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  • Writer's pictureProfiles in Catholicism
    • Apr 25, 2019
    • 14 min read

May 2019 ISSUE



A Message from the Editor


The United States has a humanitarian crisis at the United States/Mexican boarder and a moral crisis in the leadership in the White House. We demean the value and dignity of human life when we cage children, traumatically separate children from their parents, and express hatred for Latino immigrants and Muslims.

To counterbalance this hatred of immigrants, we have a review of the film St. Frances Xavier Cabrini by my friend Lucia Mauro about an extraordinary woman who spent her life loving and helping immigrants.


Prayer of the Month


A Prayer for Migrant Children


Good Lord, who said “Whoever receives one of these little ones, receives me,” bless the little ones who are caught in the struggle of migration, separation, and abuse. Give all those adults who are responsible for them and for their welfare the wisdom and courage to do the children justice and to protect them. Make our hearts more loving and willing to do the right thing by them. May we see in all people young and old your image and so reverence their great dignity.

We make our prayer through you who came among us as a child and who was forced to flee the threat of violence Amen

by Father Louis Cameli Profiles in Catholicism


Quote of the Month


Migrants trust that they will encounter acceptance, solidarity, and help, that they will meet people who will sympathize with the distress and tragedy experienced by others, recognize the values and resources the latter have to offer, and are open to sharing humanly and materially with the needy and disadvantaged.

by Pope Francis


Interviews

General Articles/Commentaries

Featured Report

Advocacy


Please support one of our organizations and people who need help


  • Please send a donation for help save the life of my close friend Alwin Rex in India. Please read the article How do we love our neighbor as ourselves? and send a donation of $10.00 or more to help cover his healthcare costs to Father Thomas Ayyaneth, Syro Malankara Catholic Eparchial Chancery,1500 DePaul Street, Elmont, New York 11003, USA with a notation that the donation is for Alwin Rex. Father Thomas will process donations and send them to his pastor. Thank you Gordon Nary Editor, Profiles in Catholicism

  • Donation request for mentally retarded children in India Help save the lives of people in Kenya whoare dying from lack of access to clean water. Please read our interview with Father Joseph Mungai, FMH.

  • Whether They Are Young or Old, Hungry or Addicted, Homeless or Friendless... Catholic Charities sees the faceof God in those in need. By providing food, clothing, shelter and counseling, we bring hope to the hopeless in the city of Chicago and its suburbs. With 150 programs at 153 locations throughout Cook and Lake counties, we serve virtually every neighborhood and parish in the Chicagoland area. Through our broad spectrum of services, we annually assist more than 1 million persons in Cook and Lake counties without regard to religious, ethnic or economic background. For more than 98 years, Catholic Charities has empowered families and individuals of all races and religious backgrounds to realize their full potential. Our services help people from the point of conception through the last stages of their lives. We keep mothers and their babies well-fed, prepare children in low-income families for school, keep youth in school and out of gangs, counsel and give job training to adults with economic troubles, provide affordable housing for seniors, and organize in-home care services for seniors who need help caring for themselves. donations@catholiccharities.net Only 8 cents of every dollar donated goes toward our administrative expenses; the rest goes directly to help clients. While Catholic Charities raises funds separately from the Archdiocese of Chicago, we serve as the social service arm of the church

  • Support Capuchin Community Services At the Capuchin Community Services, we support those who cannot support themselves. We are grateful to you for your support whether it be through prayer, through donated goods, or through financial donation. Please be assured that we are careful stewards of your trust. We welcome contributions of any size. All are acknowledged and are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Capuchin Community Services is a ministry of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph. Unless otherwise directed, donations support the local ministry and the Province. To donate through the mail: Capuchin Community Services PO Box 05830 Milwaukee, WI 53205-0830

Book Reviews/Commentaries

Film Reviews/Commentaries

TV Reviews/Commentaries

Theater Reviews/Commentaries

Obituaries

Feasting with the Saints

Prayers


A Prayer for Those Killed and Harmed and their Families in the Sri Lanka Terrorist Attack


Loving God,

Welcome into your arms the victims of violence and terrorism.

Comfort their families and all who grieve for them.

Help us in our fear and uncertainty,

And bless us with the knowledge that we are secure in your love.

Strengthen all those who work for peace,

And may the peace the world cannot give reign in our hearts. by Author Unknown


A Prayer for Those Who Have Suffered Abuse by the Clergy


God, in your providential love you comfort those who are wounded and afflicted.

Hear our prayers for those who have suffered abuse by those in their families or by those entrusted with their care.

