Prayer Service for Those in the Armed Forces – The St. Pius X Knights of Columbus will have a special prayer service for all those who served or who are serving our country in the armed services. Special mention will be made for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and its freedoms. It will be held on June 28 at Mount Calvary Parish (6700 Marlboro Pike, Forestville, MD 20747) and begins at 7 PM. The council chaplain, Father Joseph Jenkins (and contract priest at CG Headquarters) will lead the service. A reception will follow in the Church foyer afterwards. Come show your support for our courageous men and women, the best and most noble among us!
PRIEST ALREADY IN PLACE
K of C ICON IN FRONT OF ALTAR
COLOR CORPS MARCH INTO CHURCH WITH THE FLAG
NATIONAL HYMN: God of Our Fathers
God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies
Our grateful songs before Thy throne arise.
Thy love divine hath led us in the past,
In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,
Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,
Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.
From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
Be Thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
Thy true religion in our hearts increase,
Thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.
Refresh Thy people on their toilsome way,
Lead us from night to never ending day;
Fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
And glory, laud, and praise be ever Thine.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
A Prayer, For Those in the Military
Almighty God
We stand before you in supplication,
Asking Your Divine mercy and protection,
To envelop with Your invincible armor,
Our loved ones in all branches of the service.
Give them courage and strength
Against all enemies,
Both spiritual and physical,
And hasten their safe journey,
Back to their homes and families.
If it be Your Holy Will
That they be gathered to Your bosom,
With the eternal vanguard of the saints,
Let their journey to Your everlasting arms
Be swift and painless,
Where they may stand in honor and glory,
Praising You for all eternity.
Amen.
New Testament Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20
Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens.
Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must.
Gospel Reading: Luke 7:1-10
When he had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”
And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
A BRIEF HOMILY
DURING THE HYMN, A BASKET WITH THE NAMES OF DECEASED MILITARY (PAST & PRESENT) PLACED BEFORE THE K of C ICON
HYMN: America by Samuel Smith
My country, ’tis of Thee,
Sweet Land of Liberty
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims’ pride,
From every mountain side
Let Freedom ring.
My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills,
My heart with rapture thrills
Like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet Freedom’s song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.
Our fathers’ God to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
To thee we sing,
Long may our land be bright
With Freedom’s holy light,
Protect us by thy might
Great God, our King.
Prayer to Jesus & Mary for Those in Military Service
O Prince of Peace, we humbly ask Your protection for all out men and women in military service. Give them unflinching courage to defend with honor, dignity and devotion the rights of all who are imperiled by injustice and evil. Guard our churches, our homes, our schools, our hospitals, our factories, our buildings and all those within from harm and peril. Protect our land and its peoples from enemies within and without. Grant an early peace with victory founded upon justice. Instill in the hearts and minds of men and women everywhere a firm purpose to live forever in peace and good will toward all. Amen.
Queen of the Holy Rosary, we implore you to bless our military forces at home and abroad. Guide their steps into the way of peace. Amen.
Our Lord’s Prayer.
