Praying for Our Church, Our Nation and Our World

Dear Parishioners,

I recall the story of the patriarch Abraham’s pleading and bargaining with God on behalf of the city of Sodom.  Perhaps you remember the passage from Scripture:

Then Abraham drew near [to the LORD] and said: “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous people in the city; would you really sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people within it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! Far be it from you! Should not the judge of all the world do what is just?” The LORD replied: If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake. Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am only dust and ashes! What if there are five less than fifty righteous people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?” I will not destroy it, he answered, if I find forty-five there. But Abraham persisted, saying, “What if only forty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it for the sake of the forty. Then he said, “Do not let my Lord be angry if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it if I can find thirty there. Abraham went on, “Since I have thus presumed to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?” I will not destroy it, he answered, for the sake of the twenty. But he persisted: “Please, do not let my Lord be angry if I speak up this last time. What if ten are found there?” For the sake of the ten, he replied, I will not destroy it.  (Genesis 18: 23-32)

I worry about our Church, our nation and our world very much. Honestly, I am very disheartened with the direction that the Church, politics, and contemporary culture has taken over the past years. I fear it is only going to get much worse in the future. In particular, I hold my breath pondering where the current Synod in Rome might take our Catholic Church. Moreover, I have grave concerns when contemplating who the two potential presidential candidates for 2024 might be and how that election will result. I especially think about our young people and the type of world that they are going to inherit. Yet, I believe that we have many good people who love the Lord and want to do what is right. I continually request that we the people pray fervently and not take a lackadaisical attitude towards what is happening in our Church, our nation and in the world around us.  

Will you not join in this effort to pray?

No matter what your position is on various happenings in the Church and the upcoming presidential election, we all need to pray that the will of the Lord be done on behalf of our Church, our nation and our world. Prayer is absolutely essential and the rosary has been a powerful means of intercession in the history of our Church. After all, October is the month of the holy rosary. What a great time to intensify and solidify our efforts!                                    

The holy rosary is prayed every morning (approximately 9:30 AM) after daily Mass in our chapel. If you are free and have the time, why not make an effort to come to Mass and then remain to pray the rosary? People often make various resolutions and sacrifices, especially during Lent. I am asking (begging?) our parishioners and all who read this to consider joining in the effort by saying a rosary every day (regardless of whether you can come to Church to do it).  Pray for our Church, for our country, for our youth, for those who have left the faith, for the end of war, etc. etc.

Too often people seem to react to tragic situations like war, terrorism, natural disasters, and the like. A cry may go up to God saying: How could you let this happen? Can't intercessory prayer prevent these things from happening in the first place? Can't prayer move hearts and help in the conversion of the world to Christ?  I certainly hope so! One of the petitions in the Our Father—deliver us from evil—is worth contemplating.

I attached a link to help people get more information about how to pray the rosary.

Please take the time to pray fervently. I believe prayer, and especially the rosary, can work wonders in ways seen and unseen.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor