Question about Morning Offering prayer

[DavidJoseph]

One version of the Morning Offering is as follows:

O Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day,
for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrafice of the Mass throughout the world,
in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all our associates,
and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

My question is, who does “our associates” refer to? Thanks in advance.

 

[goravens]

The version I have posted is almost the exactly the same as yours, except instead of associates it says “intentions of my friends and relatives.” I would imagine those two differences to be interchangeable.

 

[serendipity]

I could be wrong, but I always thought that the associates in that prayer refer to other members of the body of Christ; through the Church we are all associated.

But it does make sense to think of family, friends and acquaintances, as we are associated with them as well. I never thought of it that way.

One would think the intention is up to you.

 

[Pug]

Various orders of Sisters have what are called “associates”. These are lay people who meet with the sisters, pray, and share the charism. Perhaps these are meant in the particular version you have? Anyway, that is what the word calls to my mind. It is probably unlikely.

 

[Fidelis]

My understanding is that those who say the Morning Prayer every morning are considered to be part of what is called the “Apostolate of Prayer” (some versions of this prayer actually say “apostolate of prayer” rather than “associates”). Thus, everyone in this Apostolate of Prayer, in addition to the intentions mentioned, is praying for the intentions of each other. Here’s the version I use:

O My God, I consecrate myself to you this day.
All my prayers and my works, my joys and my
sufferings, I offer to you through the Eucharistic
and Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and through the
Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. I offer them in union with the holy
sacrifice of the Mass as it is offered throughout
the world: for the salvation of souls, the reparation
of sins, the intentions of the Holy Father, the Apostolate
of Prayer, God’s blessing on our family, and for an
increase in holy and worthy vocations to the priesthood,
religious life and holy matrimony. May the souls of
the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen