Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Deacon's Bench

Home
Catholic
Religion News
“Pray for mercy, pray for healing”

“Pray for mercy, pray for healing”

Last updated on: August 3, 2015 at 10:41 am by Deacon Greg Kandra

“Pray for mercy, pray for healing” 2015-08-03T10:41:08-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

That was the consistent message of this afternoon’s Holy Hour in the Archdiocese of New York, held at the beautiful Church and Priory of St. Vincent Ferrer.

This placid house of prayer on Lexington Ave., staffed by the Dominicans, proved the perfect setting for an hour devoted to contemplation and adoration—and its staggering beauty easily compelled every one who entered to fall to their knees. Which, of course, is where the most important work of our lives takes place.

This hour was the brainchild of Kathryn Jean Lopez—who, among other things, serves on the pro-life committee for the archdiocese. She pulled this event together as a way of finding something beautiful and redemptive in the wake of the horrific Planned Parenthood videos released this week. (She told me after, “I couldn’t let this week end without doing something.”) This little gathering attracted maybe two dozen people to the hushed church at 3 p.m., the Hour of Mercy, but many more joined us from around the world; K-Lo told me that, to her amazement, it was even mentioned on the air by Rush Limbaugh. (I’ll let others argue over whether that was a good thing or not…)

The hour was presided over by Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, who began with the gospel from St. Luke, recounting Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, and her proclamation of The Magnificat.

Fr. Aquinas noted that The Magnificat is, among other things, a prayer about God’s mercy—and he asked us to pray for mercy for all those suffering from the after effects of abortion. “Pray for mercy,” he said. “Pray for healing.”

Fittingly, everywhere you look in the church, you are reminded of the woman whose soul proclaimed the greatness of the Lord—a woman who stands before us even now as a figure of resilience, prayerfulness, humility and hope.

The hour concluded with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Benediction, and the singing of the “Salve Regina.”

My hat goes off to Kathryn Lopez, for pulling this together—and I know our prayers were not in vain. The Lord hears the cry of the poor—and we feel a special poverty at this moment, a poorness borne of broken hearts and outrage and despair. I know, too, we were not alone. In that sacred space, we were accompanied by many prayers, from many corners of the world, all seeking the same thing: healing and grace, at a moment when both right now seem in short supply.

I left St. Vincent’s feeling surprisingly soothed—uplifted and at peace. For a little while, in a tortured and torturous world, maybe that is enough.

Thanks, K-Lo.

Photos by Deacon Greg Kandra

Prayer

Pro-life

Previous Post

July 31, 2015

You're invited: Jubilee for Deacons in Rome during Year of Mercy

Next Post

August 1, 2015 "Will you do this for me?": how one man became a monk

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism education Education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who anointed Jesus' feet with expensive perfume and her hair?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Elizabeth Mary of Bethany Anna Mary Magdalene

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »