Church of St. Mary at Clinton Heights

A Prayer of Blessing for Pope Francis and the Universal Church

 

Gathering Song

Suggested Songs

• The King of Love, My Shepherd Is (St. Columba)
• Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service (In Babilone)
• The Church’s One Foundation (Aurelia)
• Like A Shepherd (Dufford, OCP)
• Shepherd of My Heart (O’Brien, GIA)
• Make Us True Servants (Wente, Slane, WLP)
• Prayer of St. Francis (Temple, OCP)

 

Introduction

Upon the election of a new Pope, the Church celebrates the faithful witness of all believers to Christ and his Gospel. The Holy Spirit was present on the day of Pentecost and at our Baptism, and the Holy Spirit was present with the College of Cardinals when they elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Cardinal of Buenos Aires, Argentina. May we now praise the goodness of God as we pray for Pope Francis, the Church, and the world.

 

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Prayer

God of wisdom and love,

you sent your Spirit to call a humble fisherman, Peter,

to follow Christ along the path of discipleship.

 

On this journey, Peter witnessed the loving power of Jesus

as the storms of life were calmed, diseases were cured, and demons driven away.

He encountered the compassionate heart of Christ,

as he dined with sinners and prostitutes,

preached of a forgiveness without end,

and washed the feet of his friends,

especially those who would eventually deny and betray him.

 

As you brought Peter down from the mountaintop of prayer

into the valley of discipleship,

remain upon Peter’s humble successor, Pope Francis.

Bless the Church under the care of our new Holy Father.

May he be a gentle shepherd called to tend his flock

with your kindness and generosity.

By your love and gentleness,

may Pope Francis inspire us to love God our Father

by returning the sheep gone astray to the flock of the Lord.

May he serve the Church in the image of Christ,

patterned by the faith of Simon Peter, the Rock.

 

As the keys once presented to St. Peter are entrusted to Pope Francis,

may we ever discover ways to unlock the door of faith

to a world most in need of the spiritual gifts you shower upon us.

We make our prayer with Christ your Son,

and through the gentle yet ever-changing power of the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Response      Psalm 100 (Lectionary #864.2)

                                    We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

 

Gospel Reading       John 21:15-17 (Lectionary #774.13)

                                    Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.

 

Silent Prayer

 

Litany of Blessings

Loving God, gentle and compassionate,

you gave us your Son as both Shepherd and Lamb

to serve with kindness and redeem a chosen people.

Let us humbly ask for blessings upon the Church, Pope Francis,

the entire flock you have called as your own,

and for those who seek your love and mercy.

 

Our response to each petition will be, “Bless and keep us, O Lord.”

 

• Bless the Church for proclaiming the Good News to the world, we pray…
• Bless the people of God with an increase of faith, hope, and charity, we pray…
• Bless us as we continue to seek and return the lost sheep to the fold, we pray…
• Bless Pope Francis with continued humility as we strive to serve the poor and lowly, we pray…
• Bless Pope Francis with Christ’s compassion toward sinners and hypocrites, we pray…
• Bless Pope Francis with a Church zealous in her mission of evangelization, we pray…
• In thanksgiving, bless Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI with health and happiness, we pray…
• In thanksgiving, bless the College of Cardinals’ continued wisdom in their service, we pray…
• In thanksgiving, bless all clergy, religious, and lay faithful who commit their lives to the Gospel, we pray…
• In thanksgiving for the many blessings in our lives, we pray…

Let us pause so that the prayers kept in the silence of our hearts may rise like incense to the Lord our God…

 

(short pause)…

 

Prayers

• Our Father . . .
• Hail Mary . . .
• Glory Be to the Father . . .
• Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
• St. Peter, pray for us.
• St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us.
• St. Ignatius, pray for us.
• St. Francis Xavier, pray for us.
• All holy men and women, pray for us.

 

And may Almighty God bless us,

protect us from all evil and bring us everlasting life. Amen.

 

Concluding Song

            (see Suggested Songs above)

Thank God: As of the afternoon of March 13, 2013, we have a new Holy Father!

Introducing: Pope Francis

 

Last weekend, we went to the well with the Samaritan Woman.

And as we conversed with Jesus, we first saw him merely as “a Jew”.  But later, as we listened while He spoke, we came to discover more about Him and we perceived Him as “a prophet”.  Only after He shared with us the depth and beauty of who we are in His midst did we understand Him to be “the Christ”.

This weekend, we find ourselves again in His midst, but this time we are as the Blind Man who has no sense of this Jesus: blind since birth, we cannot hope to see except by the One who can restore our lost sight.  We clearly admit from the outset, “I am he” who is blind.  And we are challenged and ridiculed by those around us.

Yet, the more we ponder and share about the One who restores our sight, the more we come to see Him for who He is:

• first, He is “a healer”;
• later, He is “a prophet”;
• still later, the “Son of Man”;
• and finally, “Lord”!

If we share our lives with Christ, He will be able to share greatly His own life with us.  If we share our life of faith with others, so much more will that life of faith impact our own…allowing us to grow in comprehension and witness…allowing us to proclaim “Christ, the Lord!”