WASHINGTON (CNS) — The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for a “moment of prayer” to unite Catholics across the country at a time when there is “much unrest and uncertainty” in the United States, said a Sept. 30 USCCB news release.
To that end, the USCCB will host a virtual rosary event Oct. 7, which is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, who is the USCCB’s president, has invited several bishops, representing the various geographical regions of the United States, to pray a part of the rosary.
The event will premiere on the USCCB’s YouTube channel and its Facebook page at 2 p.m. Central time on Oct. 7.
“The faithful are encouraged to join in this prayerful moment of unity for our country, to seek healing and to ask Our Lady, on her feast, to pray for us and help lead us to Jesus,” the USCCB release said.
Catholics are “encouraged to share where they are praying from, to post a photo of their rosary and to leave a prayer intention for our country,” it said.
Archbishop Gomez deliver the introduction and call to prayer followed by the Sign of the Cross.
The other bishops who will participate and the prayers they will recite are: Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, Apostles Creed; Bishop William M. Joensen of Des Moines, Iowa, Our Father for the Intentions of the Holy Father; Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane, Washington, prayer “for an increase in faith, hope, charity”: Bishop Alfred A. Schlert of Allentown, Pennsylvania; First Glorious Mystery ; Bishop J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, Second Glorious Mystery; Bishop Daniel F. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, Third Glorious Mystery (Spanish); Bishop Felipe J. Estevez of St. Augustine, Florida, Fourth Glorious Mystery; Auxiliary Bishop Robert P. Reed of Boston, Fifth Glorious Mystery; and Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, the final prayer of the rosary, Hail Holy Queen.
Archbishop Gomez will make the final Sign of the Cross and give closing comments encouraging hope and prayer; and Bishop Gregor J. Mansour of Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, New York, will give a Marian prayer in the Eastern Catholic tradition.
The USCCB will be using the hashtag #RosaryForAmerica on its social media. Social media graphics in both English and Spanish can be downloaded from the USCCB’s web page: https://www.usccb.org/rosary-america.
Updated 10/2/20