Blessed are you, God of all creation,
You have graced the Church of Pittsburgh
with Your Presence for one hundred and eighty years.
May our continued faithful celebration of the Eucharist enable us
to embody Your love in our families, our parishes, and our neighborhoods,
to all those whom we are called to love.
Send your Holy Spirit to inspire us
to live, learn, and love more fully your Son Jesus in all we say and do.
May we magnify the great things You continue to do through, with, and in us,
helping us to be The Church Forward.
Grateful for all that has been,
hopeful for all that will be,
we give you thanks and praise now and forever. Amen.
From THE CHURCH FORWARD!
A Pastoral Letter on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of the Diocese of Pittsburgh
Most Reverend David A. Zubik
Prayer for peace in the Holy Land
God of our longing,
Remember those who wait and hope for peace.
Hear our prayer and our lament
for our brothers and sisters in Israel and Palestine.
With them, we share a common story, set in a common homeland.
Make common also a will to forgive, to reconcile, to make a just peace for the sake of the ancestors, for the sake of the children.
Open ears, eyes and hearts
And make a way toward justice In our war-torn world.
God all merciful, you dwell in all human hearts
And the Holy Land is wherever you make your home.
Heal these broken places where prophets preached
Where Moses and Jesus and Muhammad kept faith with you.
Be a sure support for those who work toward reconciliation
And make us all, however far away,
Steadfast in their cause. Amen
Catholic Relief Services