For Our Nation
Father Most Holy, our fathers of old trusted in your power in winning for themselves a new nation where men might be free and where justice would prevail. Grant that we may never neglect our liberty and faith as we seek to live in peace. Protect us from those who would harm us and help us to transform our enemies into true friends.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For Those in the Armed Services
Almighty God, we know that you keep a watchful eye on our men and women who wear the uniform of their country. Keep them safe and secure, no matter if at home or abroad, or upon land, sea or in the air. Keep them alert to the perils they face and ever ready to do their duty for God and country. May others glimpse in them something of your justice and mercy.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For Our President & Elected Officials
Heavenly Lord, help all those who govern to reflect something of your wisdom and strength. May our nation touched by the divine hand mirror as a shadow your eternal Kingdom. May our president and others in civil authority see themselves as called by you to be ministers of the public trust and the guardians of those inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of a happiness rooted in you. May our leaders and those for whom they labor seek to honor and to give glory to you. May we be a people dedicated to the sanctity of life and see every fellow American– man, woman or child– as a part of our family, no matter what the race, or rich or poor. We have neither kings nor dictators, but citizens who take an oath in your name to rule for a short while with justice and love for their fellow man. We pray that our public officials will faithfully discharge their duties and that they will do nothing to bring scandal upon themselves, our nation or the Christian faith.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For Justice & Freedom
O God, all righteousness and freedom find their source in you. Separated from you there can be no true understanding and no lasting peace. Let us never surrender the battle against tyranny and oppression. Let us grant every person the opportunity to fulfill the vocation that you have given him or her. Teach us that freedom does not mean license and that we should live according to our nature and the truths you reveal. May one man’s freedom never mean another’s slavery or the loss of innocent life. Remind us that justice does not reign safe unless all men know its benefits and are protected by the rule of law.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For Peace
All Powerful King, you grant us a peace and unity in Christ that the world does not know. Peace is not merely a truce or a temporary laying down of the gun or sword. Peace means doing something quite absurd, allowing your grace to transform the enmity and hatred in our hearts into love. There is no peace without union with Christ and no peace without a love for God that spills over to neighbor, even if that neighbor was once a hated enemy. We beseech you to transform the minds and hearts of those who hate and curse us. We ask for a healing of memories about the terror that still haunts and pains us. May we build bridges of cooperation and earned trust. Guide and inspire our actions for peace while insuring the safety and security of our nation with men and women armed not merely with weapons of war but with the shield of virtue and the sword of truth. Ultimately, the security and peace we seek will come not simply by the force of arms but by a participation in that divine love that casts off fear and builds up fellowship.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For Healing & Forgiveness
Merciful Father, as our men and women in uniform face dangers abroad and we are uncertain here at home, help us not to stereo-type our neighbors or to resort to prejudice and scapegoating. While attentive to danger we must not destroy the good name and reputation of friends and those who love this country as much as we do. Heal the wounds of bigotry and revenge that seek to fester in our souls. Grant us your forgiveness and help us to share it with others.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For the Persecuted
Sweet Lord, you and your disciples would know the price of proclaiming and living the Gospel. You would undergo your passion and Calvary. You told your disciples that they would have to pick up their crosses and follow you. Many today still suffer for your name, indeed, there are believers who suffer at the hands of the very people who struck a blow against our freedoms and who cry out for our death. May there be a massive return to the Church and a fidelity to the Gospel as we remember our brothers and sisters in chains or facing death. May we cherish the faith for which they are willing to sacrifice themselves. May we especially remember the martyrs who face their trials and deaths while loving and forgiving their murderers. Such is the posture of a true martyr, not one who plants bombs on women and children or who flies airplanes into buildings.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For Prisoners
We beseech you, Heavenly Father, grant mercy and protection to all prisoners and captives. May those who guard over them always do so with fairness and respect. May nothing be done either to disgrace those who guard over them or to deface the human dignity of their charges. Lift up those who suffer from oppression and soften our stony hearts so that your divine love and mercy might be reflected in all that we say and do.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For the Lonely
O Divine Mercy, make yourself present to all those who feel desolate and alone. The service of our country requires that our service men and women are separated from their families and loved ones. Give them the solace of a wonderful brotherhood and sisterhood in arms, fellow citizens, trusting in you and in the values that make us one nation under God. When earthly consolations fail, grant them the grace of your comfort and friendship. Let them know that you watch over their steps. When their work is done, we ask that you bring them safely back home to us.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For Those Who Mourn
