16th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 20, 2025
God, our Father, having heard the message of the Gospel, we offer our prayers asking for the grace to be people who welcome those we encounter who are in need.
- That we will strive to be “a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges and encourages dialogue, a Church ever open to welcoming… all those who are in need of our charity, our presence, our readiness to dialogue and our love.” We pray to the Lord.[1]
- That the new “Mass for the Care of Creation” of the Roman Missal will inspire us “to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us — not only in daily choices and public policies, but also in our prayer, our worship, and our way of living in the world.”[2] We pray to the Lord.
- That progress will be made in efforts to return to their homeland the thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly deported or transferred from occupied areas to Russia as spoils of war. We pray to the Lord.
- That we will not be anxious and worry as did Martha but will know that the Lord calls each of us in different ways and that the “better part” is responding to that call with our whole heart. We pray to the Lord.
- That education of young children whose schools have been destroyed in war will be a top priority that enables them to develop the skills they will need to rebuild their countries and to form a just society. We pray to the Lord.
- That the international community will intensify efforts to aid the people of Darfur where 40 thousand have been killed, 13 million have been forced to flee their homes, atrocities abound, and famine is escalating while hospitals and humanitarian convoys are being targeted. We pray to the Lord.
- That the Church leadership, in recognizing the inhuman conditions of Alligator Alcatraz characterized by “temporary structures, the heat of Florida summer, [people] crowded in confined spaces, far from medical facilities, and possibly located in the path of hurricanes” will provide strong leadership against such facilities that consists of more than “hope that for brief stays, the conditions will benefit human dignity.”[3] We pray to the Lord.
- That in this time of wars, violence, and injustices that wound the social order, we may not yield to the temptation to think that evil can prevail.[4] We pray to the Lord.
- That those in war zones who seek water and food for themselves and their families may encounter the hospitality of Abraham and Sarah who fed and waited on the three men who appeared near their tent. We pray to the Lord.
- That we may imitate” the example of Jesus, the Savior of the world,” by bringing “consolation and hope above all to those who are [ill or who are] experiencing discouragement and disappointment.”[5] We pray to the Lord.
- That aid workers and those killed in war zones or in attacks on the streets of their cities and towns may sit with Mary at the feet of the Lord and enjoy the eternal hospitality of heaven. We pray to the Lord.
O God, may your answers to our prayers strengthen us as a community of faith that treasures your word and demonstrates love for those who suffer and all our neighbors. We make these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.
[1] From Address of Pope Leo with officials of the Roman Curia and employees of the Holy See and the Vatican City State, May 24, 2025.
[2] Quote from Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, at press conference, July 3, 2025.
[3] Quotes from Bishop Frank J. Dewane of the Diocese of Venice in Florida whose territory includes Alligator Alcatraz.
[4] Based on homily of Pope Leo at Mass for the Italian Carabinieri, July 14, 2025.
[5] From reflection of Pope Leo at Angelus, July 13, 2025.
parishionersforjustice.com 