3rd Week of Lent 2026 - Wednesday (school mass) - Be careful!

 

“Be careful”. Oftentimes as a kid, my parents and grandparents would warn me, “be careful”. “Be careful, the food is hot”, “be careful, that object is sharp”, “be careful walking on that patch of ice, you might slip”, “be careful with holding your baby sister, she is delicate”, “be careful with that object, it can break easily”.

One of the most important lessons we are to learn in life is to be careful. Be careful with your body, how you handle things, where you walk so you don’t get hurt. Be careful with your words, lest you say something that you shouldn’t and hurt someone with your words. Be careful, be mindful, make extra effort to think about what you are doing.

As we practice being careful, we get better at it. One of the reasons you have to be 16 in order to drive a car, is because 16 year olds have developed a certain amount of carefulness. Because if you get in a car, and you are careless with how you drive, you will seriously hurt, or even kill someone.

Being careful with your words is important. Would you trust someone with a secret, if they are careless with their words? No, because if they are careless with their words, then they are likely to tell your secret to those they shouldn’t.

In the first reading today, Moses is explaining to the people that they are to observe the laws of God carefully. “Observe them carefully,” he says, “for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations…and take care not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children's children."

Just as we are to be careful with our words, and careful with our actions, and careful with delicate objects, we are to be careful about keeping God’s commandments. We should not treat God’s commandments carelessly, casually, or as though they do not matter. If something is precious, you handle it with care. And God’s commandments are precious, because they come from God Himself and they show us the way to live.

That is why Moses says in the first reading, “Observe them carefully.” He does not just say to know them, or talk about them, or admire them. He certainly doesn’t say, “let them go in one ear and out the other”. “Observe them carefully.”

Why? Being careless has consequences. If we are careless on ice, will slip and fall. If we are careless with a car, we can really hurt someone. If we are careless with the commandments of God, that shows that we don’t really care about the one who gave them.

Being careless with God’s commandments hurts our friendship with Him. But being careful with them helps us grow in holiness. And helps others to know about him as well. So today let us ask the Lord for a careful heart: a heart that pays attention to His word, takes His commandments seriously, and wants to please Him in all things. Because that is the kind of carefulness that leads to heaven, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in God, who teaches us to walk carefully in His ways, let us offer Him our prayers.

For the Church, that she may faithfully teach God’s commandments and help all people to follow them with love and care. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our leaders and all who make laws, that they may act with prudence, justice, and care for the good of every human person. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all parents, grandparents, and teachers, who help children learn to be careful in their words and actions, that God may bless them in their work. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who have grown careless in their friendship with God, that this holy season of Lent may lead them to repentance and a new beginning. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the sick, the suffering, and all those in need, that Christ may strengthen them and surround them with loving care. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the faithful departed, that they may be welcomed into the joy of heaven. Let us pray to the Lord.

Priest: Heavenly Father, you have shown us the path of life in your commandments. Give us careful hearts, so that we may love your will, walk in your ways, and one day come to the joy of your kingdom. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

 

January 27 2021 - St. Angela Merici - Let love for others be intense

 Angela Merici was born on March 21, 1474.  Out of love for Jesus, she consecrated herself to him before she was ten years old and persuaded her sister to do the same—promising never to get married and to live a life of prayer and service.  As she grew in age, she became concerned by the lack of religious training of the young people, so she took it upon herself to give regular instruction to the young neighborhood girls.  She was joined by neighborhood women with similar ideals.

It wasn’t until the age of 61 that she, and 28 other women formed the Order of Ursulines, the first teaching order of religious sisters in the history of the Church. St. Angela and the Ursulines were dedicated to re-christianizing family life through solid Christian education, especially for young girls who were the future Christian wives and mothers.  The Company of St. Ursula spread throughout Italy and France and eventually through all of Europe.  They were the very first Catholic nuns to land in the new world.  

Before Cleveland was even a diocese, Father Amadeus Rappe, who would become the first bishop of Cleveland was chaplain to the Ursulines in the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer in France. When in 1847, he became the first Bishop of Cleveland, it was among his top priorities to establish schools.   So, he invited the Ursulines from Boulogne-sur-Mer to begin a foundation in Cleveland and to start the Catholic school system in north eastern Ohio. 

St. Angela knew the importance of passing on the faith, taking serious efforts in the lives of children to instill in them faith in Jesus Christ.  She was a woman of action whose efforts changed Church history, When she saw the ignorance of the children in her neighborhood, she didn’t just wring her hands or complain, she went out and taught them.

