We hope that these Prayers of the Faithful from the 3rd Sunday of Lent, (March 11-12, 2023) are helpful to you this week in your reflections and prayer life.

As Jesus reached out to the woman at the well, you reach out to us, God. You want to hear our story: the things that occupy our thinking, disturb our equilibrium, the obstacles that diminish our life and well-being….we pray about these and more:

For Jon, Matthew, Tyler, Michael, Owen, and all preparing to receive the living water of Baptism, Eucharist or Confirmation this Easter. For our young people who will receive Confirmation and Eucharist on Pentecost, we pray to the Lord.

For all our brothers and sisters who, like the woman at the well, feel isolated or judged, that they be released from their fears. For all of us, that we do not shut out others because of their past or their identity, and that this parish may be experienced as a community of welcome, we pray to the Lord.

For people in our jails and prisons, and the men and women who work in our correctional system, we pray to the Lord.

For our national leaders that we and they find a way to manage our nation’s finances and still care for those who need social and medical programs and a livable income in their older years. That those who have been financially successful remember their brothers and sisters who do not have such wealth. We pray to the Lord.

For the sick and the dying, for the health service people and their families who care for them. For those who are not receiving adequate care, we pray to the Lord.

For deceased and living alumni, faculty and family of the College of the Holy Cross and the Holy Cross Alumni Club of Maine, we pray to the Lord.

For our loved ones, friends, neighbors and all who have died. May the Lord lift all the burdens from their bodies and minds and welcome them into the fullness of life, we pray to the Lord. At this liturgy we especially remember:

4:30 PM Remembrance Mass for the Friends & Alumni of The College of The Holy Cross

7:30 AM For The People of the Parish both Living & Deceased

9:30 AM Marito Guinoo by the Wescott Family

5:00 PM For the Deceased Members of the Baldi Family by the Family

We pray to the Lord.

We entrust these prayers and those of our hearts to you, God of love for you are the One who tells us “I am the One whose love never fails.. depend on me for I am faithful. Trust me for I refuse to leave your side.” We make these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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We hope these Prayers of the Faithful from the Second Sunday of Lent (March 4-5, 2023) are helpful to you this week – and beyond – in your reflections and prayer life.

God, the words of Scripture this week speak of your promises and blessings. For us, the shadows and difficulties of life can make it hard to see hope. We ask for the ability to hope as we pray today…

Lord, your Church seems divided and at odds with itself, Catholic people and clergy disagreeing with and opposing Catholics; Anglicans and Methodists are split and others struggle. Help us to seek to advance not our own agendas but with honesty and humility to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our actions and thinking. We pray to the Lord.

Bless those who are preparing for Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation this Easter. In our community we pray for Jon, Matthew, Tyler and Michael preparing for all the sacraments and Owen for preparing for Confirmation and for our younger children who will receive Confirmation and Eucharist on Pentecost Day. We pray to the Lord.

Bless those for whom hope is difficult or beyond their ability to imagine: those bearing the burdens of illness of mind, body, or spirit; those whose lands and cultures have been destroyed by war, occupation, or injustice, people who have been abandoned by those they trusted and needed, all who see no future. Bless them, Lord and inspire in us ways to reach out to them, we pray to the Lord.

For the healing of relationships, healing which will not make things “nice” but will make things possible: for a mending of love which has been fractured, for the cherishing of all of us, for the holding in brokenness of those for whom love has been undermined, we pray to the Lord.

In thanksgiving for moments that bring hope and joy: the celebration of high school sports and drama and other accomplishments of our young people, for a kind word offered or smile given to a stranger, for hot soup on a cold, snowy day. For these we give thanks and pray to the Lord.

We entrust to you God, our beloved family and friends who have died. Tell them we love them. Let them be the first to greet us when it is our turn to arrive to eternal life. At this liturgy we especially remember:

4:30 PM John O’Brien by John & Eileen Munroe

7:30 AM Toni Muro by Judith Baldi

9:30 AM Charles O’Reilly by Barbara DeCoste

5:00 PM  The People of the Parish both Living & Deceased

We pray to the Lord.

God you have called us into being. You give us Jesus as savior and friend. Surround us with your blessing. May angels and friends share our journey. May we be wise and strong and creative. May we celebrate life and hope. May your image grow within us. May the gospel of life sustain us, all the days of our journey home. We ask these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The celebrant then leads the congregation in praying the prayers of the Novena of Grace.