In a special way, we pray for those who suffered abuse by clergy who betrayed a sacred trust and who were meant to stand for your loving presence in their lives.

May those who have been hurt find support and encouragement in communities of faith, hope, and love.

May they discover healing in genuinely loving and caring relationships.

May they reclaim hope for themselves. May they be strengthened and confirmed in their resolve to set things aright.

May they rest in you who make all things work for the good. Amen

by Father Louis Cameli Profiles in Catholicism

A Prayer to Prevent Nuclear War

Lord God, you created life and beauty in this world. You then entrusted the human community with caring for, and enhancing, your creation. Strengthen us, we pray, in this challenging time when the power to destroy this creation has grown so dangerously. Lead us on a road of peace, a road that includes a program of removing all nuclear weapons from our earth. We cannot hope to meet this challenge without your continuing presence and support. For this we make our prayerful plea in your name. by John T. Pawlikowski, OSM Profiles in Catholicism


A Prayer to Prevent Antisemitism


Lord God, through the covenant you established with the Jewish People, we Christians have been grafted into this covenantal tradition according to St. Paul. But very often throughout history we have shown ourselves ungrateful for this gift given us through Jesus who imbued in his teachings this Jewish covenantal tradition through acts of antisemitism. We join with Popes St. John Paul II and Francis in confessing our sins of antisemitism past and present. Through this prayer we commit ourselves to the elimination any remaining anti-Semitic teachings in the Catholic community and pledge to add our public voice in denouncing any manifestations of antisemitism in contemporary society. We ask your blessing so that we may have the strength to fulfill this pledge we make in your presence.

by John T. Pawlikowski, OSM Profiles in Catholicism


A Prayer to End Racism

As we gather together for prayer and communion, we are reaffirming our commitment to love unconditionally, welcome all people and work to root out the cancer of racism that betrays our faith and country’s highest principles.”

by The Rev. Dr. Darryl Roberts, Senior Pastor, Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, Washington. DC


A Prayer for East Africa

O Lord, with so much tragedy going on in our own country, children separated from their parents at our borders,

needy asylum seekers turned away,

against the spirit of all that we stand for,

as stated on the Statue of Liberty,

help us to think of, pray for, and find the means to help others

around the world, especially the millions of people facing starvation in East Africa.

We are called by the Jewish prophets and by Jesus

to help all in need, and our country has the resources to do so.

Help us to work together with other nations around the world

to raise awareness of the desperation of the East Africans,

and to pool our resources to send them food and medical aid,

so that they may survive and help others to survive and thrive.

We ask this in the name of our Loving Father, the Son who sacrificed his life for all, and the Holy Spirit who permeates all reality and the hearts and souls of all humans.

Amen by Dr. Eugene Fisher Profiles in Catholicism

A Prayer for Healing Victims of Abuse


God of endless love,

ever caring, ever strong,

always present, always just:

You gave your only Son

To save us by the blood of his cross.

Gentle Jesus, shepherd of peace,

join to your own suffering

the pain of all who have been hurt

in body, mind, and spirit by those who betrayed the trust placed in them.

Hear our cries as we agonize

over the harm done to our brothers and sisters.

Breathe wisdom into our prayers,

soothe restless hearts with hope,

steady shaken spirits with faith:

Show us the way to justice and wholeness,

enlightened by truth and enfolded in your mercy.

Holy Spirit, comforter of hearts,

heal your people’s wounds

and transform our brokenness.

Grant us courage and wisdom, humility and grace,

so that we may act with justice

and find peace in you.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

by Christian Peschken Profiles in Catholicism

A Prayer to End Gun Violence


Lord Jesus, as you approached the city of Jerusalem,

Before your passion,

As your people waved palms in your honor,

You saw the city and wept over it because you

Loved it.

You knew of the violence and chaos you would suffer

In that beloved city

still you loved it and wept over it.

Lord Jesus, look upon our cities, weep over them,

Love them and protect them.

Weep over us and strengthen us as we suffer

Violence and chaos.

Weep over us and love us.

Lord Jesus, weep over us and love us. (See Lk 19)

by Father David O. Brown, O.S.M.. Profiles in Catholicism


Videos


Why did St. Padre Pio receive the Stigmata? by EWTN Vaticano


Sandpiper Shores Elementary School students honor child survivors of the Holocaust


Conference on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment

by Archdiocese of Winnipeg


How Do We Drive Demons from Our Lives?

by Rabbi Schneider


Dr Gregory Bottaro and Father Ian VanHeusen on Catholic Mindfulness by CatholicPsych Institute


Alfred de Zayas about Global Compact for Migration by Christian Peschken PESCHKEN reports







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