Novena to Saint Ann - Day 6, Sunday, July 23, 2006

The Sunday of our annual Novena is traditionally "Grandparents' Day." In many ways, the day is made special as an honor to grandparents and all who share the heritage of faith and family. A special prayer of blessing is extended to grandparents and usually we'd have coffee and donuts after Mass. However, this year it was rightfully decided that since a day of penance and prayer was declared by the Pope coffee and donuts would be postponed. Here are some prayers of the faithful for today:

Called together as Church, may we live more visibly as witnesses to the God of Life, we pray to the Lord …

Formed in the image of God, may all the people of the world grow together as members of the one human family, we pray to the Lord …

As reminders of God’s unconditional love for us, may grandparents and all who have nurtured us in the spirit of Ann and Joachim be rewarded with an outpouring of God’s grace for their selflessness and dedication, we pray to the Lord …

As we gather around the altar to celebrate Eucharist, may all of us come to a deeper understanding of Christ’s presence on the table and at the table, we pray to the Lord …

In faith and hope, may we entrust to God the prayers placed in our parish burden basket, the petitions placed before the altar of St. Ann, and the needs of our own hearts, we pray to the Lord …

Gazing on the heart of Jesus, may all who are in need of healing be made whole in the One who is Light and Life, especially the sick we pray to the Lord …

Called by name, may those who have died experience the fullness of life in Jesus, we pray to the Lord …