Monday is the Feast of the Apostle James who writes:/ "Religion that is pure and genuine in the sight of God the Father will show itself by such things as visiting orphans and widows in their distress and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world."/ May we learn well the apostles mercy invitation./ We pray to the Lord.
Tuesday is the Feast of Sts Joachim and Ann,/ the parents of the Virgin Mary./ We pray for parents and grandparents,/ aware of those whose families are stressed by war,/ food shortages,/ unemployment,/ domestic violence./ We pray to the Lord.
Pope Francis is in Canada this week on what he is calling a Penitential Pilgrimage,/ apologizing to the indigenous peoples of Canada for the part the Catholic Church played in the physical,/ mental and cultural abuse of indigenous children in church run institutions./ May we understand/ and share the pope's concerns/ and search within ourselves to attain the clean heart of the Gospel./ We pray to the Lord.
Terrible wildfires are burning in Europe and our own country./ We pray for the relief of fire-fighters,/ and the protection of human persons,/ property and wild life./ May we learn a new and deep respect for the planet on which we live./ We pray to the Lord.
We pray for the Church where it is unsettled by scandal,/ criminality,/ poverty,/ or losses it has brought upon itself by the neglect of Christ./ We pray for the clergy who sometimes are devoid of spiritual content,/ behaving more like tradesmen,/ law-enforcement or corporate managers./ We pray to the Lord.
We pray for the children who are waiting to be born./ For the young people who are bullied and feeling lost and desperate./ For the young people who are lost to addictions,/ enslavement,/ poverty,/ and a heartbreaking sense of failure and alienation./ We pray to the Lord.
We cannot fail to pray for Ukraine and the many other places where there is war./ For those who create and defend wars and the awfulness of bombs,/ mines,/ missiles and the unrelenting bombardment of civilians/ For the turning of those who hold the evil of war in their hearts./ We pray to the Lord.
