Pray for those who work in the media who work to communicate today so that people are not so isolated... who help us to bear this time of isolation - [Pope Francis during COVID-19 pandemic]
May is the month of Mary so who better to focus our prayers on at this time of uncertainty. Pope Francis is also encouraging us to “pray for those who work in the media who work to communicate today so that people are not so isolated… who help us to bear this time of isolation”.
Remember, too, we have a reflection that can inspire content for homilies.
O Mary, woman and mother, you wove the divine Word in your womb,
you recounted by your life the magnificent works of God.
Listen to our stories, hold them in your heart and make your own the stories that no one wants to hear.
Teach us to recognise the good thread that runs through history. Look at the tangled knots in our life that paralyse our memory.
By your gentle hands, every knot can be untied. Woman of the Spirit, mother of trust, inspire us too.
Help us build stories of peace, stories that point to the future. And show us the way to live them together.
Amen
World Communications Day is usually celebrated on or near the Feast of the Ascension, so these intercessions are linked to – but not dependent on – the prayers and readings at Mass that day.
Priest
Where the Head has gone before in glory, the Body is called to follow in hope. As people of hope, let us confidently pray to the Lord for all we need…
Reader
When Jesus ascended into heaven, the Apostles stood staring into the sky.
Let us pray for the Church today, that we may look not only upwards but all around us, and carry out the mission we received from Jesus when we were baptised.
Lord, in your mercy…
Hear our prayer.
The Lord Jesus asked us to be His witnesses everywhere we go.
Let us ask Him to be with us as we do all we can to bring His love, His concern and His mercy to all who have suffered in any way in the Coronavirus pandemic.
Lord, in your mercy…
Hear our prayer.
Because He has gone back to His Father,
Jesus wants us to be His hands, His eyes and His heart in this world.
Let us ask for the grace and strength to do His work worthily and well.
Lord, in your mercy…
Hear our prayer.
Jesus asked His apostles to make Him known to the ends of the earth.
Let us pray for the wisdom and creativity we need to use the communications media to bring His message where it still needs to be heard.
Lord, in your mercy…
Hear our prayer.
Jesus asked the Apostles to pass on all He had taught them.
Let us remember with gratitude those who handed on to us their faith in Christ and His Church. May God reward them for giving us such a precious gift.
Lord, in your mercy…
Hear our prayer.
Priest
Heavenly Father,
When the Apostles met your Son in Galilee they were hesitant and nervous.
In our weakness, we are just like them.
We ask you to make us bold and confident witnesses to Your Son by sending your Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts.
We ask this and all our prayers through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
If you are a priest or deacon, you may be maintaining a parish newsletter through these times. Here is some newsletter insert text you can use to bring World Communications Day to the attention of parishioners.
This year, on Sunday 24 May, we are celebrating World Communications Day for the 54th time. Every year the Holy Father sends a message about it, and this year’s is all about the power of stories. Pope Francis also asks us to be discerning, and to avoid harmful stories in favour of good ones – stories that are wholesome and have a life-giving message. But why accept a second-hand version of the message? Why not read it for yourself? This year’s message is entitled ‘”That you may tell your children and grandchildren” (Exodus 10,2). Life becomes history’.
The Pope’s Communications Day message focuses on storytelling and Christian truth
