Intentions for Prayer Vigil for Holiness

During Bishop’s Meeting, Dallas, May 13-15, 2002

These intentions were originally posted at Michael Dubruiel’s Annunciations weblog, May 24, 2002.

1. For the bishops themselves, that in their meeting they will be open to the Holy Spirit’s call to zeal and holiness, and that they will address the scandal and issues it has raised with courage, prudence, and fidelity to Catholic teaching.

2. That our bishops would be emboldened to act courageously as shepherds and speak out prophetically in defense of chastity and purity, in the face of a culture that belittles them.

3. For priests, for their encouragement in this time of difficulty, that they live as counter-cultural signs of God’s salvation given to us in Christ. That they might live in ever greater fidelity to the teaching of the Church and their own vows.

4. For the victims of abuse, that they know that Christ suffers with them, and that the Church reaches out to them with compassion and love, and that they might be healed of the injury and pain that they have experienced.

5. That God would call many young men to follow Christ in the priesthood, and that those men will be open to hearing the call and respond generously.

6. For Catholics everywhere, that they will support their priests and bishops when they speak in defense of Catholic teaching, and boldly live out that teaching themselves. That all Catholics would re-dedicate themselves to strive for the virtues of purity and chastity.