A Call to Prayer by the US Bishops – As we enter into the Season of Lent, with the announcement of our Pope’s resignation, and with the many difficult issues facing our nation, it is a good time to heed our U.S. Bishops’ call to prayer. This invitation was announced at the beginning of Advent and Catholics were encouraged to undertake traditional practices of prayer and fasting, during the Year of Faith, to intercede for our nation. There are certainly many personal, local, national and international issues that need our intercessions. However, the U.S. Bishops felt were of particular importance at this time, how our government dealt with 3 issues: the Sanctity of Life, the Holiness of Marriage and Religious Liberty.
This call to prayer, then, invites Catholics throughout our nation to pray and fast for these difficult issues facing our nation and our Church. For example, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandates employers, including heads of religious agencies to pay for sterilizations, abortion-inducing drugs and contraceptives. The deadline for religious organizations to comply with the HHS mandate is August 1, 2013. So the U.S. Bishops call on families and individuals to take up:
praying a daily Rosary
making a Holy Hour devotion, once a month, before the Blessed Sacrament
abstaining from meat and fasting on Fridays (throughout the Year of Faith which ends Nov 24, 2013) to enlist the body in our spiritual endeavors
and celebrating a 2nd Fortnight for Freedom at the end of June and at the beginning of July 2013.
Archbishop Cordileone said, “With the challenges this country is facing, it is hoped that this call to prayer and penance will help build awareness among the faithful as well as spiritual stamina and courage for effective witness. We also hope that it will encourage solidarity with all people who are standing for the precious gifts of life, marriage and religious liberty.”
Commenting on this call to prayer, Sr. Catherine Cappello wisely shared, “Pray as you can. Don’t pray as you can’t.” Although the U.S. Bishops have called on all families to pray the rosary daily, but she taught that maybe all your children can do at this time is one (1) “Hail Mary,” or three (3) , or a decade. What matters is that it is done well and prayerfully. To assist in this endeavor, the parish is making available free rosaries and prayer cards to help us pray well, especially as we enter into the Season of Lent.
Fr. Dan
