Prayers

Lord, thank you for the rich history you have bestowed on our family of St. Peter in Kirkwood. 
Blessed by your grace, we ask that You be present in our parish today. 
Guide us as we celebrate our gifts through worship, education and loving service. 
Holy Spirit, create within us a vision for the future that we live, witness and proclaim the Good News of Christ. 
Amen

Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Health of the Sick, 
at this time of great challenge to our country from the coronavirus,
we consecrate to Jesus through your Immaculate Heart: 
ourselves, our family, the members of our parish and Diocese, and the people of Ireland.
 
O Mary, Queen of Ireland, when you appeared at Knock, you gave hope to your people in a time of distress, and brought them comfort in a time of sorrow.
Be with us now as a sign of salvation and hope, as we entrust ourselves to your loving care.

We renew the promises of our Baptism and Confirmation and ask your intercession that we may be always faithful to Christ and to His Church.
 
Bring under your mantle of protection all those who are suffering because of the coronavirus, and those who care for the sick and minister to their needs,
as your Son implores us to do for one another.
 
O Loving Mother,
at the foot of the Cross, with steadfast faith,
your Immaculate Heart was pierced by grief at the suffering of your Son.
You know what we need during these difficult days.
 
Help us, O Mother of Divine Love,
to conform ourselves to the Father’s will
and to do what Jesus tells us -
He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us,
through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection.
 
O Blessed Mother, Our Life, Our Sweetness and Our Hope, 
we wish that this Consecration be for the glory of God and that it leads us safely to Jesus your Son.
 

My parish is composed of people like me.
I help make it what it is.
It will be friendly, if I am.
It will be holy, if I am.
Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them.
It will do great work, if I work.
It will be prayerful, if I pray.
It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver.
It will bring others into worship, if I invite and bring them.
It will be a parish of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, of compassion, charity and mercy, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these same things.
Therefore, with the help of God, I now dedicate myself to the task of being all things that I want my parish to be.

Amen.

God of justice, In your wisdom you create all people in your image and likeness without exception.
Through your goodness, open our eyes to see the dignity, beauty, and worth of every human being.
Open our minds to understand that your children are sisters and brothers in the same human family.
Open our hearts to repent of racist attitudes, behaviors, and speech which demean others.

Open our ears to hear the cries of those wounded by racial discrimination and their passionate appeals for change.

Strengthen our resolve to make amends for past injustices and to right the wrongs of history.

And fill us with courage that we might seek to heal wounds, build bridges, forgive and be forgiven and establish peace and equality in our community of Saint Louis.

In Jesus’ name, we pray…AMEN.