Like St. Paul who we celebrated on Monday, timothy and titus who we celebrated yesterday, St. Angela knew the importance of passing on the faith to the younger generation, and did something about it. She emulates many of those virtues St. Peter writes about in his first letter: sober minded, hospital, loving of others with intensity, a steward of God’s manifold grace, one who despite her challenges, served God with the strength that God supplied. Her concern for the young was a concern for the Lord Himself. She loved others intensely because she loved him intensely.

May we do the same, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, next week, we pray for all students in Catholic schools, that the Spirit of God may grant them the gifts of wisdom and understanding, and that teachers may share their knowledge with gentleness, patience, and competence. 

For parents, the first teachers of their children, that by their faith and love, they may be blessings to their families, and for a strengthening of all families in faith. 

In Thanksgiving for the Ursuline Order, for their efforts to instill faith in our Diocese over the decades.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

3rd Week of OT 2020 - Wednesday - Christ the Teacher and his teacher Saints

During this Catholic Schools Week already we’ve celebrated two saintly teachers. First, St. Angela Merici who taught the young children of her neighborhood and went on to found the first religious order of women primarily dedicated to teaching, the Ursulines. That religious Order of teachers spread throughout Europe then to our North American shores, and can now be found in nearly every corner of the globe, teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The second teacher we honored yesterday was the great Angelic Doctor of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, whose clear, systematic teaching of theology has shaped the minds of generations of Catholics, not to mention, the texts of our Sacred Worship. Thomas’ writings and teachings are clearly motivated by his love for God and his love for others, wanting to help them to understand our wonderful faith.

These teacher Saints reflect the mind and heart of Christ the Teacher. Throughout the Gospels and in particular our Gospel today, we discover Our Lord who loves to teach. He teaches in synagogues, in teaches in the streets of Jerusalem and on the temple steps, he teaches at dinner tables full of sinners, he teaches in the plains and on mountain peaks.

His most notable method of teaching was his use of parables: using common symbols often taken from common life to convey deep lessons touching upon the most profound realities of God, eternal life, the human soul, love and forgiveness, sin and salvation.

Today’s parable is one of my favorites because it is a parable about parables, a parable which explains what he teaches, why he teaches, and different human responses to his teaching. When our minds and hearts are clogged with sin, or unwillingness to change, his teaching will be lost on us. When our minds and hearts are open, and committed to change to adapt to his teachings, something new grows in us.

St. Angela, St. Thomas and all of the great saints become great teachers and great paragons of holiness because their minds and hearts and souls were rich soil for the word of God to take root and bear fruit. They became the greatest of teachers because they allowed themselves to be taught. In a sense, they become the parables of Jesus, which Christ the teacher uses to teach his disciples and save their souls. May our hearts and minds be as receptive as theirs, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Church leaders will faithfully proclaim Christ’s love and truth to the world.
That our parish families and the families of all of our school children will be places where the Christian faith is believed, followed, taught, and cherished.
For the students, teachers, staff, and alumni of St. Ignatius School and all of our Catholic Schools.
For the sick and suffering among us, for those who care for them, and for all of our beloved dead, especially X, for whom this mass is offered.

31st Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Renewal of Minds and Sharing Spiritual Gifts

 Our daily readings from Romans have brought us into the final major section of Paul’s great letter. St. Paul has completed his teachings on basic Christian doctrine and has spoken of God’s plan to bring unification to humanity. Now in the last part of his letter he turns his attention to instruction on the moral considerations and consequences of the Gospel—how members of the Church are to treat each other, non-believers, and the poor.

Paul begins his instruction by setting the stage: Christians must not model their lives and their behavior on the contemporary world. For the Roman Christians, they were to avoid the excesses, the decadence, the violence, the impurity, and the worldview of the Pagan Romans. What would be his exhortation to us? Avoid the excesses, the decadence, the violence, the impurity, the worldview of secular society!

Rather, Paul says, renew your minds, metamorphousthe, he says in the Greek, be transformed by the renewal of your minds. Put on the mind of Christ in all things, study the faith, meditate on the word of God day and night, that you can know what is good, and pleasing to God. Wonderful advice. To the extent of their intellectual ability, every Christian should seek to understand the faith. You are never to old to renew your minds.

Okay, then Paul gets to the exhortations we find today. Rather than conforming yourself to the world, having put on the mind of Christ, Paul explains how God wants communities of Christians to discern and share and make use of their spiritual gifts. The gifts of prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, acts of mercy are to be discerned, developed, and shared.

