Catholics across the Diocese of Charlotte have reacted to the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis – one of the latest symptoms of the persistent sin of racism in the United States – by turning to prayer.
St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte and St. Mark Church in Huntersville recently held prayer vigils calling for peace and conversion of hearts. Pastors at many other churches have preached and shared messages with their parishioners about the sin of racism and the need for reconciliation and justice.
During a prayer service and Eucharistic Adoration held June 10 at St. Gabriel Church, Father Richard Sutter, pastor, recalled Jesus’ words to His disciples: “Peace be with you.” Peace is the message Jesus Christ brings to us all, he said, yet “the peace He brings is the peace that the world does not bring. Peace is not necessarily the absence of conflict, it’s the embracing of God’s will. Peace comes from doing good and avoiding evil.”
Only the Prince of Peace, who has conquered sin and death, can bring true healing and comfort, he said, and we as Christians are called to share that peace with others.
Invoking Our Lady under her title of Queen of Peace during an outdoor candlelight procession and rosary held June 4, St. Mark parishioners prayed “that she may intercede for us and that she would calm the many storms that afflict our nation with violence, hate and divisions.”
The estimated 175 people in attendance also prayed for the repose of the souls of victims of violence in the United States, and for the conversion of all perpetrators of acts of violence.
Also June 4, Father Patrick Cahill, pastor, and members of St. Eugene Church joined in an ecumenical prayer service in downtown Asheville. The community gathering, estimated at about 1,000 people by organizers, called for peace and justice, and for an end to violence and racism.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor
Pictured above: Parishioners of St. Mark Church in Huntersville joined Father John Putnam, pastor, and other parish clergy June 4 for a Fatima Peace Procession and Rosary Prayer Vigil. The purpose of the prayer vigil and candlelight procession was to call upon the help of Mary, Queen of Peace to intercede for us and “calm the many storms that afflict our nation with violence, hate and divisions.” The estimated 175 people in attendance also prayed for the repose of the souls of all victims of violence in the United States, especially George Floyd, and for the conversion of all perpetrators of acts of violence. Rosary prayers included Glorious Mystery meditations specifically written by Father Alfonso Gámez and Father Melchesideck Yumo for the occasion. ( Photo provided by Amy Burger)
Glorious Mystery meditations specifically written by Father Alfonso Gámez and Father Melchesideck Yumo
1. The Resurrection
“On The Evening Of That First Day Of The Week… Jesus Came And Stood In Their Midst And Said To Them, “Peace Be With You.” When He Said This, He Showed Them His Hands And His Side.” (John 20:19-20)
When Jesus appeared to the apostles after the resurrection, He greeted them with words of peace: Peace be with you. Let us stand in solidarity for peace to reign in our hearts so that we can be true disciples of peace in this country and the world, bearing in mind that we all carry the responsibility to protect the rights of our fellow human beings.
2. The Ascension
“I Dealt With All That Jesus Said And Taught Until The Day He Was Taken Up, After Giving Instructions Through The Holy Spirit to The Apostles Whom He Had Chosen.” Acts 1:1-2
As Jesus was ascending to heaven, he instructed the apostles to go make disciples of every nation and promised to always be with his disciples. Let us pray that our hearts may be transformed to see the image and likeness of God in every human person so that we may live in love and tranquility.
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
“But You Will Receive Power When the Holy Spirit Comes Upon You, And You Will Be My Witnesses In Jerusalem, Throughout Judea And Samaria, And To The Ends Of The Earth” Acts 1:8
The Holy Spirit is the bond of love and unity. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, we must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good. With the help of the Holy Spirit, may we realize that the easiest way to solve a problem is to stop participating in the problem.
4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“And Mary Said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” Lk 1:46-49
The assumption of Our Lady reveals to us that the human body is sacred, that the human person possesses an inherent dignity that God considers worthy of redemption and of exaltation. Our common humanity has been sanctified by Christ becoming one of us, and in virtue of the incarnation of Jesus Christ we all share a common vocation. A vocation we are all called to in spite of our race, culture, language or gender. And that vocation is holiness. We pray for all victims of violence, especially George Floyd, and for the instigators of violence. That illumined by the holy Spirit we may attain the ultimate desire of our souls and the fulfillment of our vocation to holiness.
5. The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars... She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne... Then the dragon became angry with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her children, those who keep God’s commandments and bear witness to Jesus.”
We are Mary’s Children. We are the children of the Mother of God, and the dragon wishes for nothing else than to divide us, to sow discord, hate, and anger between the children of this woman. As St. Paul says to the Ephesians, our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. Let us beseech the blessed mother of God, that she may crush the head of this ancient dragon that works arrogantly to sow hatred among her children. That she who brought the prince of peace into the world, bring peace in our Nation.
Good evening, and welcome to our Vigil and Rosary for Peace.
Tonight we gather to pray calling upon the assistance of Our Lady under her title Queen of Peace, that she may intercede for us and calm the many storms that afflict our nation with violence, hate and divisions.
A prayer vigil for peace was also held June 10 at St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte. Father Richard Sutter, pastor, led parishioners in a Holy Hour, followed by Eucharistic Adoration all day and night until the Feast of Corpus Christi, June 14. Prayer vigil attendees wrote prayer requests and posted them on Father Sutter’s Lenten cross. (Photo provided by Darby McClatchy)
Prayer to heal racial division
We thank you, O Lord,
For in your loving wisdom
You created one human family
With a diversity
That enriches our communities.
We pray to you, O Lord,
That we always recognize
each member of this human family
As being made in your image and beloved by you,
With worth and dignity.
We pray to you, O Lord,
That we may envision a way forward
To heal the racial divisions
That deny human dignity and
the bonds between all human beings.
We pray to you, O Lord,
That we may affirm each person’s dignity
Through fair access for all
To economic opportunity, housing,
Education, and employment.
We pray to you, O Lord,
That we may have eyes to see
What is possible when we reach out
Beyond fear, beyond anger,
To hold the hand of our sisters, our brothers.
We thank you, O Lord,
For your call and challenge to us
That we may reveal your teachings and your love
Through our actions to end racism
And to proclaim that we are all your children,
heirs to your sacred creation.
Amen.