Weekly Prayers of the Faithful

Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 11, 2025

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Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 11, 2025

On this day, we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, and Mother’s Day.  We come to the Father asking that we may hear the Shepherd’s voice, offer our lives as gifts in our vocations, and that Mary will be united with all mothers in seeking the well-being of their children.

  1. That the cardinals meeting in conclave will respond to the guidance of the Holy Spirit by choosing a shepherd “whom the church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history.”[1] We pray to the Lord

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  1. In thanksgiving for Pope _________, that he may know “how best to awaken the consciences of all and awaken the moral and spiritual energies in today’s society that tends to forget God.”1 We pray to the Lord
  2. That warring parties will “reach, as soon as possible, a permanent ceasefire and negotiate — without preconditions and further delays — the peace so deeply desired by the affected populations and by the entire world.”[2] We pray to the Lord.
  3. That “adult members of the Church” will respond to their call “to acknowledge, discern, and accompany the young on their vocational path,… a path towards true happiness through friendship with the risen Lord.”[3]  We pray to the Lord.
  4. That each of us may perceive our vocations “in the depths of our hearts” so that they will give “rise to an impulse to love and service as an expression of hope and charity rather than a means of self-promotion.”3  We pray to the Lord.
  5. That we may be pilgrims of hope “marked by confident trust in God’s providence”, a hope which “is more than mere human optimism [but] is a certainty based on our faith in God, who is at work in each of our lives.”3  We pray to the Lord. 
  6. That each of us may be sheep of the Lord who hear his voice in the joys, sorrows, and challenges of our lives and who follow him into eternal life. We pray to the Lord. 
  7. That through work, each person might find fulfillment, families might be sustained in dignity, and that society might be humanized.[4]  We pray to the Lord.
  8. That pregnant women and mothers will know themselves to be essential and blessed instruments in fulfilling God’s will that human life should continue, and be offered respect, assistance, encouragement, and thanks for their gifts of life and love.  We pray to the Lord.
  9. That those who are ill may be confident in the care and love of the Good Shepherd as they strive to overcome their afflictions.  We pray to the Lord. 
  10. That our deceased mothers, grandmothers, and godmothers will be welcomed into the eternal life in heaven and may we honor their memory through our kindness, faith, and selfless love. We pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father on this Easter day of celebration and thanksgiving, we ask that you answer our prayers so that we may know how to best follow the Good Shepherd in our vocations and in our families.  We make these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.

[1] From homily of Cardinal Battista Re at Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff, May 7, 2025.

[2] From statement of cardinals released following their meeting in General Congregation, May 7, 2025.

[3] From Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 62nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations [11 May, 2025]. Issues March 19, 2025.

[4] Intention of Pope Francis for May, 2025.

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