That the People of God inspired by Pope Francis and our own Bishop Declan will, in the midst of every wilderness of heart or world, give the nations the witness of a joy none can take from us: the joy of yearning for Jesus, and the joy of loving Him who is the fulfilment of our destiny, the Joy of the Gospel …
LORD WE PRAY…
[response:] MAY WE WITNESS TO YOUR JOY…
That the deserts of poverty and the wilderness of war, especially throughout the Middle East and in Yemen, will give way to the joy of peace and the happiness of justice; that the wastelands of famine and the deep wounds of homelessness will be healed into opportunity for all and proper homes for our people; that the the nations will take decisive action on Global Warming to save our planet…
LORD WE PRAY…
In the aftermath of our general Election, we pray for the new Government that it will listen to the cries of the poor, speak with honesty and serve all the people of the nations of the United Kingdom: may all Members of Parliament rise to the challenge of the ‘noble vocation of politics
LORD WE PRAY…
That Advent hope will come to all who will spend this Christmas alone or far from their homes and loved ones, for prisoners separated from their families, for those seeking safe asylum among us and all threatened with Removal, for those separated or divorced and apart from their children …
LORD WE PRAY…
As the sounds of hollow tinsel joy assail us, and the call of shops and lights summons us, may God draw us aside to experience the profound joy of moments of silent communion in love with the God who comes only to transform us in love; that we will embrace the opportunity to meet Christ in the Sacrament of Forgiveness this Advent…
LORD WE PRAY…
For the children of our Inner City as their excitement grows: may they not be disappointed with Christmases scarred by drugs instead marked by joy, too much alcohol and not enough love; may we learn from the wonder in their eyes how truly to rejoice…
LORD WE PRAY…
That the sick may know the joy of healing and closeness to the God who comes to them, and for God’s special joy to all our housebound and elderly this Christmas …
We pray for all recently dead, especially … the victims of the New Zealand Volcanic eruption and the shootings at the Jewish Supermarket;
and those whose anniversaries are at this time,
LORD WE PRAY…
Mary, help us to share the joy of Christ your Son with the poor and marginalised and all who experience discrimination and hate crime in our society…
HAIL MARY…
We pray in the silence of joy’s waiting…