Category: Bidding Prayers

May the Global Synod lead the whole Church always to root its life and decisions in the disturbing and life-giving Word of God,  and proclaim with integrity and joy the Gospel of Jesus, that the world may believe

             [reader]              IN CHRIST WE PRAY…
             [response]        LORD FEED US WITH YOUR WORD

For all who seek after truth,  for those who cannot believe: that their hearts and minds be opened to God’s Word that brings Life, Mercy and Hope;  for a world divided by war and terrorism, racism and famine that all may heed the Gospel of Peace and live; that world leaders will come together in pursuit of peace, freedom and equality for all peoples, to heal the ravages of Climate Warming and the Covid Pandemic

             [reader]              IN CHRIST WE PRAY…
             [response]        LORD FEED US WITH YOUR WORD

For a deep love of the Scriptures in our parish community, and in our own lives – may we  find inspiration in sharing the Word with one another,  direction for our children and vision empowering our mission; may God’s Word of love for the poor inspire our mission to change our world

             [reader]              IN CHRIST WE PRAY…
             [response]        LORD FEED US WITH YOUR WORD

For God’s blessing upon the children and young people of our parish family, that filled with the Spirit they may devour the Word, as Bread for their lives and Wisdom for their journey, and so rejoice to proclaim the Word of God’s Mercy and Love and serve the Kingdom with enthusiasm

             [reader]              IN CHRIST WE PRAY…
             [response]        LORD FEED US WITH YOUR WORD

For all who proclaim God’s Word to us: for our Lay Readers, our Catechists and all who lead Children’s Liturgy, for the teachers in our schools and parents in their families: that they may grow in Christ as they share faith and the Word of God with those entrusted to them – we pray for our school especially at this time

             [reader]              IN CHRIST WE PRAY…
             [response]        LORD FEED US WITH YOUR WORD

For the Bible Society, Scripture Union and ‘Bible Alive’ and all organisations seeking to share God’s Word with our world:  may they always offer the riches of the Bible with reverence for other world faiths and their sacred  scriptures

             [reader]              IN CHRIST WE PRAY…
             [response]        LORD FEED US WITH YOUR WORD

For the sick, the lonely. the mentally disturbed and the housebound; we pray especially at this time all who suffer from HIV/Aids and those who care for them: also for …
We pray too for those who have died recently, especially: … and the victims of war, conflict and poverty everywhere
and all whose anniversaries are at this time: …

             [reader]              IN CHRIST WE PRAY…
             [response]        LORD FEED US WITH YOUR WORD

Mary, teach us to ponder the Word in our hearts and to treasure all that God speaks to our world…

                                            HAIL MARY…

Let us pray in a moment’s silence for other needs 

Advent is a time of New Beginning for God’s People:  as we begin the Global Synod may the whole Church answer God’s to listen prayerfully and courageously to all the voices,  so that we might hear through each other what the Spirit is saying to the Church in our time, and so better prepare the world for the Final Coming of Christ

                    [reader]                LORD WE CRY…
                    [response]          COME LORD JESUS…

Advent is a time of waiting and working:  that we may struggle with renewed courage for the Advent of justice and freedom for the poor, the homeless and the unemployed;  and as we wait and work with hope for an end to war and famine and the outbreak of peace, especially throughout the Middle East, we cry out for our 68 million refugee sisters and brothers around the world

                    [reader]                LORD WE CRY…
                    [response]          COME LORD JESUS…

Advent is a time of watching for the Coming of Christ:  that we may make space for prayer and stillness in the midst of this season’s busy-ness,  that we will recognise him as he comes in the silence of prayer recognise Him as He comes in each other, and welcome Him who comes in the refugee

                    [reader]                LORD WE CRY…
                    [response]          COME LORD JESUS…

Advent is a time of Mission:  that we might reach out into our city and our world,  and help rebuild human values and heal individuals and families on our streets and bring to an end knife and gun crime on our streets and violence against women;

