Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2025
We come to the Father asking that he send his Spirit to enlighten and guide each of us so that we may do his will.
- That Pope Leo, who echoed Jesus with his declaration, “Peace be with all of you,” will be guided by the Holy Spirit as he leads the Church on its missions of faith, hope, and charity. We pray to the Lord.
- That differences in language, culture, and faith will enrich our world through the guidance of the Holy Spirit rather than create divisions, suspicion, hatred, and violence. We pray to the Lord.
- That the reasons for immigration — lack of education, environmental degradation, lack of jobs, and lack of respect for human rights — will be addressed constructively by governments who listen to the petitions and necessities of their people rather than threaten them with imprisonment.[1] We pray to the Lord.
- That the celebration of the Feast of the Uganda Martyrs, celebrated by millions in Africa this past week, will inspire generations of believers and serve as a reminder to us “to stand firm in truth and justice, even at great cost.”[2] We pray to the Lord.
- That we will answer the faith of the apostles, emboldened by the Holy Spirt and martyred for their commitment to Jesus, by how we live our lives and show our own faith to a sadly divided world.[3] We pray to the Lord.
- “That each one of us might find consolation in a personal relationship with Jesus, and from His Heart, learn to have compassion on the world.”[4] We pray to the Lord.
- That the Sacred Heart of Jesus will “change, shape, and transform our plans, so that we seek only [God’s guidance] in every circumstance: in prayer, in work, in encounters, and in our daily routine.”[5] We pray to the Lord.
- That in our own time, the confusion of language described at the Tower of Babel that was overcome by the descent of the Holy Spirit who allowed all to hear speech in their native languages, will be replicated in those who negotiate for peace enabling them to truly understand each other and be astounded and amazed that they can find common ground. We pray to the Lord.
- That we will not live in fear, locked behind closed doors that block out the reality of suffering in our world, but will be messengers of Jesus who offer peace to those who suffer from poverty, sickness, an oppression. We pray to the Lord.
- That the Holy Spirit will console those who are suffering from illness, anger, or depression offering them hope. We pray to the Lord.
- That those killed in the brutal wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and elsewhere may be catalysts for peace and be welcomed into the eternal peace of heaven. We pray to the Lord.
Heavenly Father, in this Jubilee Year of Hope, we ask that through your answer to our prayers your Spirit may inspire all your people to be missionaries of hope in this troubled world. We offer these prayers through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
[1] Based on Una Voz que con Esperanza Clama en el Desierto (A Voice that Cries Out in the Desert with Hope), pastoral letter of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of El Salvador, (May 29, 2025).
[2] Quote from Sr. Edgalda Tumwichirize of the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, who walked on a 50-mile pilgrimage to the Uganda Martyrs Shrine at Namugongo (June 2, 2025).
[3] Based on comment from Sr. Jane Harriet Nansubuga of the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.
[4] Intention of Pope Leo for June, 2025.
[5] From prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus composed for the month of June, 2025 to which it is dedicated.
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