Jesus in the midst of the Holy Family teaches us that the Church is called to be a family of love and faith, safeguarding life and sharing compassion … may the Church always live the challenge of being family in Christ
LORD WE PRAY …
[response:] Teach us how to love …
The Holy Family of Bethlehem were homeless, persecuted, refugees and exiles … we pray for all families exiled from their homeland, for refugees fleeing war and violence which destroy life and the respect for life, for those seeking safe asylum in our land, for the millions of unaccompanied child refugees throughout the world; we pray too for all parents forcibly separated from their partners or children: may they be protected and find peace and stability
LORD WE PRAY …
We pray for the work of the CCS Adoption Society, asking God’s blessing as they seek to find good and safe homes for our most vulnerable children: may the Spirit work in the hearts of many families to encourage them to consider adoptive parenthood and fostering
LORD WE PRAY …
In a world of broken relationships and shattered dreams, we dare still to believe in love: so we pray for all single parent families, for all whose hopes for love have ended in divorce or separation, for all children hurt by the break-up of parents … may they all experience healing and the hope of new beginnings
LORD WE PRAY …
We pray for all organisations that support marriage and the family, for those who offer counselling and healing for life’s wounds: for Marriage Encounter and Catholic Marriage Care, for Relate and the Association of Separated and Divorced Catholics; we pray too for all whose sexual orientation lead them to other forms of family life – may we be a Church of Mercy and Welcome bringing hope and healing to those who feel excluded by the Church
LORD WE PRAY …
The Holy Family of Nazareth reveals to us God’s school of love: we pray for all for Christian families that they may discover Christ and risk living his ideal of faithfulness and tenderness in their homes; we pray for all the families of our parish and throughout the City, that we may teach each other how to be truly human
LORD WE PRAY …
The sick, the elderly and the dying deserve special care and respect from families and the world of medicine – may nurses, doctors and researchers treat all people with dignity and with reverence for Life; we pray for and especially those injured by war in Idlib and also …
for those who have died recently, especially in the brutal conflict in Syria, for all victims of the war and violence
and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time, in particular …
LORD WE PRAY …
Mary and Joseph, pray with us for the peace and stability of the peoples of our troubled world …
HAIL MARY …
We pray in a moment of silence for all the families of the world…