Category: Church

Pope’s December Prayer Intention: “For volunteer not-for-profit organizations”

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of December is for volunteer not-for-profit organizations, calling volunteers who work with not-for-profit organizations “artisans for mercy”.

La intención de oración del Papa Francisco para el mes de diciembre es por el voluntariado de las organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro, llamando “artesanos de la misericordia” a los voluntarios que trabajan con organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro.

“The world needs volunteers and organizations committed to seeking the common good.”

“El mundo necesita voluntarios y organizaciones comprometidas en la búsqueda del bien común”.

We give thanks for all those who volunteer so generously in support of our Mercy ministries.

Damos gracias por todos aquellos que se ofrecen como voluntarios tan generosamente en apoyo de nuestros ministerios de la Misericordia.

Post your prayer intention here in our online chapel

Publique aquí su intención de oración en nuestra capilla en línea

Pope’s October Prayer Intention: “For a Church Open to Everyone”

Posted on by Diane Smyth

In his prayer intention for October, Pope Francis invites the members of the Church to listen to each other in their diversity and to open the doors to those who are outside.

We pray for the Church; ever faithful to, and courageous in preaching the Gospel, may the Church be a community of solidarity, fraternity and welcome, always living in an atmosphere of synodality.

Post your prayer intention here in our online chapel

More about Synodality

 

“The Letter: a message for our earth”: Watch this Film Online

Posted on by Diane Smyth

In 2015, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ , his encyclical letter about the environmental crisis to every single person in the world.

Now, four voices  from Senegal, the Amazon, India, and Hawai’i,  bring perspective and solutions from the poor, the indigenous, the youth, and wildlife into a conversation with Pope Francis himself.

This 80 minute documentary follows their journey to Rome and the extraordinary experiences that took place there, and is packed with powerfully moving personal stories alongside the latest information about the planetary crisis and the toll it’s taking on nature and people.

Watch it here.

En 2015, el Papa Francisco escribió Laudato Si’ , su carta encíclica sobre la crisis medioambiental dirigida a todas las personas del mundo.

Ahora, cuatro voces de Senegal, el Amazonas, la India y Hawái aportan la perspectiva y las soluciones de los pobres, los indígenas, los jóvenes y la vida silvestre en una conversación con el propio Papa Francisco.

Este documental de 80 minutos sigue su viaje a Roma y las extraordinarias experiencias que allí tuvieron lugar, y está repleto de historias personales poderosamente conmovedoras junto con la información más reciente sobre la crisis planetaria y los estragos que está causando en la naturaleza y las personas.

Véalo aquí.

The film was launched on 4 October, the Feast of St Francis, the date that closes the Season of Creation and
the same day as the Holy See’s official entry into the landmark Paris agreement on climate change.

Learn more about the film and how you can take action at https://TheLetterFilm.org

La película se presentó el 4 de octubre, fiesta de San Francisco, fecha que cierra el Tiempo de la Creación y
el mismo día de la entrada oficial de la Santa Sede en el histórico acuerdo de París sobre el cambio climático.

Más información sobre la película y sobre cómo actuar en https://TheLetterFilm.org

Papal Visit to Canada, July 24 – 29

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Pope Francis is scheduled to travel to Edmonton, Quebec City and Iqaluit next week to meet members of Canadian indigenous groups, residential school abuse survivors and Catholics.

Logo of Pope Francis’ penitential pilgrimage

In an address at Vatican City on Sunday, July 17, Pope Francis said that he sees this visit as a “penitential pilgrimage” which he hopes will contribute to the journey of healing and reconciliation that has already begun.

This is a very significant moment in our history.

Join us in prayer for Pope Francis and for all the individuals and groups with whom he will be meeting during these days.

Ways to view the papal events include the following:

Salt & Light Catholic Media Foundation has a dedicated site for information and broadcast details for the papal visit –
https://slmedia.org/popeincanada (English) or https://slmedia.org/fr/papeaucanada (French). The network will air all public events.

Livestream links– papalvisit.ca and www.visitepapale.ca will provide links to a number of livestreams for papal events, broadcast in more than 10 languages, including many Indigenous languages, as well as sign languages. Visitors will also be able to access feeds from Vatican TV that include commentary in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German.