                    [reader]                LORD WE CRY…
                    [response]          COME LORD JESUS…

Advent is a time of wonder before the Coming of our God:  for our children with their gifts of wonder and awe,  for those who care for them and teach them – their parents and teachers,  catechists and carers – we pray especially for our school of St Nicholas at this time

                    [reader]                LORD WE CRY…
                    [response]          COME LORD JESUS…

We pray for our parish community and all whom we serve, that we will engage with the Global Synod, speak from the heart our joy and pain as Catholics and not be afraid to be prophets of a new way to be Church 

                    [reader]                LORD WE CRY…
                    [response]          COME LORD JESUS…

Advent is a time of becoming:  for the healing and wholeness of all who are sick and remembering all suffering this Corona Virus and all health and care workers; we pray too for….
We pray too for all who have died recently, especially …,  and all killed in conflict and war
and those whose anniversaries are at this time: …

                    [reader]                LORD WE CRY…
                    [response]          COME LORD JESUS…

Mary of Advent,  teach us to wait and watch,  to hope and love…
                                                    HAIL MARY…

Let us wait in the Advent silence of loving prayer…

We pray for the Church throughout the world … for our unity in love and faithfulness to the Gospel, for our dedication to the Mission of growing the Kingdom upon the Earth, and for our prophets crying out for world-wide solidarity and global co-operation in building Justice and humanity

                         (reader)             JESUS, WE ASK YOU…
                         (response)       COME REIGN IN OUR HEARTS

We pray for our world, in beauty and poverty, freedom and slavery, war and peace; we pray in particular for peace in the conflicts the Middle East, in Cameroon, El Salvador and in Afghanistan … may Jesus our King send the Holy Spirit to renew the face of the Earth, may the Kingdom bring to all peoples hope, justice and the reign of God’s love

                         (reader)             JESUS, WE ASK YOU…
                         (response)       COME REIGN IN OUR HEARTS

Giving thanks for the young people of the world who have spoken so powerfully about Global Warming, we pray for the healing our creation, for decisive action to halt Climate Change: like St Francis may we reverence all God’s creatures and bring hope of a new world where we will all live in harmony and peace, sharing our common home – the planet

                         (reader)             JESUS, WE ASK YOU…
                         (response)       COME REIGN IN OUR HEARTS

We pray for our parish family, for all our young people on this National Youth Sunday, especially those who will be confirmed in the coming year: may they catch the adventure of dedicating themselves to the Servant-King who washes our wounded feet: may we be a healing community,  reaching out to the hurting, excluded and the addicted of the Inner City

                         (reader)             JESUS, WE ASK YOU…
                         (response)       COME REIGN IN OUR HEARTS

We pray for Christians of every tradition in this area, that Jesus our King will hasten the day when we shall all share the One Bread and the One Cup with joyful and united hearts in service of the Kingdom; we pray too for believers of other Faiths, our Moslem, Buddhist and Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Bahai friends – may we all serve the Goodness and Mercy of God

                         (reader)             JESUS, WE ASK YOU…
                         (response)       COME REIGN IN OUR HEARTS

We pray on this National Youth Sunday for all our children and young people and all involved in their education, for our Diocesan Youth Service and the work of Safeguarding among us: may our young people experience their voices being heard in the Global Synod and their gifts building our Church… may we become a Church where young people can grow free from harm to maturity in Christ and shape with us a 21st Century Church

                         (reader)             JESUS, WE ASK YOU…
                         (response)       COME REIGN IN OUR HEARTS

We pray in thankfulness that we are a fellowship of the weak, where the sick, wounded and broken speak Christ’s Kingdom as no others can; so we bring all who are hurting to the Kingdom of wholeness…
we pray for all who have died recently, especially the many victims of Covid and of discrimination, racism, anti-LGBTQ+ violence, injustice and inequality…
and in this month of November for all the faithful departed and the forgotten ones with no-one to pray for them; and all whose anniversaries are at this time…

