22 November 2026 - Prayers of the Faithful for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe prison ministry

Lord Jesus: You are the lamb of God. 

Christ Jesus: You are the beloved son of the Father. 

Lord Jesus: You are our savior and our king. 

Priest: As we celebrate Christ the King on the last weekend of our liturgical year, we present our prayer with faith and hope: 

1. That the holy Church of God be an effective sign of Christ’s kingdom. May clergy and lay leaders in the Church serve with the humble love of the Good Shepherd. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That those who govern the nations of the world and hold political power reject the lure of domination and instead following Christ’s example, ruling with justice, mercy, and service to the vulnerable. We pray to the Lord.

3. For the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, the imprisoned, and the forgotten. May they experience the consolation and practical care of Christ the King through our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For our local Catholic community of Christ the King. As the liturgical year draws to a close, may we renew our allegiance and loyalty to Christ and allow him to reign in our minds, our homes, and our daily actions. We pray to the Lord.

5. For the prayer intention of Pope Leo XIV for the month of November. For the proper use of wealth. That not succumbing to the temptation of selfishness, wealth may always be put at the service of the common good and solidarity with those who have less. We pray to the Lord.

6. For those who have died recently and for all the faithful departed. May they be welcomed into the eternal glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. May we unite our prayers with the prayers of Mary and the community of saints. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Heavenly Father, you rule your people with love and compassion. Hear the prayers we bring before you today that we make through Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN.

22 November 2026 - Prayers of the Faithful for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe


Introduction: This weekend, we commemorate the end of the liturgical year with the celebration of Christ the King. Although many earthly kings and earthly kingdoms have come and gone, Jesus as the King of the Universe reigns in glory for all eternity. We celebrate this great solemnity today as we start a new liturgical year next weekend with the beginning of the holy season of Advent. 

Lord Jesus: You are the lamb of God. 

Christ Jesus: You are the beloved son of the Father. 

Lord Jesus: You are our savior and our king. 

Priest: As we celebrate Christ the King on the last weekend of our liturgical year, we present our prayer with faith and hope: 

1. That the holy Church of God be an effective sign of Christ’s kingdom. May clergy and lay leaders in the Church serve with the humble love of the Good Shepherd. We pray to the Lord. 

2. That those who govern the nations of the world and hold political power reject the lure of domination and instead following Christ’s example, ruling with justice, mercy, and service to the vulnerable. We pray to the Lord.

3. For the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, the imprisoned, and the forgotten. May they experience the consolation and practical care of Christ the King through our words and our actions. We pray to the Lord. 

4. For our local parish community. As the liturgical year draws to a close, may we renew our allegiance and loyalty to Christ and allow him to reign in our minds, our homes, and our daily actions. We pray to the Lord.

5. For the prayer intention of Pope Leo XIV for the month of November. For the proper use of wealth. That not succumbing to the temptation of selfishness, wealth may always be put at the service of the common good and solidarity with those who have less. We pray to the Lord.

6. For those who have died recently and for all the faithful departed. May they be welcomed into the eternal glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray for those names inscribed in the book of remembrance. We pray to the Lord. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. May we unite our prayers with the prayers of Mary and the community of saints. We pray to the Lord. 

Priest: Heavenly Father, you rule your people with love and compassion. Hear the prayers we bring before you today that we make through Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

20 November 2026 - homily for Friday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time - Revelation 10:8-11

We have been hearing from the book of Revelation this week in our first readings at daily Mass. Today, the reading from Revelation is very interesting. Several times in Sacred Scripture, prophets are told to eat pages of God’s Holy Word.  This happens to the prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Today, in Revelation, John is told to take the scroll that is in the hand of the angel and to eat it. Asking these men to actually eat the pages of God’s word is symbolic of how the word is to become a part of our entire being. Rather than remaining on the surface of our lives, the word of God is to enter our lives, we are to chew on it and digest it, to be strengthened by it and nourished by it.  Only then can we become evangelizers of God’s word and to transmit that word to others. By eating God’s word in the book of Revelation, John acquired a greater understanding of the word. May God’s word always be at the center of our lives. May it be an integral part of our entire being. 

Prayer intention of Pope Leo XIV for November 2026

 

20 November 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Friday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you are the Lamb of God. 

Christ Jesus - you will come again in the end times. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us the hope of our faith. 

Priest: With humble hearts, we now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. For the grace to be able to listen to God as he speaks to us in the ordinary moments of our lives. . 

2. That our Church leaders. May they lead us in justice and peace. 

3. That our governmental leaders may grow in insight and wisdom. 

4. For all who feel overwhelmed, confused, or misdirected. May they be enlightened and strengthened on their journey. 

5. For peace among nations. For reconciliation in the midst of anger and division. 

6. For the sick, the addicted, the dying, the grieving, and the depressed. For healing and wholeness. 

7. For the names we remember during the month of remembrance. For the repose of the soul of all the faithful departed. We lift them up to God’s mercy. 

8. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. For those who have asked for our prayers. 

Priest: We present our prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. AMEN. 

19 November 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 33rd week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you are the beloved son of the Father. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to faith. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Priest: With hearts united in prayer and hope, we come before our loving Father with our needs:

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz and all our Church leaders. May they continue to guide us to God through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

2. For those in the medical profession, our first responders, those in public safety, our veterans, and the men and women in the military.  That God will work through them to impart healing and strength to all who seek their assistance. 

3. For the poor and the suffering. That we may open our hearts to hear their cries and to respond as God wills us. 

4. That all married couples may grow in true love, witnessing to God's intimate presence in their lives. 

5. For the sick and the afflicted. That God’s healing love may renew and strengthen them.                                                                                  

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed during this month of remembrance. For the names inscribed in our book of remembrance. 

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

Priest: Gracious God, we ask that you hear the prayers we offer in humility and hope. In your infinite wisdom, grant them according to your will. We ask this through your son, Christ our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

19 November 2026 - homily for Thursday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time - St Mechtild of Hackeborn - Luke 19:41-44

St Mechtild of Hackeborn was a sister in a Benedictine convent in Saxony, Germany in the late 13th century, entering there at the age of 7. She had her first mystical vision at the time she received first holy communion, when Christ appeared to her and left what felt like an imprint on her heart. She was devoted to the human nature of Christ, seeing the human side of Christ as the door through which humanity entered, forming a union with the divine nature of Christ. She received many mystical visions throughout her lifetime. She had a great devotion to the Eucharist, with Christ revealing to her in a vision that the Eucharist is the primary way he nourishes  our souls, and that receiving holy communion with faith allows a mystical entry into heart. She was an important leader in her Benedictine community. She was seen in the convent and in the community as a great prophet, teacher, and counselor. This convent produced two other great mystics in this same era: St Mechtild of Magdeburg and St Gertrude the Great. 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus approaches the holy city of Jerusalem for the last time during his public ministry on earth, during which he is overcome with emotion. He weeps for his city and for his people, knowing in his heart that destruction and calamity will befall them soon. Jesus knew that the Jews of Ancient Israel struggled throughout their history to follow God, to be true to God’s commandments and laws, and  to honor their covenant with him. For the many times that they strayed, the Jews were often recalcitrant and willfully disobedient. Perhaps on our own faith journey through life, we may struggle with the same things that the Jews did in Ancient Israel. We pray that we may be true to our faith in our word and in our actions and in the ordinary moments of our days. 

 

18 November 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Wednesday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you bring us the love of your Father. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to faithfulness. 

Lord Jesus - you are the fulfillment of God’s laws and commandments.  

Priest: In the humility of our faith, we present our prayers to our loving God: 

1. That we in the Church to others. through the witness of our lives and our faith. 

2. For the grace of discernment. May we understand the signs of the times and may we recognize God’s presence, action, and invitation in the midst of our daily reality. 

3. In the challenges we face, we may remain confident that God. May we place our trust and hope in him. 

4. For all who are facing crisis, loss, or grief. That the Spirit of God will guide them and comfort them. 

5. For our children, youth, and college students. That the Lord will continue to guide them and accompany them on their journey. 

6. For the grace of forgiveness. That we may be open to God’s unending forgiveness and share that spirit of forgiveness with others. 

7. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed whom we remember in a special way during November. For the names inscribed in our book of remembrance.  

8. For the prayers we hold in our hearts today. 

Priest: With hope and love, we present these prayers through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN.  

17 November 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus - you teach us how to pray. 

Christ Jesus - you call us to faith. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Priest: With hearts united in hope, we now come before our gracious and loving Father with our needs and the needs of the world: 

1. For Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Kopacz and all our Church leaders. May they continue to guide us to the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

2. For those work in  health and public safety: that God will work through them in their service. 

3. For the poor, the suffering, and the afflicted. That we may open our hearts to hear their cries and respond through our ministry and our works of charity. 

4. That all married couples may grow in true love. May they be a witness to the world of God's intimate presence in their lives. 

5. For all who are sick: that God’s healing love may renew and strengthen them. For healing in body, mind, and spirit.                                                                                  

6. For the repose of the souls of the faithful departed during this month of remembrance. For the names inscribed in our book of remembrance. 

7. For the prayers we hold in the silence of our hearts. For those who have asked for our prayers. 

Priest: Gracious God, we ask that you hear these prayers offered in humility and hope.  In your infinite wisdom, grant them according to your will. We ask this through you son, Christ our Lord forever and ever.  AMEN. 

15 de noviembre de 2026 - las oraciones de los fieles por el XXIII domingo del tiempo ordinario

SACERDOTE: Unidos alrededor de Jesucristo, presentemos al Padre nuestra oración diciendo: \

1.- Por la Iglesia. Que sepamos transmitir a todo el mundo el tesoro del amor de Dios que hemos descubierto en Jesucristo. OREMOS.

2.- Por los jóvenes. Que en su búsqueda de felicidad encuentren a Jesucristo y se enamoren de Él. OREMOS.

3.- Por los abuelos y los mayores. Que siempre sean tenidos en cuenta por su experiencia y sabiduría y no tengan que experimentar el abandono y la soledad. OREMOS.

4.- Por nuestra sociedad. Que aumenten en ella los compromisos en favor de la justicia, de la protección de los más débiles, de la igualdad… y se haga real y visible el Reino de Dios. OREMOS.

5.- Por la paz del mundo. Por todos los países, por sus gobernantes y por sus ciudadanos, particularmente por los que sufren el drama de la guerra, de la pobreza y del hambre. OREMOS.

6.- Por los navegantes, por quienes están de viaje. Por las personas que están en las cárceles. OREMOS.

7.- Por los que disfrutan las vacaciones. Que sean espacios de encuentro con Dios y los demás. Oremos.

8.- Por nosotros. Que aprendamos a encontrar los tesoros de Dios que se esconden a nuestro alrededor. OREMOS.

SACERDOTE: Escucha, Padre, la oración de tu pueblo y bendice al mundo entero con tu amor. Por Jesucristo, nuestro Señor. AMEN. 

18 November 2028 - homily for Wednesday of the 33rd week of ordinary time - Revelation 4:1-11

This week, our first readings in the daily Masses come from the book of Revelation. The Catholic Church sees this book in the New Testament from a symbolic and historical point of view, rather than to see it as a prediction of things that will happen in the future or a literal step-by-step timeline of the end of the world. In its historical context, this book was written around the year 95 AD to offer hope and encouragement to the Christians of that era who were facing persecution in the practice of their faith. 

I want to focus on the four living creatures who are centered around God’s throne in the vision in Revelation today. The first creature resembled a lion, the second an ox, the third had the face like a man, and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. In some interpretations, these creatures are seen as the summit of God’s creation — the lion being the king of beasts, the ox representing the animals that were sacrificed to God, the eagle being the lord of the air, and the human person, the summit of God’s creation. Writing in the second century, St Irenaeus saw these four creatures as representing the four Gospel writers. Mark represents the lion, as he begins his Gospel with Jesus’ royal proclamation as the Son of David and son of God. Luke represent the ox, because the ox was present at Jesus’ birth, as presented in his nativity narrative. John represent the eagle, because of the advance form of theology that is present in his Gospel.  Matthew represents the man with the face of an angel, because of his focus on Jesus as the Son of Man and presence of the angels in his Gospel. 

It is interesting for us to reflect on the readings in Scripture not just from our own personal perspective, but from the perspective of the community and the Church, and the historical perceptive as well. 

17 November 2026 - Elizabeth of Hungary - Tuesday of the 33rd week in Ordinary Time - Revelation 3:1-6.14-22 - Luke 19:1-10

Over the years I have served as a pries, I have had parishioners tell me that they did not learn a lot about specific saints while growing up Catholic, even those who went to Catholic school. That surprises me, because I so enjoy learning about the saints and there is so much we can learn from them.  Today, we commemorate St Elizabeth of Hungary.  Born in Hungary in the year 1207 to a noble family, she was betrothed to a young prince in Germany at a young age. She had a loving relationship with her husband, but his family resented her piety and her love for the poor. At one point, she and her husband opened up the royal granaries to the hungry in a time of famine. Her young husband Ludwig died at a young age while traveling to the Crusades. Her husband’s family thrust Elizabeth and her young children out of the royal household. She lived a holy humble life, living in a small cottage and working to support her children. She was admired by many for her holiness, her charity, and her example of faith.  Even the rich families who once scorned her grew to admire her faith and charity.  She died at the young age of 24 and was canonized only 4 years later by Pope Gregory IX. Elizabeth of Hungary exemplifies the values of stewardship and charity to which we are all called as disciples of Christ.  All of us are to use our talents, our gifts, our time, our treasures, and our interests in service to God and to his people. This can manifest itself in different forms. 

Our readings today from the book of Revelation and from the Gospel of Luke point us to the heart of Jesus ministry and Gospel message. We hear at the end of the reading from Revelation: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house.” Then we hear in the Gospel after Jesus’ interaction with Zaccheus: “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house.”  These words reflect Jesus’ desire to bring us his mercy and his salvation, to have us enter eternal life with him and with God the Father. He is always knocking at our door and wants us to enter a life of discipleship with him. In turn, we are to share that life of faith with others and to bring that joy of our faith to the world, to invite and to welcome just as Jesus does with us.