Intercessory Prayers
From an Earth Day blog by Sr. Ann Marie Slavin of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia,
sent to us by Cybelle Shattuck, Jul 8, 2013.
- As Brother Sun brightens the day and dispels the darkness of night—shine on those lost in depression or in fear of violence. Let our Brother Sun nourish these plants and each person partaking of the bounty of the crops to come.
- As Brother Wind brings every kind of weather—may farmers and agricultural workers have what they need to produce abundant crops.
- As Sister Water is useful, humble, and pure—may seasonal rains nourish our fields and refresh our Earth.
- As Sister Mother Earth sustains us—may she be respected and cared for by all peoples; may we turn from our wasteful ways.
Additionally, here are some petitions for the Prayers of the Faithful at Masses.
These are for Justice, Care for the Earth and Sustainability. (More prayers...)
- For all of us present here today, may we care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love, we pray to the Lord...
- For leaders of nations, may we secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations, we pray to the Lord...
- For us and our neighbors, may we protect and restore the integrity of Earth's ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life, we pray to the Lord...
- For teachers and school administrators, may we integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values and skills needed for a sustainable way of life, we pray to the Lord...
- For children who are born today, may our time on earth be remembered for a renewed reverence for life, a resolve to achieve environmental sustainability, and a commitment to social justice, we pray to the Lord...
And, here are additional petitions which may be helpful in the months ahead...
· That we become the voice of the poor to ensure that local, state and national policies designed to address climate change do not place additional burdens on the most vulnerable people at home and abroad. We pray to the Lord.
· That our public and private prayer may lead us to a deeper concern for the gift of God's creation and those impacted by our lifestyles. We pray to the Lord
· That we take the time to learn about Church teaching on the environment and climate change and the impacts of our lifestyles on the poor and vulnerable in our own country and around the world.We pray to the Lord.
· That we have the courage to honestly assess our own contributions to climate change as a community of faith, within our homes, and through our everyday lifestyle choices. We pray to the Lord.
· That we take the steps necessary to live more sustainably and more simply as a sign of solidarity with those who suffer the consequences of our lack of respect for God's gift of Creation. We pray to the Lord.
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· That we as Christians may respond to the urgent call of our Pope to safeguard God's creation and be in solidarity with all human and non-human inhabitants of the earth. We pray to the Lord.
· For the Church, that we may be a witness to Christ's love by practicing a more ecologically sustainable lifestyles, and promoting justice and peace throughout the world. We pray to the Lord.
· That we may be inspired by the example of St. Francis of Assisi – the Patron Saint of ecology – and become instruments of God's healing for our imperiled planet and its inhabitants. We prayto the Lord.
· That through the example of St. Francis of Assisi, we may develop a stronger connection between our Christian faith and our role as caretakers of creation. We pray to the Lord.
Caththolic Climemate Covenat website: www.catholicclimatecovenant.org
· That the human family treats the non-human inhabitants of the earth with respect and empathy, and commits itself to their long-term survival. We pray to the Lord.
· That the human family experiences all of God's creation as deserving of consideration, respect, and rightful treatment. We pray to the Lord.
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· That we may come to recognize that our own carbon footprint impacts the poorest people on earth and that they will suffer the worst consequences of climate change. We pray to the Lord.
· That we have the courage to alter our own behaviors that contribute to climate change and thereby lessen the impacts of climate change on poor people at home and abroad. We pray to the Lord.
· For the millions of environmental refugees all over the world that have been displaced from their homes because of rising sea levels, draughts, expanding deserts, atastrophic flooding, and other environmental disasters. We pray to the Lord.
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· For our children and grandchildren whose future is threatened by the progressive destruction of the Earth's ecosystems, that we may find the courage to alter our consumption patterns and pass on to future generations an Earth that is restored and healed. We pray to the Lord
· That we may be attentive to discover and quick to embrace ways to live more sustainably, to influence the public policy of our nation, and to save our planet for the future generations. We pray to the Lord.
· For our children and grandchildren whose future and lives are being threatened by our
unsustainable daily habits, business practices and the lack of policies that protect our air, water, and land. May God empower us to change our ways and believe that each one of us can make a difference. We pray to the Lord.
· For our elected leaders and those who help shape public policy on climate change, that they and we may heed the urgent call of Benedict XVI: "Our earth is speaking to us, and we must listen if we want to survive." We pray to the Lord.
