to save the kid's life.

[JulieHowe]

As far as I know, Grammy only had 5 kids because she learned to shut her eyes and pray when Grandpop crossed the bedroom to visit her bed.

This is hilarious. :)

[WriteKnight]

As far as I know, Grammy only had 5 kids because she learned to shut her eyes and pray when Grandpop crossed the bedroom to visit her bed.


Hmmmm.... never - I mean NEVER underestimate the libido of Grandparents. They were young 'back in the day'. (Ever READ those Victorian novels???)

[Dario D.]

Certainly Hail Mary (used like a prayer of protection), or a made-up "normal" prayer. Example: she could be frantically mumbling under her breath, "Lord, protect us... Lord, protect us... have mercy on us..." etc.

[WriteKnight]

Well, the phrase is no longer used - as far as I know. But there used to be a term - now, don't laugh - I'm deadly serious - called... "Holy Ejaculations" or "Blessed Ejaculations" - These would fall into the description that Dario listed above.

"DEAR LORD!" - "SWEET JESUS!" - Such things as calling out the Lord's name to evoke his protection - were set apart as distinct from using his name 'in vain'.

But like I said - I doubt they use those terms anymore.

[Irishgirl]

It depends a lot on her culture.
Saint Joan of Arc is Patron Saint of France.
Saint Catherine of Sienna (Italy) is parton saint of fire fighters.
Saint Bridget of Kildare is an unofficial patron saint of Ireland and associated with an eternal flame.
You chose Agatha because the character is English?
Saint Ann (Mary's mother) is the patron saint of mothers.
Saint Nicholas is patron saint of children (yes, Santa).
I agree with most people that she would probably pray to the Holy Mother. My grandmother used to say "The Holy mother watches over all children, but especially little girls."
In the midst of an emergency, I think my prayer would be more "Holy Mother protect them" over and over instead of the Hail Mary. For people who pray the rosary with regularity, I suppose the Hail Mary would be more comforting.
I hope that helps.

[johnnysannie]

The Hail Mary is often used alone - it is not only part of the Rosary. Just sayin':)

[stormie]

I'm chiming in, not as an elderly woman, but as someone who once was in a very smoke-filled building and had trouble getting out safely. And as a Catholic.

First, there's panic. Then the first prayer that would come to mind is the Hail Mary. Definitely the Hail Mary. Or, "Dear God, please help us get out okay!"

At a time like that, you can't think of what saint to pray to, and you need a prayer that's short and you can repeat over and over.