Prayer for Our Government
by Archbishop John Carroll (1791)
We pray, O almighty and eternal God, who through Jesus Christ has revealed thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of your name.
We pray Thee, who alone are good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, the pope, the vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, all other bishops, prelates and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise among us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct your people into the ways of salvation.
We pray O God of might, wisdom and justice, through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness and be eminently useful to your people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality.
Let the light of your divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.
We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state, for the members of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by your powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.
We recommend likewise, to your unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of your most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.
Finally, we pray to you, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of your servants departed, who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech you, a place of refreshment, light and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Pope Pius VI named John Carroll the first bishop of the United States of America in 1789. His cousin, Charles Carroll, was one of America's Founding Fathers and the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence. Bishop John Carroll would go on to become America's first archbishop when the Diocese of Baltimore, Maryland— the mother diocese of the United States—was elevated to the status of archdiocese. Archbishop Carroll was also the founder of America's first Catholic university—Georgetown. These interesting facts are a testament that Catholics played a significant role in the founding of our nation. Archbishop Carroll wrote the prayer above for our newly formed government on November 10, 1791, to be recited in parishes throughout his diocese.
In the following letter, Archbishop José H. Gomez addresses recent controversies surrounding public monuments to St. Junípero Serra and asks the faithful of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to invoke the saint’s “intercession for this nation that he helped to found.” Ahead of the saint's July 1 feast day, he urges prayers especially for “an end to racial prejudice and a new awareness of what it means that all men and women are created equal as children of God.” Archbishop Gomez also offers an original spiritual meditation that he composed almost entirely from words drawn from St. Junípero’s sermons and letters.
A statue of St. Junipero Serra defaced and torn down by militant protesters at Father Serra Park in Downtown Los Angeles Saturday, June 20.
In Thanks of our OLM Senior Servers
We offer our sincere congratulations and prayerful best wishes to OLM Senior Servers, John Curran (Boston College), David Delbonis (St. Joseph College, Philadelphia) Jack Devine (Northeastern University), and Matthew Simonetti (Xavier University, Ohio) as they graduate high school. These young men have served Church and Parish at God's Holy Altar for many years, and we thank them for their reverent and dedicated service to God and Church. Ad multos annos!
L to R: Matthew Simonetti, David Delboinis, John Curran and Jack Devine.
Join us for a live stream
Mass of Thanksgiving for Fr. Healey’s 25th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination
on Sunday, June 21 at 10:30am.
We offer our heartfelt prayers and best wishes to Father Hiep Van Nguyen who was ordained a priest of Providence by Bishop Tobin on Saturday, June 6, 2020, at the Cathedral. Father Hiep served as a Summer Seminarian at OLM two years ago. May God bless him and his priesthood with much fruitful ministry and holiness!
Newly ordained Fr. Hiep Van Nguyen poses with Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence following the Mass of Ordination at the Cathedral on Saturday, June 6, 2020.
Read this great article on Catholic Priests serving as Covid 19 Chaplains. Fr. Connors is featured in the article.
Statement from Bishop Tobin on
Behalf of the Diocese of Providence
June 2, 2020
Resorting to violence does not honor the memory of George Floyd whose tragic death in Minneapolis is morally offensive and repugnant to all. Nor does it promote the just cause of civil rights. For decades, the Catholic Church, in its teaching and actions, has been at the forefront in opposing every expression of racism, and we renew that commitment today.
It is very clear that there are pressing issues in our society that urgently need to be addressed and corrected – including racism, inequality, and discrimination – whenever, wherever they occur. The Catholic Church fully supports those who are promoting these values in legitimate and peaceful ways.
The Diocese of Providence also stands in solidarity with public officials and law enforcement officers as they seek to ensure the safety and security of our community. We recognize that their public service is often difficult and dangerous. The recent incidents of planned violence here and elsewhere cannot be encouraged or accepted. These events simply cause division in our community and result in additional suffering and pain to many good and innocent people.
As we pledge to renew our fraternal efforts to build a just and peaceful society, may all people of goodwill lift their hearts and minds to God in prayer to seek his divine intervention in these troubled times.
Live Streaming at OLM Update
The guidelines at OLM for public Mass.
Please watch this video from the Diocese of Providence about what to expect when returning to Mass next weekend.