Novalis has produced a digital resource that includes texts for all the liturgies presided by Pope Francis, prayers as well as reflections on the significance of the Papal Visit. To download the resource, visit: ca (English) or prionseneglise.ca (French)

In Memory of Padre Victor

Posted on by Diane Smyth

On September 29, 2010 Feast of the Archangels Michael, Raphael and Gabriel and birthday of Venerable Catherine McAuley, Padre Victor was buried in the garden of his parish church in Reque, Peru.

Three days earlier, after weeks of serious illness and hospitalization, Padre Victor made his final life’s journey surrounded by loving prayer, song and attentiveness, hope and patient waiting of his people. Victor was much loved. He dedicated his life to being the padre to his parishioners and their families. He loved his life, his faith and his church and his God. He lived the joy of the gospel and stood strong in the face of injustice- he was fierce advocate for his people and cared not only for their souls but also for their dignity and rights. Padre Victor was a strong man yet sickness was stronger and defeated him, in body, but not in spirit nor in the legacy that he leaves to those who knew him. Padre Victor will not be forgotten.

Padres Emigido and Lucho have shared so much of life with Victor from their young days. The three were lovingly known as the three amigos. In speaking of Victor throughout the days before the funeral they stressed over and over his gift of love of life, his “Alegria” which he passed on to all, his total dedication to the people especially the “más pobres”, his untiring service not only to his parish, but nationally, to the whole diocese. There was lots of great singing led by Reque Parish choir, lots of clapping in the midst of the reflection, etc.

The funeral was an especially blessed moment. There were crowds in the thousands in the plaza where the funeral took place. The altar was set in the door of the church facing the plaza. The Bishop officiated with fifty-two priests attending. Among the priests were Eugene Roy from Ontario and Jose Alverez Calderon, a great liberation Theologian based in Lima. There was extensive lay participation in the Mass. After Mass, the body of Padre Victor was brought in procession around the plaza with a special ceremony in front of the Municipal building. His body was then taken to the garden in front of the church where Victor is now buried. There is a small plaque marking his burial place, but a bigger monument is being planned for. Words used to describe Victor were “the saint of Reque,” “our joyful, happy saint in heaven,” and “the alma (spirit) of catechesis familiar. ”Victor was known and loved by many Sisters of Mercy of Newfoundland and by some of the priests who worked with him in Peru. He is sorely missed.

Tu nos has muerto; viveras en nuestros corozones y te recordaremos

 

Pope’s July Prayer Intention: ‘For the elderly’

Posted on by Diane Smyth

Pope Francis has dedicated the month of July to prayer for the Elderly of our world, and urges everyone to pray for the elderly “who represent the roots and memory of a people” so that they may be “teachers of tenderness”.

Let us hold in our prayers the elderly among us, those elderly who are known to us, the elderly residents of St Patrick’s Mercy Home and the many elderly people who find themselves in living in poverty and loneliness and who are often exploited by those closest to them.

Post your prayer intention here in our online chapel

Join the Mercy World in Prayer on the Second Anniversary of Laudato Si’

Posted on by Diane Smyth

To mark the second anniversary of the release by Pope Francis of his encyclical letter Laudato Si’, Sisters of Mercy across the globe have committed to 9 Days of Prayer and reflection using the Prayer for our Earth.

The 9 Days of Prayer will commence on Saturday, 10 June and conclude on Sunday 18 June, the actual anniversary of the document’s release. It is one outcome of the Mercy International Reflection Process where we listened attentively to ‘the cry of Earth and the cry of the Poor’.

Resources for the 9 Days of Prayer include:

a reflective logo

the prayer sheet

a poster

reflection pages with additional resources for each of the 9 Days.

 

Access all the resources here and join us in prayer for Earth and the Earth community.

Human Solidarity: June Prayer Intention of Pope Francis

Posted on by Diane Smyth

We are all invited to join with Pope Francis and his worldwide prayer network in praying this month’s intention: Human Solidarity.

‘That the aged, marginalized, and those who have no one may find–even within the huge cities of the world–opportunities for encounter and solidarity.’

 

Forthcoming Papal Prayer Intentions:

Pope Francis’ remaining prayer intentions for 2016 will include: greater respect for  indigenous peoples; helping sports contribute to peace; encouraging journalists to respect truth and be more ethical; greater support for countries that take in refugees; and an end to the use of child soldiers.

Pope’s Intentions for 2016

Post your prayer in the Baggot Street Chapel