                         (reader)             JESUS, WE ASK YOU…
                         (response)       COME REIGN IN OUR HEARTS

Mary, mother of Christ our King and Servant of the Kingdom, pray with us for a more justice, more love…

                                                      HAIL MARY…

We pray for a New Heaven and a New Earth in a moment of silence…

‘Beware of those who swallow the property of widows while making a show of lengthy prayers’ … as we mark the World day of the Poor, the whole Church will with determination seek to become ‘Church for the Poor, the Church of the Poor’ challenging all injustice and inequality

                              [reader:]           LORD OPEN OUR EYES…
                              [response:]   TO SEE YOU POOR AMONG THE POOR

‘The Lord brings justice to the oppressed, gives bread to the hungry, upholds the widow and orphan’ … that the COP26 Climate Conference will with courage listen to the ‘cries of the earth, the cries of the Poor’ and act decisively and with courage to heal the planet and bring justice to the poor

                              [reader:]           LORD OPEN OUR EYES…
                              [response:]   TO SEE YOU POOR AMONG THE POOR

‘Elijah the prophet went to the pagan widow of Sidon’ … that our Global Synod which we have begun will truly listen to the voices of today’s prophets and the cries of those on the edges of the Church and have the courage to listen to the Spirit seeking a new way to be the Church

                              [reader:]           LORD OPEN OUR EYES…
                              [response:]   TO SEE YOU POOR AMONG THE POOR

‘The Poor widow had only two small coins’ … we pray that each of us will work to end poverty in our city, our country, our world: we pray especially for all whom we serve through our food bank and through the Churches Winter Night Shelter project

                              [reader:]           LORD OPEN OUR EYES…
                              [response:]   TO SEE YOU POOR AMONG THE POOR

The Widow of Sidon said ‘ I am preparing this myself and my son to eat’ … For our young people that they will be inspired by Jesus, the Poor Man of Nazareth, to listen to the Spirit within them and joyously become ‘Good news to the poor’ of our world and build a new and more equal global community

                              [reader:]           LORD OPEN OUR EYES…
                              [response:]   TO SEE YOU POOR AMONG THE POOR

For a more equal distribution of health care and vaccinations among the poorer countries : and in particular we pray for …
bring eternal life to all who have died recently: …, and all victims of Covid, and violence and war;
and everlasting peace for all whose anniversaries are at this time:

                              [reader:]           LORD OPEN OUR EYES…
                              [response:]    TO SEE YOU POOR AMONG THE POOR

We ask Mary, Refuge of the Poor, to help us liberate the world of poverty and injustice…

HAIL MARY…

We pray now for other needs in a moment of silence

On this Feast of Holiness,  may all God’s People respond to the Second Vatican Council’s ‘Universal Call to Holiness’, seek the face of God,  love with the heart of God,  touch the world with the compassionate mercy of God,  and challenge the world with the justice of God

                         [reader]               COME SPIRIT OF GOD…
                         [response]         MAKE US HOLY AND WHOLE…

On this Feast of Humanity, may the Spirit who moves where she wills, raise up people of courage and humanity among world leaders,  politicians and opinion makers,  to lead our world to heal our planet, build equality of resources for all the peoples, bring justice to poor of the Earth; may the G20 Summit and the UN COP26 conference lead to a new vision of global co-operation and friendship, a safer planet and a healed global environment

                         [reader]               COME SPIRIT OF GOD…
                         [response]         MAKE US HOLY AND WHOLE…

On this Feast of the Saints,  we pray for the children and young people of our parish family – that they might be inspired by the adventure of holiness and mission, open their hearts to the Spirit’s many gifts and find their joy in serving Christ: we pray especially for the children and adults baptised and confirmed this past year

                         [reader]               COME SPIRIT OF GOD…
                         [response]         MAKE US HOLY AND WHOLE…

On the Feast of Wholeness,  we pray that as a parish family we will support and encourage one another to grow in all ways into Christ,  helping each other to deepen our prayer,  enlarge our loving,  find more courage in our witness and service

                         [reader]               COME SPIRIT OF GOD…
                         [response]         MAKE US HOLY AND WHOLE…

On this Feast of unknown and unnamed sisters and brothers who have greatly loved,  we pray that we will accept our responsibility to serve the Kingdom, to bear witness to the values of the Gospel, live in communion with creation and proclaim Jesus to the people of the Inner City by the quality of our lives and the endurance of our love as well as by the power of our words

                         [reader]               COME SPIRIT OF GOD…
                         [response]         MAKE US HOLY AND WHOLE…

On the Feast that celebrates all that is holy and whole,  we ask God’s guidance that the Healing Ministry might develop in our parish family and in our diocese, especially in response to the Covid pandemic; we pray for the sick and housebound and all who care for them and those who serve them with the Eucharist; and especially for …
eternal life for all who have died recently, especially for …, all victims of Covid and those killed violently;
and for all whose anniversaries are at this time: …

                         [reader]               COME SPIRIT OF GOD…
                         [response]         MAKE US HOLY AND WHOLE…

Mary,  most holy and whole,  Mother of all the Saints, pray for us … 

HAIL MARY…

We pray in silence for one another as we walk the path of holiness together…

Jesus yearns for all his people to ‘be opened’ … may the People of God be open to the new challenges of God in our present age – to proclaim the Gospel in new ways and to heal the world of its many wounds

                               [Reader]              LORD WE PRAY …
                               [response]         OPEN US TO YOUR LOVE…

St James challenges us to be open to the poorest … may the wealthy nations of the world bring hope of dignity and justice to the poorest of our world who one day will judge the rich world in the presence of God

                               [Reader]              LORD WE PRAY …
                               [response]         OPEN US TO YOUR LOVE…

St James challenges us to be open to the poorest … may the wealthy nations of the world bring hope of dignity and justice to the poorest of our world who one day will judge the rich world in the presence of God

                               [Reader]              LORD WE PRAY …
                               [response]         OPEN US TO YOUR LOVE…

Isaiah shares a vision of the destructive desert one day flowing with creative water … we pray for miracles of peace transform the deserts of war and terror, especially in the Middle East – may the hearts of leaders and people of all faiths and none be opened to the Peace of Christ

                               [Reader]              LORD WE PRAY …
                               [response]         OPEN US TO YOUR LOVE…

Jesus healed the deaf and dumb man and the Good News was proclaimed – may all who are deaf to the cries of 60 million refugees and blind to their pain, be opened to hear and see; may our tongues be loosened to proclaim compassion and humanity and so give voice to the poor and excluded

                               [Reader]              LORD WE PRAY …
                               [response]         OPEN US TO YOUR LOVE…

May our children and young people who have returned to school and college this past week be opened to their own limitless possibilities – may their teachers and lecturers draw from them their creativity and knowledge that they might grow – that our world might mature

                               [Reader]              LORD WE PRAY …
                               [response]         OPEN US TO YOUR LOVE…

May Jesus who healed and opened bring healing and peace to all who suffer from impairment of hearing, speech and sight: may he also heal the sick of our parish family: …
may Jesus raise to eternal life those who have died recently, especially … and those who have perished while fleeing poverty, oppression and war;
and for all whose anniversaries are at this time: … 

                               [Reader]              LORD WE PRAY …
                               [response]         OPEN US TO YOUR LOVE…

Mary the Refugee,  so open to the Word and Spirit of Jesus, pray with us for our migrant brothers and sisters…

HAIL MARY…

We pray in a moment of silence…

For 173 years, the Eucharist has been the centre of our parish’s life, community and mission: may this celebration of the Breaking of the Bread heal our brokenness, deepen our love for Christ Jesus, bind us together in life-giving community and empower our mission to be Good News to the Poor

                  [Reader]                LORD HEAL OUR  WORLD…
                  [Response]          RENEW YOUR PEOPLE  IN LOVE…

