In these difficult days in our Church, many of us feel angry and helpless.
Our only recourse seems to be prayer, fasting and writing letters.
The #SackClothandAshes campaign has offered a number of ways to approach fasting and reparation.
Here at Equipping Catholic Families, we continue to share any resources or tips to boost prayer.
Our most recent post on the Rosary, the 5 Finger Rosary offers an easy-to-learn practical tip to squeeze in decades throughout your busy day, even if you don’t have a Rosary on hand.
If you’ve followed Equipping Catholic Families over the last year, you might be familiar with our newest project in the works. It’s a book called A Little Way to Pray and it offers ideas for Prompts to Pray, encouraging us to pray more often throughout our day and to pray from the heart.
The book in its original format is no longer available because…drumroll, please…
we have found a publisher who will hopefully release an expanded paperback version in 2019!
In the meantime, I’ve felt a little nudge to consider how the completely justified feelings of anger, frustration, discouragement, helplessness (add your current response here) in this time of crisis can also be used as Prompts to Pray. These days, it seems that any quick glance into the news or social media assaults us with new accusations, convictions, revelations and unsatisfying responses to the Abuse Scandal. Instead of wallowing in discouragement or leaving the Church because of some bad priests (we believe that the majority of our priests are good and faithful!), we can use our immediate response of anger and discouragement as Prompts to Pray.
The Current Church Scandal:
New Prompts to Pray!
Every time you feel gut-punched by a new report or revelation in the Sexual Abuse Scandal…PRAY!
Jesus, I hand this over to You.
Every time you experience feelings of anger, frustration, discouragement, horror and helplessness….PRAY!
Jesus, I feel angry, frustrated, discouraged, horrified and helpless.
Show me how You want me to react.
Guide my thoughts, words and actions.
Every time you see another disturbing revelation or article on social media…fight the urge to read it…PRAY instead!
Jesus, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Pray for healing for the victims of abuse.
Pray for our remaining good and faithful priests and bishops.
Pray for our bishops and the Holy Father to address these ugly and painful offences,
to weed out the offenders and together with the Holy Spirit,
cleanse our Church and restore it.
Guide my words and actions.
Jesus, I pray for healing for all the victims of abuse,
for all those scandalized by the allegations and the cover-up.
I pray for our Bishops, Cardinals and our Holy Father
to act justly, weed out the guilty, cleanse our Church and protect us, their flock.
Jesus, I pray for our good and faithful Priests and Bishops and Cardinals.
Protect them, encourage them and strengthen them.
Jesus, I feel discouraged.
All things are possible through You, Jesus.
My worries aren’t helping anyone; they’re just getting in the way.
I choose to let them go and leave them at the foot of the cross.
Jesus, in your Name,
I renounce evil in our Church and in my life.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Amen.
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