28th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Dear Epiphany Family,
As we near the election I hope you have been paying close attention to the “Conscience and the Catholic Voter” pages which have been appearing and will be appearing the next several weeks. These outlines from the diocese aid us in better forming our consciences according to the teachings of Christ given to us by His Church. Please continue to prayerfully review them as we seek to vote first as disciples of Jesus Christ. Throughout this time it is crucial for us to remain faithful to prayer for our community, state, and nation. Please join me in praying this beautiful prayer from St. John Paul II through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Help us to conquer the menace of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down upon our modern world and seem to block the paths toward the future.
From famine and war, deliver us.
From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.
From sins against human life from its very beginning, deliver us.
From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us.
From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.
From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.
From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.
From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.
From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us.
Accept, O Mother of Christ, this cry laden with the suf-ferings of all individual human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies.
Help us with the power of the Holy Spirit conquer all sin: individual sin and the “sin of the world,” sin in all its manifestations.
Let there be revealed once more in the history of the world the infinite saving power of the redemption: the power of merciful love.
May it put a stop to evil.
May it transform consciences.
May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope. Amen.
In Christ,
Father Eric