Saint John’s Abbey will observe a Day of Prayer and Fasting on Friday, Jan. 23, in response to the anxiety, division and uncertainty many people are experiencing across the Twin Cities and throughout greater Minnesota.
“At a time when fear has taken root in many hearts and communities feel unsettled or strained, we turn — as we always do — to prayer,” said a press release from the abbey.
Grounded in the Catholic and Benedictine tradition, the monks of Saint John’s Abbey invite all people of goodwill to join them in seeking God’s grace for healing, wisdom and peace.
:Through prayer and fasting, we place before God the suffering of those who feel vulnerable, the pain of families and communities under stress, and the serious responsibility borne by all who are entrusted with the care and protection of others,” the release also stated.
All are welcome to gather with us in the Abbey and University Church throughout the day:
• Midday Prayer: 12:00 noon
• Eucharistic Adoration: 2:00–4:00 p.m.
• Mass: 5:00 p.m.
• Evening Prayer: 7:00 p.m.
“In the spirit of Saint Benedict, who urges us to listen with the ear of the heart, we enter this day seeking the grace of ongoing conversion of life. We pray for hearts formed by humility rather than fear, and for the grace to transform anger and anxiety into a renewed commitment to nonviolence, restraint, and mutual respect. As a monastic community rooted in stability and communion, we ask for the wisdom to discern together what leads to life, and for the strength to become instruments of Christ’s peace in our neighborhoods, our state, and our world.”