All Powerful God, healer of hearts, bodies and souls, we ask that you deal gently with those who grieve and weep. Let them know that no servant of yours ever dies in vain. Let them cast the weight of their burden upon you, so that they might care for those left behind and remain faithful in their own duties. Give them the wondrous consolation of faith that all who participate in Christ’s death will also have a share in his resurrection. Remind them that where our beloved dead have gone, we are also going. The sadness of separation will one day be replaced with the joy of reunion in the company of all the saints and with you. We beseech you to wipe away our tears and to plant within each of us a rededication to you as your disciples.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For Those Who Care for the Sick & Wounded
Father Most Holy, Jesus Christ your Son came into the world to bring the forgiveness of sins. He exorcised demonic spirits and bestowed absolution. During his few years of ministry, he demonstrated that he was truly the divine physician by healing others: making broken bodies whole, cleansing leprosy, allowing the crippled to walk, letting the deaf mute hear and speak, and giving sight to the blind. Give grace and the strength of endurance to those who imitate our Savior in ministering to the sick and wounded. Guide the hands of surgeons and fill the minds of doctors with the wisdom they need. Give our nurses sympathetic ears, tireless hands, and selfless hearts. Make our chaplains and ministers committed to the love and mercy that you want your children to know. Bless, protect and encourage them in their many labors.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For the Wounded
O Lord, even the strongest and healthiest among us can be brought to the doorstep of death in a single moment of violence. We are reminded, again and again, that we are not in charge. Help us to accept your providence. Give our wounded some ease in their pain and hope for tomorrow. Let them not despair in their brokenness. Again, let them know that you are beside them. You also knew what it was to have your flesh ripped and torn and pierced. “Father, not my will, but Thy will be done.” Except for a few, many of your friends abandoned you. Those wounded in war are also very far from their loved ones. Comfort them in their distress. If it be your will, restore them to good health. But whatever happens, give them patience and faith to endure what they must.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For the Dying
We keep a spiritual vigil with the dying. Even as we pray now, there may be service men and women who are passing away from their wounds. While we cannot be with them in the flesh, we can place ourselves beside them within the wondrous mystery of the communion of the saints. Gracious God, we commit them into your loving care. We have many old warriors who were engaged in wars long ago. They fought as Americans have always fought, for justice and freedom. Many of our older veterans are sick and dying. What an enemy could not do, time and human mortality will soon accomplish. We are only pilgrims in this world. Real life awaits us when the shadows part. May we be able to do today what they did half a century ago in Western Europe and Japan, their sacrifices made possible the transformation of enemies into friends.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
For the Dead
Almighty God, we beseech you not to forget your servants who gave up so much in the service of our country and as disciples of your Son. We also pray for our brothers and sisters of other faiths, but who cherish the same virtues and values that make America a land of promise and hope around the world. Death strips away our differences, and we are all brought naked before the judgment seat of God. Grant mercy and pardon to our beloved dead. Forgive their faults and perfect them in the fire of your love. Clothe them in Christ, the white gown of the elect. Receive them ever more and more into your joyful service that they might win the heavenly crown.
Five Hail Mary Prayers. Glory Be.
International Prayer for Peace
God, we come to you with our arms outstretched, in praise, thanksgiving and petition. Please consecrate our plea for peace and make it Holy: Bless the hungry with Your Harvest, and the homeless with Your Shelter. Bless the oppressed with Your Freedom, and those who are desperate with Your Hope. Bless us all with tolerance for our neighbor and relief from the corrupt. Bless those who are hungry of soul and spirit; let them lean on you, and know Your Guidance and Your Love. And please heal the woundedness in our world.
Let us go beyond our earthly limitations, forgive those who tear down our buildings and kill our loved ones. If we have thwarted peace, let us restore it, and welcome others with a smile.
We pray for our nations’ leaders to bring us balance, order and justice. Make our determination strong; fill us with resolve to withstand evil. Lord, we pray for our own inner peace; let us reach out to you for Your Comfort. Touch us. Heal us.
And Lord, please protect those who protect us. And may the mighty arm of the Archangel Michael, Your Defender, stay the hand of evil. And finally, God, as Your Son taught us to love our enemies, bless them as well. Jesus, heal our woundedness. Holy Spirit, soften our hearts with the Hidden Light of Your Love.
In the Name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
FINAL BLESSING & DISMISSAL
COLOR CORPS RECESS OUT WITH FLAG
HYMN: America, the Beautiful
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain.
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for heroes prov’d
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry grain divine.
O Beautiful for patriot dream
that sees beyond the years.
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea.
Father–what a great prayer service!!!!
Our council and assembly is located in Clarksville, TN and serves Fort Campbell-many of our members are active and retired military. I’d like permission to use this as one of our Assembly’s events-to whom should I write to get permission?
prayerfully,
Chris Myers, PGK, FN, DD (for all you Knights out there!)
VIVAT JESUS!