As we begin our Lenten Journey together, we hope these Prayers of the Faithful from the First Sunday of Lent (Feb 25-26, 2023) might be helpful in your own prayer lives and reflections this week.

In the spirit of Jesus who offered heartfelt prayers to his Father in the desert, let us call upon the God of mercy.

It’s Lent. Old habits. Fish on Friday. No dessert. Maybe no drink. Lord, this year help Lent be more than that. In these six weeks help us to hear your words of love and hope for us. Help us see where we do not recognize you in our lives or world. We pray to the Lord.

Our world seems bent on pursuing war, on arguing away the need to change the way we treat our earth. Lord, keep us from despairing that change is possible. Help to seek and find ways we CAN make a difference locally and beyond. We pray to the Lord.

In our parish, Jon, Tyler, Matthew, and Michael are preparing to be baptized. Bless them, encourage them to embrace Jesus’ vision and way of living. Many of us have grown familiar with Jesus’ words. This year, help us to hear them anew with all their freshness, promise and challenge. We pray to the Lord

Some of us will fast this year, will voluntarily eat less or consume less. Let us remember those who always eat less or have less because they have no choice. Help us choose to live more simply that others may simply live. We pray to the Lord.

For all the sick and especially those living in communities where covid cases still mean shut-downs and isolation. We pray to the Lord.

For those who hunger for justice, who document inequalities, demonstrate against tyranny, distinguish between need and greed, and are sometimes misrepresented or persecuted in the process. We pray to the Lord.

That the death of our loved ones be turned into everlasting joy by God’s gift. At this liturgy we especially remember

4:30 PM Kerry Festus Joyce by Nancy Wallace & Patter Wallace
7:30 AM Jimmy & Kay Nappi by Robert & Linda
9:30 AM The People of the Parish both Living & Deceased
5:00 PM Gregory Oliver by Father & Family
We pray to the Lord.

We entrust these people and intentions to you, God of love and life. Help this to be a time of turning round and beginning again. Help us to follow you and to find you: in the discipline of praying and in the drudgery of caring – in whatever we deny ourselves, and whatever we set ourselves to learn or do. Help us to perceive new growth amid the ashes of the old. Help us in carrying your cross, to be signs of your Kingdom. Amen.

We share these Prayers of the Faithful from the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Feb 18-19, 2023) with the hope that they are helpful to you in your own reflections and prayer life.

As we move toward the Holy Season of Lent, the Scriptures call us to follow in a very practical and challenging way, Christ’s command that we love one another. We call upon you, God, for ability to reflect honestly on these words and follow with courage. We pray for:

Our church, universally and in our parish, that we be a living example of forgiveness and mercy and show a willingness to meet people where they are and journey with them, we pray to the Lord.

Single parents and grandparents – and others – who carry the responsibility of raising children, may God give them the inspiration and strength they need and may our community support them, we pray to the Lord.

Those who have received a difficult medical diagnosis and those carrying chronic or disabling illnesses. Comfort them, Lord, in their fears and struggles. Let us see ways to be caring and loving, we pray to the Lord.

People suffering and dying in Turkey and Syria, in Ukraine and other parts of our world because of war, political repression, natural or human-caused disaster. Open hearts worldwide to help them. Open minds that ways to end violence, care for our world, and feed the hungry may be found, for such things ARE possible, if we would but act. We pray to the Lord.

Lord, touch those parts of our hearts that are fearful of what and of who we do not know, of ways of thinking that challenge our own. Soften our tendencies to build physical or mental walls and let us rather seek to understand what brings us together more than the things that divide us. We pray to the Lord.

We give thanks and ask blessing on those who bring joy and whimsy and creativity into our lives. Bless the Valentine Day Bandit – or Bandits –  artists, musicians, dancers, poets and story-tellers. We pray to the Lord.

Take into your heart all our loved ones who have died – and those who knew little or no love in this life. At this liturgy we especially remember:

4:30 PM James A. Banks, Sr. by Sister Cathy & Banks Family

7:30 AM Lois Spaulding by Jim & Elizabeth Merrill

9:30 AM Gregory Napolitano by Bob & Ann Marie Roy

5:00 PM The People of the Parish both Living & Deceased

We pray to the Lord.

We offer you these prayers and those we hold silently. We ask your blessing on those helping us to grow in your love, including the Team which is now preparing the Women’s ACTS retreat later this Spring. We make all these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We hope that these Prayers of the Faithful for this 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Feb 11-12, 2023 are helpful to you in your own reflections and prayers.

