28 June 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 13th Sunday of Ordinary time - prison ministry

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the values of God’s kingdom. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to listen to God’s prophets in the world. 

Lord Jesus - you hear the cry of the poor. 

Priest: Loving Father, as we gather here before you at Mass today, we ask that you will hear our prayers and draw us closer to you:

1. We pray for Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, and the leaders of our Church. May they show our Church to be a place of welcome for all. We hope all find us to be a welcoming place at the Catholic community of St Michael the Archangel. We pray to the Lord. 

2. We pray for our world leaders. May they work together for the good of humanity. We pray to the Lord. 

3.  As we gather to celebrate the Eucharist today, we pray that we will seek to proclaim God’s word and more fully do God’s will. We pray to the Lord. 

4. We pray our children and for our families, that the Lord will watch over them in their summer activities and summer travels. We pray to the Lord. 

5. We pray for the sick and the afflicted. For all who care for the sick and for our medical professionals. For the men going through the BMU program. For the men in the infirmary. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For our first responders. For the men and women serving in the military. For our veterans. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For our gardeners and our farmers. For good weather for them. For a bountiful harvest. For those who struggle to put food on their table. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Almighty God, you have called us to be children of light in a world of darkness. We ask that you hear our prayers, which come to you through Jesus, your Son, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

28 June 2026 - prayers of the faithful for the 13th Sunday of Ordinary time

Introduction: We commemorate the 13th Sunday of Ordinary Time. In our readings today, we are told of the new life we received through our baptism in Christ. We are challenged to take our crosses and to follow Jesus in the reality of our lives. May we find hope and encouragement in the daily reality of our journey of faith. 

Lord Jesus - you proclaim the values of God’s kingdom. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to listen to God’s prophets in the world. 

Lord Jesus - you hear the cry of the poor. 

Priest: Loving Father, as we gather here before you at Mass today, we ask that you will hear our prayers and draw us closer to you:

1. We pray for Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, and the leaders of our Church. May they show our Church to be a place of welcome for all. We pray to the Lord. 

2. We pray for our world leaders. May they work together for the good of humanity. We pray to the Lord. 

3.  As we gather to celebrate the Eucharist today, we pray that we will seek to proclaim God’s word and more fully do God’s will. We pray to the Lord. 

4. We pray for our faith community. May we have a spirit of welcome and hospitality towards the people around us. We pray to the Lord. 

5. We pray for the sick and the afflicted of our parish. For all who care for the sick and for our medical professionals. We pray to the Lord. 

6. For our first responders. For the men and women serving in the military. For our veterans. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For our gardeners and our farmers. For good weather for them. For a bountiful harvest. For those who struggle to put food on their table. We pray to the Lord. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts today. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Almighty God, you have called us to be children of light in a world of darkness. We ask that you hear our prayers, which come to you through Jesus, your Son, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.

28 June 2026 - Bulletin reflection - 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

We are now at the end of June as the summer months are passing by. This weekend I am in southern Indiana for a mission appeal. I will be taking some quiet time next week for prayer and contemplation. It is important for us to take time to pray and reflect in the midst of our very busy lives. Even as a priest, with my busy schedule, this can be very challenging for me. We always have to remind ourselves to look for the presence of God in our reality, in the joys and in the challenges. Have a blessed week everyone. Father Lincoln. 

26 June 2026 - Friday of the 12th week in Ordinary Time - 2 Kings 25:1-12

Our reading today from the second book of Kings continues to tell of the tragic fall of the city of Jerusalem to the Babylonias in the year 586 BC, with the destruction of the Temple and the other large buildings in the city. The destruction of Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon is a consequence of the sins and unfaithfulness of the people of Israel. The prophets had warned Israel to give up their idol worship are to return to the practice of justice. The people did not listen and paid the consequence for their infidelity. 

We must be accountable for our actions and take responsibility for the practice of our faith. Their exile from the promised land and the destruction of the Temple forced the people of Israel to see that God is not confined to certain place or a single building. This forced Israel to see that their priorities were too focused on the ways of the world and not the ways of God. 

We can feel like we are in the wilderness sometimes. It may be difficult for us to keep our faith alive in the realities of life that we are facing. We are called to reflect upon how we cooperate with God’s grace in our lives and how our sins and temptations take us away from God. 

26 June 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 11th week in Ordinary time

Lord have mercy - you call us to missionary in spirit. 

Christ have mercy - you proclaim the good news of the Gospel. 

Lord have mercy - you bring us God’s peace. 

Priest: We come before our loving Father as we lift our prayers to heaven. 

1. For Leo XIV, our pope, and Joseph Kopacz, our bishop. For all who lead us in faith and love. 

2. May the words and actions of our daily lives help us to bear witness to the joy of the Gospel. 

3. For all civic and governmental leaders. May our worldwide leaders work for the basic needs of people.

4. May we welcome the lost and the marginalized. 

5. For the anguished and the sorrowful. May their hope be in Christ’s healing love. 

6. For our beloved dead. May God welcome home our loved ones who have taken their last breath here on earth. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: Gracious and merciful Father, listen to our needs as we reach out to you for purpose, hope, and direction. 

25 June 2026 - Thursday of the 12th week - 2 Kings 24:8-17

Throughout the first and second books of Kings, we hear about the different kings who reigned in Israel, how they were often unfaithful to God and how they led the people astray from the path of faith. God gave them chance after chance, asking them to repent and to mend their ways, but the kings and the people often turned back to their evil ways and away from the Lord. Today, we hear about the Babylonians invading Israel, securing victory, and sending King Jehoiachin, the army, skilled craftsmen, and the king’s officers and functionaries into exile in Babylon, leaving behind the poor in Israel. The exile is a very difficult and painful event in Israel’s history, something that they never forget. The return to Jerusalem after many years in exile and the restoration of the Temple and the rituals there and the restoration of their relationship with God are all a big part of the history of Israel, part of which motivated the establishment of the country Israel in the Holy Land after WWII. This is a part of the history of the people of Israel and part of our faith history as well. It is important for us to put our trust in God and to follow him on our journey of faith, to not put our full trust and hope in the things of this world, which many of the kings of Israel did. May we learn from history. 

25 June 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 12th week in Ordinary time

Lord have mercy - you send us God’s Holy Spirit. 

Christ have mercy - you forgive the sins of the contrite. 

Lord have mercy - you are the beloved son of the Father.

Priest: Let us now turn to our loving God as we offer our prayers today: 

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz, and all our Church leaders. May they teach us to acknowledge Christ in the reality of our lives. 

2. For the end of war, violence, and hatred. May we work toward the peace of God’s kingdom. 

3. For all lawyers, judges, and those who work in the judicial system. May they work for the justice of God’s kingdom.

4. For our children, youth, families, and college students. May the Lord accompany them during their travels and their summer break. 

5. For all who grieve and mourn. May they be comforted. 

6. For family members who have died. May all the dead now rest in the assurance of God’s peace. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. 

Priest: God of Providence, may we receive your care and your loving plan for our lives. We ask this through Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.