Watch Bishop Tobin’s address to the Catholic Faithful as our Churches prepare to reopen for public Mass.
Take a look at the newly released OLM School promotional video! Register your child or grandchild today for next year at olmschool.org
Striving to be Saints and Scholars!
Join us in praying for all those who died in service to our nation and the cause of liberty and freedom.
Memorial Day Mass
Monday, May 25, 2020
LIvestream at 8:30am
Governor Donald and the late Suzanne Carcieri receive the Lumen Gentium Award for Public Service
Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis
to the Faithful for the Month of May 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The month of May is approaching, a time when the People of God express with particular intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is traditional in this month to pray the Rosary at home within the family. The restrictions of the pandemic have made us come to appreciate all the more this “family” aspect, also from a spiritual point of view.
For this reason, I want to encourage everyone to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May. This can be done either as a group or individually; you can decide according to your own situations, making the most of both opportunities. The key to doing this is always simplicity, and it is easy also on the internet to find good models of prayers to follow.
I am also providing two prayers to Our Lady that you can recite at the end of the Rosary, and that I myself will pray in the month of May, in spiritual union with all of you. I include them with this letter so that they are available to everyone.
Dear brothers and sisters, contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary our Mother will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial. I keep all of you in my prayers, especially those suffering most greatly, and I ask you, please, to pray for me. I thank you, and with great affection I send you my blessing.
Rome, Saint John Lateran, 25 April 2020
Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist
FIRST PRAYER
O Mary,
You shine continuously on our journey
as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who, at the foot of the cross,
were united with Jesus’ suffering,
and persevered in your faith.
“Protectress of the Roman people”,
you know our needs,
and we know that you will provide,
so that, as at Cana in Galilee,
joy and celebration may return
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform ourselves to the will of the Father
and to do what Jesus tells us.
For he took upon himself our suffering,
and burdened himself with our sorrows
to bring us, through the cross,
to the joy of the Resurrection.
Amen.
We fly to your protection,
O Holy Mother of God;
Do not despise our petitions
in our necessities,
but deliver us always
from every danger,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
SECOND PRAYER
“We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God”.
In the present tragic situation, when the whole world is prey to suffering and anxiety, we fly to you, Mother of God and our Mother, and seek refuge under your protection.
Virgin Mary, turn your merciful eyes towards us amid this coronavirus pandemic. Comfort those who are distraught and mourn their loved ones who have died, and at times are buried in a way that grieves them deeply. Be close to those who are concerned for their loved ones who are sick and who, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, cannot be close to them. Fill with hope those who are troubled by the uncertainty of the future and the consequences for the economy and employment.
Mother of God and our Mother, pray for us to God, the Father of mercies, that this great suffering may end and that hope and peace may dawn anew. Plead with your divine Son, as you did at Cana, so that the families of the sick and the victims be comforted, and their hearts be opened to confidence and trust.
Protect those doctors, nurses, health workers and volunteers who are on the frontline of this emergency, and are risking their lives to save others. Support their heroic effort and grant them strength, generosity and continued health.
Be close to those who assist the sick night and day, and to priests who, in their pastoral concern and fidelity to the Gospel, are trying to help and support everyone.
Blessed Virgin, illumine the minds of men and women engaged in scientific research, that they may find effective solutions to overcome this virus.
Support national leaders, that with wisdom, solicitude and generosity they may come to the aid of those lacking the basic necessities of life and may devise social and economic solutions inspired by farsightedness and solidarity.
Mary Most Holy, stir our consciences, so that the enormous funds invested in developing and stockpiling arms will instead be spent on promoting effective research on how to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
Beloved Mother, help us realize that we are all members of one great family and to recognize the bond that unites us, so that, in a spirit of fraternity and solidarity, we can help to alleviate countless situations of poverty and need. Make us strong in faith, persevering in service, constant in prayer.
Mary, Consolation of the afflicted, embrace all your children in distress and pray that God will stretch out his all-powerful hand and free us from this terrible pandemic, so that life can serenely resume its normal course.
To you, who shine on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope, do we entrust ourselves, O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.
Confessions at OLM on Saturdays are now from 4:00PM until 4:45PM. Confessions on Mondays continue to be from 6:00PM until 6:45PM.
The website Aleteia has posted a wonderful guide for celebrating the Third Sunday of Easter at home. Please go here.