Prayer Requests

A reader writes from the Netherlands:

In recent weeks, a widespread and very nasty attack has been mounted against the Catholic Church here, following the decision of a parish priest, after due pastoral consideration, not to give Communion to an openly homosexual man. That snowballed into a media circus in which people sued the aforementioned priest and the diocese he’s in, as well as other priests supporting him, Mass was used a venue for demonstrations, and the media jump at every opportunity to malign the Church. Yesterday a new low was reached: a tv program featured an item in which a man stole a consecrated host from St. John’s cathedral in ‘s Hertogenbosch, took it outside, spoke some blasphemous words, spit on it and them consumed it. This man had the gall to call himself Catholic. I’m sorry if this is too detailed. It definitely made me sick.

Since your blog has a considerable number of readers and thus potential prayers, I would like to ask for your prayer and those of your readers: that the Church may remain strong and faithful in the face of attack; that her bishops, priests, deacons and faithful may be steadfast, devoted and measured in the debate with the opposers; that the faith that Jesus Christ entrusted to His Church may never be subject to the whims of society and the very vocal few. And finally, that the faithful may grow to learn about and understand their faith.

Thank you in advance, and keep up the good work.

Note the lawsuit. A foretaste of what to expect when the Church refuses to administer the Sacrament of Matrimony to same-sex couples. The sacraments are not civil rights, but many moderns conceive of all reality in terms of rights.

Father, hear the cry of your faithful children and turn aside the assaul of the Enemy by the sword of St. Michael. Help your Church in the Netherlands grow and prosper by your miraculous and Almighty Hand. We ask this through your Son Jesus Christ. Mother Mary, pray for them!

Another reader writes:

Please pray for my husband, Mike. His prostate cancer has spread to his vertebra. His neck has been terribly sore for the past week. Please ask God to heal his neck and not let this be cancer. He is not only my husband, but my best friend. He is my pillar and my life and I can’t lose him.

Father, hear the prayer of your children and grant Mike the grace of healing through your Son Jesus Christ. Mother Mary and St. Peregrine, we ask you powerful intercession that he would be complete rid of cancer through our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant as well, Father, your grace, strength, peace and consolation to this woman in her terrible hour of trial, through Jesus Christ, Amen!

Another reader writes:

Could you please kindly pray for a friend of mine and post this prayer request to your blog.

My friend is a 68 years old lady who has had to be taken to the hospital urgently with a very high heart-rate, vomiting, and diarrhea. She was out of town visiting her grandchildren when she took ill suddenly. An added complication is that she is an organ transplant recipient and all the anti-rejection drugs compromise her immune system and make all this a lot more complicated.

Father, hear our prayer for this women, that she may be healed and granted strength and grace in body and soul through our Lord Jesus Christ. Mother Mary, pray for her. St. Luke pray for her and her caregivers!