What are these gifts? Ministry is the gift of practical service to others, particularly to widows, orphans, and the elderly. Teaching helps believers and non-believers to understand the faith with clarity. Exhortation encourages others and motivates them to live the gospel with heroic fidelity. Generosity prompts persons to make give liberally of their financial resources to assist the needy and to advance the mission of the church. Community leadership orchestrates the gifts of the community, perhaps helping other discover their gifts. Mercy is reaching out to the hungry, sick, dying, imprisoned and so forth.

We pray for the Holy Spirit to guide our parish, to protect us from the errors of the world, to teach us what is good and pleasing to God, and to help us discern, develop and share our spiritual gifts for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That God’s manifold gifts may be evident in our Diocese and in our parish.

That our parishioners may be kept safe from the errors of the world and be transformed by the renewal of their minds and hearts through the Gospel.

That during this National Vocations Awareness Week our young people may respond generously to the call of the Lord to serve the Church.

That we may be attentive to the needs of the sick, the poor, and the despairing in our midst.

We pray in a special way during this month of November for all the faithful departed, for those whose names are written in our parish book of the names of the dead, all deceased members of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, and our deceased family members and friends, deceased clergy and religious, for the repose of the soul of Bishop Richard Lennon who will be buried today, for those who fought and died for our freedom and for X. for whom this mass is offered.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

12th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Pearls before swine

Having discussed the importance of prayer, piety, and performing works of charity, the final chapter of Jesus’ sermon on the mount offers instructions about personal relationships—how as Christians we are to interact with one another.

Jesus first warns about judging others. If not for the solemnity of John the Baptist yesterday, we would have heard the gospel of noticing the splinter in our brother’s eyes while ignoring the wooden beam in our own. We are to take care not to focus on the small imperfections of others while ignoring our own greater imperfections, lest we be guilty of hypocrisy.

But, the command to “stop judging” is not as sweeping as it might sound. Correction of a brother or sister who has become wayward in following Christ is an important act of mercy. Only after we have taken great care that we are acting out of authentic concern are we to engage in what is called fraternal correction. And there is a place for fraternal correction in the church. Speaking the truth, gently, after ensuring that we ourselves are being faithful to that truth, in order to bring an erring brother back to the practice of the faith; this is a good and holy thing. Parents, especially, have a vital role in correcting their children no matter how old they are.

The Lord then warns today, “do not throw pearls to the swine”. Now, some might take this an excuse not to give public witness to the faith. The Gospel might be rejected by some when it is preached in a public manner, but it is preached for the sake of those willing to listen. The Apostles, for example, in dealing with the Scribes and Pharisees, knew they would likely be rejected by many of them. But they persisted in preaching for the sake of those of goodwill—those who would be converted or edified by their teaching.

The Pope and the Bishops and the Clergy, likewise, preach the Gospel in public manner. Yes, it might be rejected by some. But the Lord blesses that public teaching. I would want to be corrected if I had fallen away from the truth, wouldn’t you?

On the other hand, sometimes it is a waste of time to persist in dealing with people who are impervious to correction. But I think we should be very slow to write someone off as impervious swine.

Bishop Perez has enjoined the Church of Cleveland many times, to meet people where they are with the truth of the Gospel. It is an act of love to preach and teach the Gospel. May we do so without hypocrisy or compromise of the truth, and with patience and complete faith in its authenticity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That Pope Francis and all the clergy may witness to the truth of the Gospel faithfully, courageously, and compassionately.

For the protection of the unborn, and that people of goodwill will work together to enshrine the protection of the unborn in law and in the hearts of all.

For the conversion of those who do not believe in God, for Catholics who have left the Church, those guilty of heresy or schism, and for a return to the sacraments of those who have fallen into serious sin.

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for victims of natural disaster,  those who suffer from war, violence, and terrorism, all victims of abuse, especially children, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for those who struggle to live the call of Christian chastity, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom, for the repose of the soul of St. Joseph Father Larry Tosco, and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

3rd Sunday in OT 2019 - Jesus brings us God

Over in the school these past two weeks, I’ve finally had the opportunity to do a little teaching. I’ve visited each of the grades now, and I taught a lesson for each of them on the liturgical year: how the seasons of the Church year celebrate the different seasons of Jesus’ life so we can follow Jesus more faithfully. So I reviewed with them how Advent and Christmas helps us to prepare our hearts to believe in Jesus and love Him, and how now in Ordinary Time we hear about many of the wonderful miracles Jesus performed and his preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God. Again, Ordinary Time helps us to put the lessons of Jesus’ miracles and preaching into practice into the ordinary events of our life.

Last Sunday, those who braved the snow and cold, heard of Jesus’ first miracle: his miracle at the Wedding at Cana—how Jesus changed water into wine at the urging of his mother. We, like the servants at the wedding, should, as Jesus’ mother teaches us, to do whatever he tells us. And like the disciples who witnessed the miracle, we are to glorify God for the amazing things Jesus does in our lives.

And now this weekend, we hear Jesus’ very first homily recorded in Luke’s Gospel. Emerging from the desert, having fasted and prayed for 40 days and having faced the temptations of the devil, Jesus goes to the synogogue in his native place, Nazareth. There Jesus reads from the scripture and teaches people what God is doing in their midst. Jesus explained how those ancient prophecies of Isaiah were being fulfilled in their midst. God promised that He would bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind. And Jesus make the amazing claim that those promises were being fulfilled in Him.

Well, what does this event in the life of Jesus mean for our Ordinary day to day lives?

In his book Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVI asks this question another way. He asks “What did Jesus actually bring us?” We still have wars. We still have famine. People still suffer. People still get sick and die. So what did Jesus actually bring? And Pope Benedict answers the question by saying: “Jesus brought us God. Jesus brings us God.”

Jesus is much more than a social worker. He’s not just a nice guy who came to teach us a few useful things about living together in harmony. He’s not just a philosopher who gives us a theory about life, the universe, and everything. He’s not just a politician who promises to fulfill every wish we could ever have.

Jesus brings us something that nothing else and no one else on earth can give: the gift of God Himself. Jesus is God, and Jesus is God’s gift of Himself to Us who need Him. Only God can give us the liberty we need to truly be free. Only God can forgive sins. Only God can give us the gift of eternal life. Only God can give us the good news that changes our life from the core. Jesus shows us the face of God. Jesus reveals the heart of God. Jesus brings us God. For He is Truly God who gives Himself that we may have life.

One of the errors of our modern day is that we think we can save ourselves, that we don’t need God, we can do it on our own. If we just elect the right politicians. If just enact the right law. If we just force everyone to adopt the right set of public policies, if we just get the right sized house or the right amount of cash in the savings account, if we just outlaw certain “triggering” words, then we’ll be free…then we’ll be happy.

This attempt to save ourselves—this belief that we can live rightly without God—is a symptom of the deepest soul sickness, going all the way back to the garden of eden, when adam and eve grasped at a reality divorced from God. They chose to ignore God’s command, to ignore God’s plan for humanity. And each one of us does the same when we choose sin over faithfulness.

And the wars, the violence, the hostility between men and women, the brokenness in families,  the addictions, the penchant for self-destruction is a result of this attempt to build a life and build a world without God. Who will save us from this? Who will save us from the tendency of “not doing the good we want to do, and doing the evil we don’t want to do” as St. paul says? Who will give us the strength to be able to love one another as deeply as we yearn to do? Who will teach us what humanity is meant to be? Who will reconcile us? Who will bring us peace? Jesus “Jesus brought us God. Jesus brings us God.”

In our first reading, we heard a foreshadowing of this amazing truth. From the book of Nehemiah we heard how the Jews fell face-down and wept when the priest read to them from God’s Word. 70 years they had been captive in Babylon. An entire generation did not know God, they did not know the promises of God, they did not know the commandments of God that help us to live a holy life. And they wept when they discovered what God wanted for them, they wept when they discovered that they were not created to be captives to the powers of the world, they wept when they learned they were created to be God’s chosen people, chosen by God to manifest His goodness, his truth, his beauty, his light.

And the Jewish people had this reaction simply from reading from the first five books of the Old Testament. What should our reaction be, how immense should our gratitude be, to come here, and to receive the very gift of God, the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior in the Eucharist. I have known Catholics, similarly to break down and weep in gratitude after encountering Jesus in the confessional, they weep to discover that their sins are forgiven.

This, too, is why daily prayer and daily reading of the Word of God is so important. Because daily we, God’s chosen people are meant to encounter him, to open our hearts and minds to him. We are meant to prayerfully encounter the God who desires to free us, to illuminate us, to guide us in being his holy people, members of his mystical body tasked at manifesting his goodness, his life, his beauty, his truth in the ordinary circumstances of our lives, and bringing sight, freedom, good tiding to those in need of it, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

1st Week of OT 2019 - Tuesday - Binding Evil Spirits and Liberating Captives

On the first weekday of Ordinary Time yesterday, we heard the call of the disciples.  Jesus’ call of his first followers is followed by his first miraculous work in Mark’s Gospel: an exorcism—reminding us that Christ has come to do battle with Satan, to dismantle the powers of darkness, and to unbind those who are bound by evil.

