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Ash Wednesday, February 22, 2023, Cycle A

Prayers of the Faithful

Let us pray to deepen our commitments to Christ Jesus. May the cross on our foreheads bear witness to Christ in our love of self and neighbor.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to feed the hungry with food and love. May our fasting turn into loving service among those who are starving.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to find our hearts in the love of God. May our inner lives of prayer nourish our relationship with God’s desire for us. May we find home in our hearts that pray.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our catechumens and candidates that seek a home within the Church. May we model fidelity for those who have come to know Jesus Christ.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray that the Cross of Christ may teach us to serve people in war-torn Ukraine. May the people of Turkey and Syria find resources to rebuild in their inexhaustible grief.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for people who live in agonizing suffering. May the terminally ill, people with undiagnosed pain, and people with emotional suffering, find the courage to live. May we serve them with tenderness and comfort.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray that the ash-mark on our foreheads this day may change our hearts and perspectives on the world’s suffering. May we all live under the cross, the banner of hope for all human life.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to live generously in our world. May our almsgiving be spread across the globe for the benefit of people who are need of fresh water, housing, education, and adequate food.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray for our loved ones who have died. May all who have been marked with the sign of faith in baptism find home in heaven.

We pray to the Lord.

I am so delighted that our Holy Cross priest, Patrick Neary, CSC is now Bishop of Saint Cloud, MN. May God give him every grace and blessing.

Sunday February 19, 2023

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let us pray to assist our earthly leaders toward service and compassion that is God-like and wise. May our search for relational perfection find deep joy here among us.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to wipe our eyes that burn with revenge. May we learn to see and serve others rather than rely on old patterns of violence. May we strive for healing and light-hearted love among those we resent.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to assist people who tire easily and who have limited mobility. May we carry the burdens of those who cannot lift their responsibilities.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to walk with those whose lives are saddened by unemployment, ill health, emotional hardships and limited eye sight.  May grace transform sadness and despair.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to ease the violence we create with our harsh words and furious tempers. May we learn to care beyond our unruly emotions.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to work diligently for the war-stricken people of Ukraine. May we care for the earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria. May we lament war all our days. May we weep for the suffering in every land.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to rebuild our lives on foundations of compassion and tenderness. May the love that God offers us find rich reward in our every action of service.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray to work on behalf of our children and adults who have been abused in our families and within our churches. May we weep cleansing tears of lament and justice.

We pray to the Lord.

Let us pray without ceasing for our dead. May we cry out in the nighttime to heal our grief and to carry on with hope in the world.

We pray to the Lord.

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Sunday February 12, 2023

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A

For Francis, our Pope. May the Holy Spirit continue to sing within him with songs of justice and mercy for people in every nation under heaven.

We pray to the Lord.

For integrity in our relationships. May we live the Spirit’s yearning for courage and truth in all our commitments.

We pray to the Lord.

For people who cannot forgive a loved one. May our search for compassion bring health and wisdom to our hearts. May we not sever love that unites us to family and uprightness.

We pray to the Lord.

For a healthy search for wisdom. May we not condemn or discourage others in our quest for right living. May kindness rejuvenate our hearts always and everywhere.

We pray to the Lord.

For cancer survivors. May those who have been ravaged by cancer reach the depths of healing.  May they surrender to the love God has for them.

We pray to the Lord.

For a healing balm amid the conflicts of racial divides. May we see with eyes of love those who are different from our own stories. May our integrity shine like the sun.

We pray to the Lord.

For our children and our children’s children. May our next generations cultivate the joy of life within them and in their commitments. May love within them flow like a mountain river.

We pray to the Lord.

For our desperate poor. May our eyes not turn away from the genuine needs of our sisters and brothers. May the cries of justice penetrate our souls. May the hungry be fed with bread and integrity all their days.

We pray to the Lord.

Today, our Provincial Administration announced that I will become the Religious Superior at Holy Cross House beginning July 1, 2023. I am delighted to be part of our medical facility and retirement center. It is home to 45 Holy Cross Religious. The house also plays an important role for other Holy Cross priests and brothers who are ill throughout the United States.

In 1976, while in college, I served there as an orderly. I witnessed in the beginning of my religious life the care we have for our older and ill religious. I am humbled to be part of the healing mission of Holy Cross House. I am grateful to the Congregation of Holy Cross to serve in this new position.