Dear Salesian College Community,
This year we celebrate Easter as we have never celebrated it before. We commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus with the spectre of suffering as the lot of millions, and with the shadow of death hanging over our world.
We will get through this ordeal and Easter joy will fill our lives again. But, I thought it might be a good idea to create a Prayer Network to express our unity and to ask for God’s guidance and protection in these perilous times. It could work like this. On Good Friday at 3:00pm (3:30pm SA time) let us all join together and use the below as a guide to our prayer.
You might like to light a candle in front of a crucifix. Feel free to invite some of your friends or contacts to be part of the Prayer Network, send the prayers around by email or post them on Social Media. Who knows how many might end up joining us!
May the Lord be our strength and comfort, inspire us to care for each other and help us to live the mystery of Easter. Stay well.
Fr Lawrie Moate SDB
Good Friday Prayer Network
Opening Prayer
Almighty, ever-living God
You give strength to the weary
And new courage to those who have lost heart.
We are weighed down with dread of the virus
Which has infected our beautiful world.
Hear the prayers of all who call on you
That we may have the joy of receiving
Your deliverance in our need.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Scripture
Read St John’s account of the Passion (Chapter 18 and 19)
Silent Prayer
Pause for a few minutes in silent prayer
Prayers of Intercession
Celebrant:
God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to bind us to Him with the bonds of our love for one another. Let us pray to Him with confidence for the needs of our world, our country, our families and our Church.
1. For those who bear the cross of sickness, that the memory of the Lord’s passion may be for them a source of comfort and hope.
Lord hear us!
2. For all people who are afraid and disoriented because of the pandemic that has come into our lives.
Lord hear us!
3. For the Prime Minister and those responsible for decision –making, that they may be granted wisdom, energy and courage for the task of controlling the spread of the coronavirus.
Lord hear us!
4. For our State and Federal Governments, that the measures they enact along with the cooperation of all citizens may lessen the extent of infection in this country.
Lord hear us!
5. For scientists and laboratory technicians throughout the world, that they may be successful in discovering an effective vaccine.
Lord hear us!
6. For all the doctors, nurses and carers, who at grave risk to their own safety, are devoted to healing the sick, that they may be safeguarded in these perilous times.
Lord hear us!
7. For all health-care professionals that you will be a defence for them in their work and especially when removing their protective clothing.
Lord hear us!
8. For law-enforcement personnel, primary producers, essential service workers, food truck drivers, rubbish collectors, postal employees, shop assistants, trolley collectors and cleaners, that their important work will keep our society functioning.
Lord hear us!
9. For the staff of our College, the students and their families , that they may be spared from the effects of the virus that is sweeping the world.
Lord hear us!
10. For all teachers, kindergarten and day-care workers, that they may be blessed as they prepare challenging on-line lessons and engaging activities for their children.
Lord hear us!
11. For students in our schools and universities, that they may remain on task during these days, so that they may resume their classes and lectures when the virus has been controlled. May they be comforted by your endless love.
Lord hear us!
12. For grandparents and grandchildren, families, friends and neighbours who are separated by necessary precautions, that their love may be even stronger when they are alone and down-hearted.
Lord hear us!
13. For those in nursing and aged care homes, that they may be treated with compassion, given appropriate nutrition and medical care and look forward to the embrace of their grandchildren and loved ones.
Lord hear us!
14. For the families of those who have died without funeral rites, that they may be consoled by the knowledge that their loved ones have been welcomed by our loving God and that farewell liturgies can be conducted at a future time.
Lord hear us!
15. For all those who are homeless or without employment that they may be helped by government financial assistance and the care of their friends.
Lord hear us!
16. For prisoners, those in youth correctional and immigration detention centres, that they may remain safe and hopeful, even under lock-down conditions, and look forward to their release.
Lord hear us!
17. For farming communities and towns still recovering from drought, floods and bushfires, that they may find still more reserves of hope and tenacity.
Lord hear us!
18. For people with mental health issues who are troubled and uncertain and for the unemployed, asylum seekers and international students in the community who have no access to government assistance.
Lord hear us!
19. For poor and underdeveloped countries in this time of global pandemic, that the world’s richest nations will not neglect to help them.
Lord hear us!
20. For areas of this world where a safe social distance between people is not possible and where sanitizer and hot water are not available.
Lord hear us!
21. For those who lift our spirits through their music, drama, poetry, books, photographs, cartoons and jokes, that they may bring us joy and laughter and help us be resilient, optimistic and faith-filled during these threatening times.
Lord hear us!
22. For the Church, that it may be renewed and purified and that its ministers may put on the mind of Christ and follow His example of humble love for all humanity.
Lord hear us!
23. For all of us that we may be steeped in the mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection to new life.
Lord hear us!
24. For our family/community, youth club/Parish, bewildered by the sudden unravelling of our plans and expectations and fearful of what lies ahead, that it may be unfolded by the protection of Mary Help of Christians, and so we pray:
‘Hail Mary, full of Grace
The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women
And blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us sinners, now
And at the hour of our death.’
Please add your own petitions and prayers here.
We worship you Lord and we venerate your cross and celebrate your resurrection. By the wood of the cross you brought healing to the world, and now we are filled with hope because you accompany us in the joys and anguish of our human condition, forever and ever, Amen.
Blessing
Lord, send down your blessing upon us.
Grant us protection, comfort and Easter joy.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