This whole drama takes place while Jesus is teaching in a synagogue. And this demon begins to disrupt Jesus, the works of the devil disrupt, hinder, thwart the work of God. The demon is called an “unclean spirit”. Why are they called “unclean”? “Unclean” is an Old Testament term for a person or thing that is ritually defiled and therefore prohibited from taking part in worship. A demon is an angel that has been cast out of heaven due to its refusal to worship God. And the unclean spirits seek to separate us eternally from the worship of God as well.

“I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” The unclean spirit claims hidden knowledge of Jesus’ identity, a frequent tactic of the demons in the Gospel. But if it intends to catch Jesus off guard, or to gain some control over him, their attempt is futile. For Christ commands them ”Quiet!, phimōthēti” one of the coolest Greek words, literally, “be muzzled”. Imagine leather straps binding, muzzling, the mouth of an ox. Having been muzzled, the unclean spirit shows one last act of defiance by convulsing the man, but helpless before Jesus’ word of command, the demon departs.

Day two of Ordinary Time, and we get a glimpse of the battlefield. Jesus has come to drive out the unclean from our lives, all that defiles human dignity and to restore us to the right worship of God, that we may worship and live “in spirit and in truth”. We do well to study God’s word and study  our catechism: so much uncleanness is cast out when we are exposed to and believe God’s truth. And most likely the undisciplined parts of our egos need to be muzzled, in order to be brought under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord also desire to use us as his instruments for binding evil in the world, for setting captives free. May we be ambassadors of his truth, his goodness, his power, and his love today for all we meet, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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That the preaching and teachings of the Pope, Bishops, and clergy may be a source of strength and guidance for the Holy Church.

That those in civic authority may submit their minds and hearts to the rule of Christ, the Prince of Peace and Hope of the nations.

For the liberation of those bound by evil, those committed to sin an error, those oppressed or possessed by evil spirits, and for the conversion of the hardest hearts.

That the March for Life in Washington D.C. this Friday will help to transform our culture and inspire many to adhere to the Gospel of Life.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

6th Week in OT 2018 - Tuesday - Works in progress

Yesterday’s Gospel concluded with Jesus letting out a deep sigh and lamenting over the Pharisees demands for signs and wonders, and even when he produced them, like when he fed the five thousand, they were still unconvinced of his identity.

Today’s Gospel picks up immediately with the disciples also not quite getting it. They had been with Jesus now for some time, they had seen miraculous healings and feedings, and Jesus still detected some blindness, some doubt in them.

Now notice how Jesus hasn’t given up on the disciples. The mere fact that they were still with him, showed their openness to his teaching. They were “unfinished products” and that’s okay. And the fact that Jesus is still teaching them shows his commitment to helping them become free from their inner resistances.

So, too, with us. None of us are “finished products”, we are all “works in progress”; we come to the altar with some blindness, some lack of trust in God, some selfishness. And that we are here is such a good sign of our willingness to be healed, to be taught, to be led by God. God sees the tremendous potential each one of us has, and he provides the teaching and the spiritual nourishment and the boundless mercy, that we can become the people he made us to be.

Here is also a reminder to be extremely patient with each other. When I humbly acknowledge that I’m not the person I’m meant to be, I’m able to be much more patient with my brother, who also speaks and acts out of ignorance, at times. If a brother needs to be rebuked or corrected, we do so very gently, very patiently, to help them grow.

Many look at the Catholic Church with great criticism. They say, “look at all the corruption, look at all the moral failures of her members, the mediocre preaching.”  But still, millions of people join the Catholic Church despite the faults of individual members who fail to live up to what they profess.
Good, thoughtful people join the Church every year because they acknowledge that it is HERE that we find the truth we need to live in right relationship with God. Good, thoughtful people join the Church because they recognize that the only fair way to judge any institution is according to its principles and the example of those who DO live in accord with them.

Jesus saves through His Church! And His Church does produce Saints. Where else than the Church do we find women like Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Avila, Therese of Lisieux, and Elizabeth Ann Seton, or men to compare with Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Francis, John of the Cross, Thomas More, John Vianney.  No where but here!

Today, may we be open to the ways the Lord wishes to cure us from our spiritual blindness, teach us in our ignorance, feed us in our hunger, and lead us in the ways of sanctity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of February, that those who have material, political or spiritual power may resist any lure of corruption.

For those preparing for baptism and entrance into full communion with the Catholic Church this Easter, for their continual conversion to Christ and that of the whole Church.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord