Category: Bidding Prayers

That God’s People will reject every darkness and choose the Light of Christ, and free our world of injustice and poverty so that all can live together in joy, freedom and equality

SHINE ON US,  LORD…
              [response]         WITH THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE

Before the harsh darkness of war and violence in Syria and Yemen, before the harsh darkness of the millions in refugee camps yearning for freedom, peace and a place to belong: we stand with their afflicted peoples; we pray the light of peace to come and never be extinguished;

SHINE ON US,  LORD…
              [response]         WITH THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE

We pray for all of us unable to share in Mass and sacraments at this time because of the Health Crisis, that being deprived of that which we love so much might deepen our hunger, make more profound our faith and enlarge our love:   may we each know God’s closeness and blessing and may the joy of following Christ touch their hearts

SHINE ON US,  LORD…
              [response]         WITH THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE

We pray for all who are suffering from the effects of Global Warming: rising oceans, more extreme weather conditions and pollution of the oceans – may we see the light and change our life-styles so as to heal our planet for future generations; we pray especially on this Mothers’ Day for all mothers who have to watch their children suffer or die of famine and preventable disease 

SHINE ON US,  LORD…
              [response]         WITH THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE

We pray for our mothers on this Mothering Sunday, thanking them for choosing to love us; we pray for mothers who know the sorrow of bereavement or separation, especially those mothers who are forcibly separated from their children because of having to seek safe refuge in a foreign land;  for single mothers as they seek to give all the love needed by their children; and for children who do not experience a mother’s love; for all women whose yearnings for a child has not yet been fulfilled

SHINE ON US,  LORD…
              [response]         WITH THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE

For our nation and many nations around the world faced with the challenge of the Coronavirus crisis; for  our NHS and other nations Health Services as they struggle to bring healing to their populations; for those who jobs are threatened by the measures imposed: may we all act responsibly, caring for each other and seeking the common good
                                             SHINE ON US,  LORD…
              [response]         WITH THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE

For healing for all afflicted with blindness;  for light for all trapped in the darkness of depression; for those suffering from the Coronavirus and those who care for them: and especially for …
For all who have died recently, especially … and those who have died because of contracting COVID 19
and all whose anniversaries are at this time

SHINE ON US,  LORD…
              [response]         WITH THE LIGHT OF YOUR LOVE

Mary,  bring the light of Christ’s love to all mothers…

                                                   HAIL MARY…

Let us pray in a moment of silence…

Jesus says, ‘If you only knew what God is offering…’:   that the People of God will always offer our world the living water of the Holy Spirit to heal the brokenness of war,  melt the hardness of violence,  cleanse the sinfulness of oppression and bring humanity to a new birth 

                                   [reader]          LORD WE THIRST…
[response]    GIVE US THE WATER OF LIFE!

The woman says, ‘Give me some of that water…’:  as the people of the world thirst for peace and freedom,  may conflict end and the people’s cries be heard, especially throughout the Middle East particularly Syria and Yemen, and in Cameroon and Central Africa; may all the world hear the cries of the women and children caught in war zones and famines of human making

                                   [reader]          LORD WE THIRST…

Jesus says, ‘Ask and I will give you living water…’:  may we drink deeply from the well of Christ’s love through our prayer, our liturgy, our communion with the poor of the earth – that this Lent will not pass us by, but we will stop and drink from the well of the Holy Spirit’s love: we pray especially for our friends of the LBGT+ community around the world, who like today’s Samaritan woman experience rejection and persecution – may they hear Jesus say to them ‘Of course I will give you the living water’

                                   [reader]          LORD WE THIRST…

The woman says, ‘Come and see the man…’: that we will have the courage and the love to share the Gospel of Jesus, the Good News of God’s Mercy, with friends and neighbours, share our love for Him in our streets and communities – we pray for all on our Journey of Faith and all the Catechumens of the Church preparing for Easter Sacraments: may they all know the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives

                                   [reader]          LORD WE THIRST…

Jesus says, ‘Give me a drink…’:  for an end of Government enforced Destitution and homelessness among our sisters and brothers seeking safe asylum; that we will stop harming our fragile planet, reduce consumption of essential resources, end polluting our earth and its waters;  for our NHS and all health care professionals and all caring for the victims of the coronavirus that they will receive all the resources needed to keep them safe as they care for others

                                   [reader]          LORD WE THIRST…

Jesus says, ‘the water I shall give will turn into the spring of the Spirit inside you…’: for our parents preparing for the baptism of their children; for our children preparing to find Christ in the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation; for all couples preparing for Christian marriage

                                   [reader]          LORD WE THIRST…

The woman says, ‘He knew all about me!…’:  for deep healing of the hurts of heart and body known only to Jesus;  for all suffering from the Coronavirus and all who serve them; for the sick,  especially …
we pray for all who died recently especially the victims of Covid 19 around the world
and for those whose anniversaries are at this time:

                                   [reader]          LORD WE THIRST…

Let us drink from the well of silent prayer for a moment…

Mary, vessel of the Spirit & Mother of the Church, pray with us and for us

                                   HAIL MARY… 

The Transfigured Christ reveals to the company of the disciples  the Glory of God within each of us:  may the Church reveal to the world the glory of God’s love by our courage to love, to care and to struggle for justice…

                                                   LORD WE PRAY…
[response]     SHOW US YOUR GLORY!

The Glory of God is humanity fully alive:  for all whose dignity is denied by war and violence, obscured by poverty and famine;  for all whose dignity is assaulted by oppression and torture and then further eroded by our asylum laws;  for all whose dignity is assaulted by addiction and abuse: we pray especially for the peoples of Syria, Yemen and Cameroon and the  refugees struggling to find freedom and hope

                                                   LORD WE PRAY…

The disciples gazed upon Jesus’ glory and listened to the voice of Truth:  that the work of CAFOD throughout the world might bring more truth and integrity,  more accountability and sharing of power,  more hope and opportunity for the poor and those who live on the margins: may we all take those steps needed to heal our planet and cherish our environment

                                                   LORD WE PRAY…

After the Glory passed,  they saw only Jesus:  may this Lent, preparing as we are to renew our commitment to the Easter Christ, deepen our love for the great gift of Jesus in the Eucharist, and lead us to profound conversion to Jesus; we pray also for all medical staff and others who are combatting the Coronavirus epidemic

                                                   LORD WE PRAY…

As Abraham was called to leave all for an unknown future in an unseen land with an unknown God,  may each of us answer God’s call to repentance this Lent,  leave behind us all that hinders our growth in love, and commit ourselves afresh to the joy of serving God’s Kingdom

                                                   LORD WE PRAY…

They were covered with shadow:  may all who are overshadowed with pain and sickness find healing,  especially all suffering from the Coronavirus, in particular the most vulnerable among us; and …
we pray eternal life for all who have died recently, especially … and those who have died of war, conflict, on the refugee journey and victims of the Coronavirus;
and for those whose anniversaries are at this time …

                              LORD WE PRAY…

Mary, first and most faithful disciple of Jesus, inspire and empower your sisters on this World Women’s Day

                              HAIL MARY…

Let us pray in silence for all with whom we share through CAFOD Lenten Fast Day

Jesus is tempted to turn stone into bread:  that God’s People will always hunger for the Bread of God’s Word and use only the power that comes from the Gospel, which is Love – that this Lent we will answer the call to be disciples and discover the Joy of the Gospel!

[Reader]         LORD WE PRAY…
[response]     STRENGTHEN US TO DO YOUR WILL…

Jesus is tempted to turn miracle into magic, to prefer the spectacular to the loving:  that we may open our hearts to the gift of Divine Love this Lent,  and build a Church ready to welcome all people as Children of the One God, and each of the World’s great Faiths as carrying something of Divine Truth and Love

[Reader]         LORD WE PRAY…

Jesus is tempted to worship power,  wealth and ambition:  that the world’s leaders will seek to serve, not dominate; seek the good of their communities, not their own petty ambitions – we pray for peace in Syria as the conflict escalates dangerously

[Reader]         LORD WE PRAY…

Jesus is tempted to abuse the Divine Power by making it serve his own ends:  for the work of Borderlands and our community in supporting refugees and all seeking safe asylum, that we will lovingly challenge the powerful of our city and our nation to share their power with the powerless – we pray also for the homeless of our city, and the work of the Wild Goose Café and the One25 Organisation

[Reader]         LORD WE PRAY…

Jesus held fast in the midst of every temptation:  may the journey of this Lent see us grow in faith,  expand in hope, deepen in love; we pray especially that the prophetic voices of Greta Thunburg and the young people who gathered in Bristol on Friday will be heard and challenge every generation to take decisive to heal our lanet from the ravages of Global Warming

[Reader]         LORD WE PRAY…

That the sick be healed and not tempted to despair:  we pray especially for all suffering from the Coronavirus and those caring for them; and for …
for those who have died recently, especially … and all victims of the war in Syria, particularly the children;
and those whose anniversaries occur at this time:  in particular …
[Reader]         LORD WE PRAY…

Mary,  tempted but always faithful,  like Jesus, pray for us, strengthen us…

                                                              HAIL MARY…

Let us pray for other and unknown needs in silence…

Jesus says: ‘Turn the other cheek, go the extra mile’ … that the Church of God everywhere will be a community of forgiveness, ambassadors of reconciliation and peace, prophets of hope in a war-torn world

LORD WE PRAY …
Make us Prophets of Your peace!

Jesus says: ‘Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect’ … for Pope Francis and the world-wide College of Bishops, that together they will serve a profound renewal of the Church in holiness and Mission, in love and humility as we reach out to the poor and marginalised of the world

LORD WE PRAY …

Jesus says: ‘You are God’s temple, let no one destroy the temple that you are’ … for the people of the Idlib in Syria and the Yemen, of the Congo and Cameroon, that there may be peace and reconciliation: a new beginning of freedom and justice
LORD WE PRAY …

Jesus says: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ … that we might shine with love to all the community around us and grow greater understanding and friendship between the world faiths gathered in our city

LORD WE PRAY …

Jesus says: ‘The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God’ … that each of us will seek to grow in the true wisdom of the Gospel, follow Jesus as true disciples and carry the foolish Love of God to the broken and wounded, the excluded and abandoned of our inner City

LORD WE PRAY …

We pray for all who struggle with sickness and despair; we pray especially for all suffering for the Coronavirus and the health workers serving them;  and for ….
for those who have died recently,  in particular those killed in the Shootings in Germany, killed in the brutality visited upon Idlib and all who have perished on the Refugee freedom 
and for all whose anniversaries are at this time: …

LORD WE PRAY …

Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Peace, pray for us and the world
HAIL MARY…

We pray for all being Confirmed in the Holy Spirit at this time and for other needs in a moment of silence

That all God’s Church will share the Light and Wisdom of the Holy Spirit with our world, that they will see the presence of God among us
LORD WE THIRST…
Veni Creator Spiritus (sung)

For our Universal Pastor, Pope Francis; for our bishop Declan, as he shares the empowering Spirit with our community today; for our priests, deacons, and religious sisters, our catechists and teachers: for all who share the faith of Christ and His Good News with us
LORD WE THIRST…

We pray for a future of peace and justice upon the earth, so that children no longer starve, mothers no longer die young, and young people need never again wage war for freedom and dignity; that we will be Good News to Creation, healing the ravages that lead to Global Warming

LORD WE THIRST…

That our young people who are confirmed in our parish, our deanery and throughout our Diocese this coming year will experience the Holy Spirit transforming their lives, and grow in all ways into Christ, opening themselves to the sanctifying gifts that lead to holiness

LORD WE THIRST…

That all who are confirmed today will respond to the challenge to build the church and transform the world in the power of the Spirit, as they are empowered with charismatic gifts to minister, witness and serve effectively to our world of today.

LORD WE THIRST…

For our families and friends, our catechists and companions in the journey of faith, that Christ may anoint us all with the Spirit’s gifts as we serve one another, and build our parish as a communion for mission to the Glory of God

LORD WE THIRST…

For the sick of our parish community, for all who suffer in mind, body or through addictions; and especially for all suffering from the Coronavirus and those health professionals who care for them;
we pray for those recently dead, in particular … and for those killed in the German shootings, all who have died in the brutal conflict in Idlib, Syria, and those who have perished on the Refugee journey;
and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time:

LORD WE THIRST…

Mary, Mother of the Church at Pentecost, share the Spirit of Jesus with us…
                                             HAIL MARY…

Let us pray for one another in a moment of silence…

Jesus said ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than the others’ … may Christians everywhere seek the paths of holiness, going beyond every law into the realms of unlimited love

                     [READER]           HEAR THE CRIES OF YOUR PEOPLE…
[Response]         Deepen our love…

Jesus said ‘If you have something against your brother or sister – go be reconciled’ … We pray for a new spirit of reconciliation and peace among all peoples and nations building a new politics of forgiveness, so that wars may cease and justice and freedom be established: we pray especially for the peoples of Idlib in Syria, the Yemen and Israel/Palestine

                     [READER]           HEAR THE CRIES OF YOUR PEOPLE…

Jesus said ‘Do not commit adultery or divorce’ … We pray for married people, for faithfulness among those committed to each other, for a renewed sense of the sacredness and spirituality of Christian marriage; for those celebrating special anniversaries this year and for all couples preparing to be married in the coming year

                     [READER]           HEAR THE CRIES OF YOUR PEOPLE…    

St Paul writes of ‘the hidden wisdom of God’: may we and the young people of St Nicks preparing for Confirmation have the courage to live by the foolish wisdom that is Jesus’ unlimited love, opening our lives to the Holy Spirit, and our hearts and our community to the poor, powerless, chaotic and broken of our inner city and our world

                     [READER]           HEAR THE CRIES OF YOUR PEOPLE…

A wise one long ago wrote ‘to behave faithfully is in your power’ … we pray with the intercession of St Josephine Bakhita for an end to human trafficking and modern forms of slavery and for the work of the Santa Marta Group, the Clewer Iniative, Unseen in Bristol and Bakhita House in London helping exploited men and women to find freedom

                     [READER]           HEAR THE CRIES OF YOUR PEOPLE…

We pray for all who bear the hardships of illness and depression, and for all who care for them, for the injured children ; in the midst of the brutal conflict in Idlib, Syria; we pray also for the sick and dying among our friends, families and communties, and all suffering from the Coronavirus; we pray also for …
for those who have died recently,  in particular victims of the Coronavirus and those killed in Idlib, Syria and the Yemen
and for all whose anniversaries are at this time:

                     [READER]           HEAR THE CRIES OF YOUR PEOPLE…

Mary of Pentecost, pray with us for our young people to be filled with the Holy Spirit’s Gifts …

                                                             HAIL MARY…

Let us pray for unspoken needs in a moment of silence…

Jesus said ‘You are the Light of the World’ … may the Church of God embrace the call to Mission and shine with the Light of Divine Love, guide with the Light of Christ’s Truth and heal with the Light of the Father’s Compassion

                                    [READER]               SHINE UPON US, LORD…
[Response]            With the Light of Your Love

Jesus said ‘You are the Salt of the Earth’ … may men and women of goodness everywhere salt the earth with peace to heal the wars and bring all discrimination to an end, salt the land with reverence to heal the pollution, salt the nations with justice to heal the poverty: we pray especially for the peoples of Idlib in Syria, all the Middle East, Cameroon and Central Africa

                                    [READER]               SHINE UPON US, LORD…

Jesus said ‘Do not hide your Light’ … for our parish community that we will root out all discrimination, racism and tribalism from our hearts,  that we might all work for a greater unity among us and witness more effectively to our Inner City as a parish in mission: we pray especially for the SVP, the Parish anti-Slavery Group the Wild Goose Café, One25 organisation, our Borderlands Charity and the Churches’ Winter Night Shelter Project

                                      [READER]               SHINE UPON US, LORD…

Through the prophet Isaiah God says, ‘Share your bread with the hungry and shelter the homeless poor, then will your light shine like the dawn’ … we pray for the hungry, poor and homeless on our streets, especially those who come to our Food Bank and destitute seekers of asylum … may our faithfulness to our Covenant with the Poor be a Light for at least some of them

                                    [READER]               SHINE UPON US, LORD…

St Paul writes ‘My only knowledge is about Jesus and him crucified’ … we pray God’s blessing for all our children and their families preparing to meet the crucified Christ in the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and our young people soon to be Confirmed in the Holy Spirit: may all our families be communities of mission sharing the wonder of Jesus with the world 

                                    [READER]               SHINE UPON US, LORD…

We pray for all who bear the hardships of illness and depression, and for all who care for them; we pray also for …  for those who have died recently,  in particular … and victims of knife crime and racial attacks
and for all whose anniversaries are at this time:  

                                    [READER]               SHINE UPON US, LORD…

 Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of all peoples, pray with us for a world free of all forms of discrimination and racism, a world where are welcomed and valued

HAIL MARY… 

Let us pray in a moment of silence

‘The Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple’: may the Light of Christ’s Truth, Love and Justice so shine at the heart of the Church that the peoples of the world might seek the Lord in our midst … and find Him

FIRE OF DIVINE LOVE…
[response]May Light scatter all Darkness…

‘The Light of Salvation for all the nations to see’: that leaders of nations will have the courage to walk in the Light of Peace and reject the Darkness of War; walk in the Light of Justice and reject the Darkness of Oppression; walk in the Light of Humanity and reject the darkness of every violation of Human Rights: may the just claims of the Palestinian people be heard and reconciled with  those of the Jewish people and the  brutal conflicts in the Middle East and Africa come to an end

FIRE OF DIVINE LOVE…

‘A sword will pierce your own soul’: for all who have suffered abuse as children or in vulnerable ageing; for all children and vulnerable adults who continue to suffer abuse in its different but destructive forms; for all involved in the work of Safeguarding in society and the Church

FIRE OF DIVINE LOVE…

‘He will refine and purify the sons and daughters of Levi’: for our young people preparing for Confirmation that they might know the gift of God that they are, grow in wisdom and understanding and use their gifts to build a better world than the one we have given them

FIRE OF DIVINE LOVE…

‘Jesus – the Light that enlightens all’: we pray for all who walk in the darkness of depression, of addiction, of loneliness and of inner and unspeakable pain – may someone come to them who can be the Light bearer for them and offer hope: may Borderlands, the Wild Goose Café and One25 bring many into the Light

FIRE OF DIVINE LOVE…

‘She spoke of the child to all who looked forward to God’s deliverance’: we hold before God’s healing light all who are hurting within because of children who died in the womb, before they could present them to the Lord; for all grandparents as they offer the time, wisdom and love to children; for all the sick and housebound of our community: …
may eternal light dawn upon those who have died recently: … and all whose anniversaries are at this time – may they know eternal peace: …

FIRE OF DIVINE LOVE…

Mary, Queen of Europe, bearer of Jesus and His Light to the world, pray with us for our sisters and brothers of the European Union…

HAIL MARY…

Let us pray in the light of God’s great love for a moment’s silence

‘Follow me…’ cries Jesus: In this ‘Year of the Word’ may all God’s people hear and heed the call of Christ, and seeking the face of Christ to leave behind the patterns of the past, obey the Word of God by walking with courage new pathways of mission: we pray especially for Pope Francis, our Bishop Declan and all the bishops of the Church as they proclaim the Gospel to us and to the world

                      [reader]           LORD JESUS WE PRAY…
[response]     CALL US AFRESH TO YOUR LIGHT …

‘I will make you fishers of men’, challenges Jesus: for all the pastors and people of God’s Church, called by God’s Word to commit ourselves to be Good News to all Creation: may we reach out with love to a broken world and draw humanity to the net of Christ’s love where there is freedom and healing

                      [reader]           LORD JESUS WE PRAY…

‘The People that lived in darkness has seen a great light’: for peacemakers and prophets of justice everywhere, that offering the world a sign of hope they will be a Light for a world darkened by war,  division and violence:  we pray especially for the people of the Middle East, and that the threat of Nuclear Weapons may one day soon to an end and no longer threaten humanity with extermination

                      [reader]           LORD JESUS WE PRAY…

‘The People walked in darkness’ … as we remember this week the horror of the Holocaust 75 years after the liberation of Auswicz death camp, we pray that our remembering might help us challenge the rise of anti-semitism and build a world free of discrimination and hate

                      [reader]           LORD JESUS WE PRAY…

Paul challenges a divided Church that cries out ‘I am for Paul’, ‘I am for Apollos’, ‘I am for Cephas’: that we will answer God’s challenge to build One Church with all our fellow Christians in the area we serve together, to bring the Light of the Gospel to all among whom we live

                        [reader]           LORD JESUS WE PRAY…

‘Jesus went around Galilee proclaiming the Kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and illness’: that our parish community will grow as a healing community, the healing presence of Christ for all whom the world has wounded – that we will have the courage and the gentleness to touch the wounds with compassion – we pray especially for the homeless and victims of human trafficking and modern slavery

                      [reader]           LORD JESUS WE PRAY…

For the sick,  especially the housebound, isolated, addicted and depressed and in particular those suffering from the Coronavirus and those caring for them; we also pray for …;
for those who have died recently, especially all victims of the Coronavirus and of war and coflict
for all whose anniversaries are at this time in particular …, and all the victims of the Holocaust and other Genocides of the past 100 years 

                      [reader]           LORD JESUS WE PRAY…

Mary, Mother of the Word made Flesh, teach us how to ponder and treasure the Word as you did…

                                                  HAIL MARY…

Let us pray for the unity of the Church in the service of the Peace of the world …