Dear Praise Ministers,
July is upon us, the month of high temperatures and,
sometimes thunderstorms and monsoons, as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico streams
north to meet cold fronts from the north and west.
The beginning of July is also the time of celebration by our
country of one more year of freedom, as first proclaimed in the Declaration of
Independence. The second paragraph of the Declaration begins with:
“We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and
the pursuit of Happiness.”
As Catholic Christians and American citizens, we are
grateful that these words of Thomas Jefferson were endorsed along with the rest
of the Declaration in Philadelphia 237 years ago by those courageous men –
including one extraordinary Catholic, Charles Carroll of Maryland.
In the subsequent years Catholics have prospered in this
most unusual country. Despite periods of discrimination and even persecutions,
the Faith of Our Fathers has blossomed.
However, we now appear to be entering a new period of
persecution, as there are those in power in our country who wish to force
Catholics and other Christians to undertake actions that are contrary to their
faith and conscience. Prayer is needed. If you agree, offer your prayers to Our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Heavenly Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit for:
(1)
freedom of religion in our own country and
around the world,
(2)
protection of the unborn, the elderly, and the
disabled
(3)
conversion of political leaders to realize their
obligation to protect all of their citizens, from conception to natural death
(4)
protection of our service men and women around
the world
(5)
strength and courage for all Catholics and
Christians to exercise all of their God-given rights.
Can you pray an Our Father,
Hail Mary, and Glory be for each of these intentions?
May the Lord bless you always.
Deacon Rex
Pilger
Director of
Business and Adult Formation.
