Prayer is our direct connection with God. Through prayer we can deepen our relationship with Him and each other! God and the angels and saints love to hear from each of us, individually and together — at Mass. Care to pray for the monthly intentions of Pope Francis? Subscribe to his World-wide Prayer Network or his YouTube channel! Tried contemplation for hope?
One of the spiritual works of mercy is to pray for the living and the dead. The greatest and most powerful prayer we have is the Mass, since the fruits of the Mass are the very fruits of Jesus’ redemption. For that reason, all are encouraged to have Mass offered for the living who have needs, and loved ones who have died. This is an ancient Catholic practice, and all are encouraged to take it up. A Mass intention may be requested for: a living person who is sick or suffering; a living person who is celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special moment in life; a deceased loved one or for any special intentions. If you want to have a Mass offered, please call our parish office (315-536-7459).
We have a dedicated, local prayer team who are glad to offer prayers on your behalf, or that of someone you know. To get on the prayer list, simply call the Parish Center and ask for this. It can be anonymous, if you desire. To get wider prayer coverage, ask for the parishioner’s email address who coordinates the “World-wide Web of Prayer.”
Let us begin this prayer journey with the Prayer for Respect of Life from Catholic Online. Our diocese wants our families and children to know and pray these prayers. Ascension Press offers us an online compendium of prayers. By the request of Our Lady of Fatima, The Rosary, especially needed for an end to war in Ukraine, for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life and for the Care of Our Common Home (Laudato Si`). Pope Francis also requests we add his intentions to our own.
Have you taken the Civilize It pledge yet? The Prayer for Civility helps as we dialogue with others about “A Better Kind of Politics.” Use this Examination of Conscience to deepen your prayers and listen to how God might be calling you to be “salt and light” to our communities.
Gun violence, racially motivated shootings, the pain of death of those who succumbed to Covid-19… These were intentions offered during a recent community prayer service.
Stewardship: “My parish is composed of people like me. I help make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am. It will be holy, if I am. Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them. It will do great work, if I work. It will be prayerful, if I pray. It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver. It will bring others into worship, if I invite and bring them in. It will be a place of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, of compassion, charity, and mercy, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these same things. Therefore, with the help of God, I now dedicate myself to the task of being all the things that I want my parish to be. Amen.” –Our Sunday Visitor
For the ongoing work of the Synod: “We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name. With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it. We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right. All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.” — USCCB Additional prayer requests and resources at https://www.dor.org/synod/prayer-resources/
Prayer for the Eucharistic Revival (through June 8, 2025): “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I beg pardon for those who do not believe, nor adore, nor hope, nor love You. Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended. And, through the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of sinners. Amen.” © USCCB Learn more at https://eucharisticrevival.dor.org/
Many prayers are available for all the ways our Catholic Relief Services are working world-wide to put our faith into action to help the world’s poorest create lasting change.
For Juneteenth: “Creator God, we acknowledge The 400 years of slavery and pain Your children stolen from Africa endured. We acknowledge the sin of racism that continues to sully our nation, that continues to stir violence. Hear our prayers for healing. Creator God, we celebrate the strength of our communities, who keep the faith, who keep the hope alive that healing is always possible, that we can become the nation we aspire to be, with respect for all, where every person can live secure in dignity and with peace. Creator God, we give thanks for the
end of the enslavement Of your beloved children. Hear our prayers for the end of racism: Prayers that move us to prophetic action, So all the promises of freedom will be fully realized in our nation. Amen.” — Jane Deren, Ph.D.
Prayer for the Protection of Religious Liberty: “O God our Creator… we ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty. Give us the strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened; give us courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.” –USCCB
If you/someone you know is feeling hopeless, try the Prayer to St. Jude, patron of lost causes.
Prayers all baptized Catholics should know can be found here.