God, your Word today invites us to look into our hearts. Let your Spirit be with us as we look at ourselves and pray for one another, for your invitation is always to growth and renewal and deeper trust in your love.  

For our brothers and sisters who have died in Turkey and Syria this week and those suffering injury and loss of their possessions. We pray also for all suffering pain or the loss of their homes or safety due to natural disasters and changes in the climate caused by human actions. We pray to the Lord…

For those who find these winter months difficult financially, emotionally, or physically. Help us to notice our neighbors who could use our help and inspire us to reach out to them. For those who support and staff shelters and other organizations seeking to help. We pray to the Lord…

This week many celebrate Valentine’s Day. We rejoice in all people who find they are made for one another and Covenant to live together in love, living the gift of their sexuality according to the way they were created. We pray for those of mixed gender who, like all of us, Lord, need your sustaining love for them, to be expressed by us in friendship. We pray to the Lord.

We rejoice in those who, through choice or ‘in the run of the play’ enlarge life for themselves and others as good friends and neighbors, expressing a different fullness of being which enriches their community. We pray for all of us when we struggle in relationships, in times of awkwardness, loneliness and pain. We pray to the Lord.

As we begin a new legislative year we pray for the grace of civility in our public life. At a time of great stress for your people, the prophet Isaiah said “come let us reason together.” Give us the grace and graciousness to listen and reason, even with those with whom we disagree. We pray to the Lord.

God, your ancient wisdom invites us to pray for those whom we find difficult, those who cause us pain. Help us to do that and in this way be delivered from our hurtful feelings and fear and, with your help, even come to a compassionate understanding of these people, we pray to the Lord.

That the goodness of God is a source of eternal life for our friends and neighbors and all who have died. At this liturgy we especially remember:

4:30 PM  Helen Polito by Roberta Platts
7:30 AM Anthony Caiazzo by Jim & Elizabeth Merrill
9:30 AM For The People of the Parish, both Living & Deceased
5:00 PM  Edward F. Dudar by the Dudar Miller Families
We pray to the Lord.

God of love, whose Son walked on water, hear these prayers and those carried in our hearts. Guide us to lives of grace and love, whatever the character of our relationships; may your risk-taking with us may prove to be justified and our sensitiveness to one another play its part in the coming of your kingdom and the doing of your will on earth as in heaven. We make these prayers through Christ our Lord.

We offer these Prayers of the Faithful from the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Feb 4-5, 2023) with the hope that they are helpful to you in your own reflections and prayers this week.

God of the Hebrew prophets, of Jesus, of all creation, this week you invite us to be not only hearers of the word but to be “doers” of the word, to share our gifts and lives in making your dream of justice, mercy, welcome and forgiveness alive and real in our world.

Help us to be confident in the gifts you have given each of us and our community. Inspire us to recognize the gifts in our neighbors, friends, people sitting in the same pew with us. We pray that we may not be held back by false humility, but may have the courage to use what you have given us for the good of others, we pray to the Lord.

We pray that your church acknowledge its failings, and hear the voice of the Spirit speaking in people’s hearts and in the signs of the times in today’s world. We pray to the Lord.

That public officials will prioritize feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and will show the way to removing false accusations and hateful speech from the life of our nation and communities, we pray to the Lord.

That our Congress may act in wisdom and courage in responding to the problems we face and that people who have been given much in terms of wealth and power be willing to give their fair share so that all may live better lives, especially those with the least resources among us. We pray to the Lord.

Bless Pope Francis and all who raise their voices to affirm the human dignity of all people, particularly those who are made not welcome by some in our society and church: refugees, people living in poverty, the LGBTQ community, individuals who are divorced and separated in our church. We pray to the Lord.

For our neighbors who are poor and homeless, those struggling with drugs here in Maine, especially those who are dying in our communities. We pray to the Lord.

May the light of God shine brightly on our loved ones and all who have died. At this liturgy we especially remember:
4:30 PM For Both Living & Deceased Alumni of Boston College
7:30 AM Rev. Calvin Goodwin, FSSP by Mary Campbell
9:30 AM Bartley T. Mulkern by John & Rita Griffin
5:00 PM For The People of the Parish both Living & Deceased
We pray to the Lord.

God of all people, Jesus calls us to love and share and to shine for him. Sometimes we flicker, sometimes our light gets blown out. When this happens, come, through friends and strangers, come and love us. Re-light our candle, our flame, our hope, our love and joy. We make these and all the prayers we hold in our hearts in the name of Jesus our Lord.