St Nicholas broke the Bread of the Eucharist at the Table of the Lord; and broke bread with poor of his society: may we and the whole Church rededicate ourselves to translating our love for the Christ we meet in the Eucharist into as deep a love for the Christ we meet in the Poor

                  [Reader]                LORD HEAL OUR  WORLD…
                  [Response]          RENEW YOUR PEOPLE  IN LOVE…

St Nicholas preached the Gospel and broke the Bread of the Word for the people of Tolentino, drawing many to Christ: having received the Gospel from generations past may we find new ways of passing on the Gift of the Living Word of God to our young people so that they will shape the church moving into the future

                  [Reader]                LORD HEAL OUR  WORLD…
                  [Response]          RENEW YOUR PEOPLE  IN LOVE…

Throughout these past 173 years our parish has received migrants who have come to our shores and our city: may the whole Church be truly ‘Catholic’ where ‘all are welcome’ – a home to peoples of every race, language and culture, a world-wide community building bridges between peoples, struggling for justice and equality for the most marginalised and ridding the world of all forms of human trafficking and modern slavery

                  [Reader]                LORD HEAL OUR  WORLD…
                  [Response]          RENEW YOUR PEOPLE  IN LOVE…

Giving thanks for our past years of mission and looking forward with hope to the years to come, we pray for a renewed vision of the 21st Century Church of mission and healing, growing in communion with all creation; may we listen to the cries of the Earth and the cries of the poor, build healing bridges uniting many cultures, races, identities and faiths, caring together for the poor and the excluded near and far 

                  [Reader]                LORD HEAL OUR  WORLD…
                  [Response]          RENEW YOUR PEOPLE  IN LOVE…

That all our children and young people baptised and confirmed in the past year will grow up to care for the poorest, respecting people of all races, cultures and sexual orientation and valuing our multi-racial society; that opposing all racial violence and every form of prejudice, our schools and colleges will rejoice in the diversity of our one Human Race

                  [Reader]                LORD HEAL OUR  WORLD…
                  [Response]          RENEW YOUR PEOPLE  IN LOVE…

St Nicholas was called gifted by God to bring healing to the sick and the poor: for all wounded in mind and heart by abuse, injustice and poverty; we pray also for …
St Nicholas prayed deeply for the dead: we pray for …  and for those killed by war and conflict, poverty and oppression;
we pray also for all the faithful departed of our parish in its 173 years history and for … whose anniversaries are at this time

                  [Reader]                LORD HEAL OUR  WORLD…
                  [Response]          RENEW YOUR PEOPLE  IN LOVE…

Mary, Mother of all the abandoned ones, help us to recognise Jesus in every person….

                                                     HAIL MARY…

We pray in silence for God’s empowerment of our parish family in service and mission…

Mary points the People of God to the Glory of Christ:  may we always reflect the wonder of our Risen Saviour to a world in need of a vision of glory and humanity…
                                   [reader]                   LORD WE PRAY…
                                   [response]             SHINE YOUR GLORY UPON US…

Mary, faithful Daughter of Zion, shines with peace to a world wounded by conflicts:  as war rages in Afghanistan, and remembering the criminal devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Atomic destruction, we pray for peace and disarmament throughout the world; but in particular in Mary’s land of Israel and Palestine, and for the people of Afghanistan;  we pray also for all women who are abused in war zones and oppressed by vicious ideologies – raise up political leaders with the courage to serve the peace of the their people and our world

                                   [reader]                   LORD WE PRAY…
                                   [response]             SHINE YOUR GLORY UPON US…

Mary, the exalted poor one, ‘illuminates the dignity and rights of the human person’  (as St Oscar Romero taught) as she challenges us in the Magnificat to raise up the poor and powerless:  that the impoverished and oppressed be at the centre of our mission;  that the homeless,  the unemployed,  those rejected and discriminated against because of race, gender or sexual orientation will know their dignity; that those seeking safe asylum will find hope and encouragement in us and in Mary the Refugee

                                   [reader]                   LORD WE PRAY…
                                   [response]             SHINE YOUR GLORY UPON US…

Mary embraces all whom Jesus gives her to love:  we pray for those with special needs,  learning difficulties and for all whose gifts are not valued; we pray too on this Feast of the Woman clothed in the sun for all women whose equality is not recognised and whose dignity is not respected in Church and State alike

                                   [reader]                   LORD WE PRAY…
                                   [response]             SHINE YOUR GLORY UPON US…

Mary walks as a Pilgrim among her poor people: we pray for all who journey the spiritual search – may they embrace faith’s path of questioning, pondering and searching; we pray that having celebrated the Feasts of St Maximilian Kolbe and St Edith Stein, the martyrs of Auschwicz we will continue to keep the memory of Holocaust and genocides alive, that they be never repeated

                                   [reader]                   LORD WE PRAY…
                                   [response]             SHINE YOUR GLORY UPON US…

Mary is the faithful servant of Christ’s Healing: we pray for all who are depressed and are without hope; for all whose past wounds and imprisons them; for those suffering from Covid around the world and for all who are sick and housebound: …
As we celebrate Mary’s Resurrection, we pray eternal life for …, all victims of the Haiti Earthquake, the shooting in Plymouth, and the war in Afghanistan;
and for all whose anniversaries are at this time

                                   [reader]                   LORD WE PRAY…
                                   [response]             SHINE YOUR GLORY UPON US…

Mary, Assumed into Heaven, pray with us for equality between women and men, and for the poor and oppressed of the world… 

HAIL MARY…

We pray for other needs in a moment of silence…

‘I am the Living Bread come down from Heaven’ … that the Church may faithfully bring Jesus Bread of Life to the world by true preaching of the Gospel, by worship that reflects our lives of love and by our life-giving communities

                           [READER]                     JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE…
                           [Response]                   Give us that Bread always…

‘The Bread that I shall give is My Flesh, for the life of the world’ … that our world will not sacrifice more flesh on the altars of power and greed, war and terrorism: that peace rooted in justice will finally come to Afghanistan, the Middle East, Yemen, Cameroon and Central Africa and the hearts of all who resort to war and terror will be converted to peace

                           [READER]                     JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE…
                           [Response]                   Give us that Bread always…

Elijah said to the Lord, ‘I have had enough – take my life’ and the Lord fed him with  bread of hope … for all who despair of justice, despair of being heard with compassion, despair of finding safe refuge: may we be a community of hope and life-giving, healing their despairs – we pray for migrants risking their lives to find freedom, that they will be treated with humanity by our government and the governments of Europe

                           [READER]                     JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE…
                           [Response]                   Give us that Bread always…

‘Follow Christ by loving as he loved you’ … for those baptised today, and for all our children and young people that they will catch the adventure of faith in Christ, discover how deeply the Lord loves them and rejoice to love Him with their whole heart; for all young people receiving exam results at this time that they will know their value far exceeds any exam results!

                           [READER]                     JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE…
                           [Response]                   Give us that Bread always…

The Lord said to Elijah, ‘Get up and eat or the journey will be too long for you’ … may each of us come to value the Mass more day by day and take every opportunity to come and be nourished by Bread of the Word and Bread of the Eucharist – may more come to share our weekday Masses

                           [READER]                     JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE…
                           [Response]                   Give us that Bread always…

May the Broken Bread bring healing and wholeness to God’s beloved people, especially …;
for those who have died recently especially …, and all victims of Covid and poverty
for all whose anniversaries are at this time: …

                           [READER]                     JESUS, BREAD OF LIFE…
                           [Response]                   Give us that Bread always…

Mary, who gave us Jesus the Living Bread, pray with us, pray for us, bring us peace…
                                                                     HAIL MARY…

Let us pray silently for the unknown needs of all …