8 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Thursday of the 26th week of Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you have come to save your people. 

Christ Jesus - you have raised up by God the Father as our savior. 

Lord Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Priest: We now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. That our Church leaders and government leaders will lead us in justice and wisdom. 

2. That we may hear the voice of Christ calling us to “not be afraid” 

3. That we may learn to turn to God in every circumstance that is beyond our control. 

4. For our Jewish brothers and sisters and for peace in the Middle East. 

5. For all who struggle with doubt and uncertainty. 

6. For all families facing crisis or financial difficulty. That they may find the help they need and may they find hope in their faith. 

7. For the month of world missions. May the Lord bless all missionaries serving here in the United States and throughout the world. 

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

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

7 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for memorial mass of Our Lady of the Rosary

Lord Jesus, you the Prince of Peace: Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, you are the Son of God and Son of Mary: Christ, have mercy. 

Lord Jesus, you are Word of God made flesh: Lord, have mercy.

Prayers of the faithful:  

PRIEST:  God graciously blesses us in his love and mercy.  As we celebrate Our Lady of the Rosary, we now bring forward our needs to God with confidence:

1. That those who follow Christ may remain faithful throughout the challenges and difficult circumstances of their lives.

2. That God may grant wisdom to our governmental leaders in the difficult and challenging decisions they have to make.

3. For peace in our communities that are torn apart by violence, terrorism, anger, or conflict.

4. That we may all be peacemakers who work for reconciliation, peace, and justice in our relationships.  

5. That our Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, may be an example to all of us in her patience, compassion, and love.  

6. For all who have been affected by recent bad weather and natural disasters.  For those who are recovering from the hurricane.  

7. We pray for the sick and the shut-in.  We pray that perpetual light may shine on all our dearly departed.

8. For those prayers we hold in our hearts.  

PRIEST: Gracious God, you bless your people with peace and justice: accept our prayers and give us your help, through your son Jesus Christ, our Lord forever and ever. Amen.  

7 October 2026 - homily for Wednesday of the 27th week in ordinary time - Our Lady of the rosary - Luke 11:1-4

In the 12th and 13th centuries there was a heresy that was popular in France that saw the material world as being inferior to the spiritual world, that rejected many of the sacraments of the Church and that promoted an austere practice of the faith as a way of rejecting the material world. St Dominic encounter this heresy and tried to battle it through preaching and debates. Tradition passes down that in a period of fasting and prayer, he sought the Blessed Mother for guidance. She revealed to him the rosary prayer, asking him him to preach the mysteries of the rosary and to pray the decades of the rosary as a spiritual weapon. The word rosary comes from a Latin word that means rose garden. When we lift up each hail Mary as we pray the rosary, we are planting a garden of roses. St Dominic converted many souls with the rosary prayer. The devotion to the rosary spread throughout the Catholic world. 

Starting in the 8th century, Muslims from Northern Africa had expanded into the Mediterranean region. In 1571, Pope Pius V, who was a member of the Dominicans, formed an alliance between the Papal States, Spain, Venice, and other smaller Christian states to work together to stop Ottoman aggression. On October 7 of 1571, this alliance battled the Muslim navy in the Mediterranean Sea. The pope asked Catholics around the world to pray the Rosary for victory. Victory was achieved. In gratitude, he instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory. Two years later, Pope Gregory XIII changed the name to the Feast of the Holy Rosary. In 1716, after another important victory against the Muslims, the feast was extended to the entire Church. Since 1913, we have been celebrating this feast each year on October 7 as a memorial mass. 

Pope Leo XIII called the rosary “the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying. 

In the Gospel today, Jesus’ disciples each him to teach them how to pray. The rosary prayer is a great way for us to pray, based on mysteries of the faith found in Sacred Scripture related to the life of Jesus and the life of Mary. 

Because of today’s memorial mass honoring Our Lady of the Rosary, the month of October is known in the Catholic faith as a month dedicated to Mary and a month dedicated to the rosary. We unite our prayers with the prayers of the Blessed Mother today. 

Quotes from St John of the Cross: Endeavor to be inclined always: Not to the easiest, but to the most difficult...

In my studies with the secular Carmelite order of which I am a member, I read this wonderful quote from John of the Cross. A lot of Catholics see his spirituality as very difficult and austere and off-putting. But delving into his spirituality can reveal a lot of complexity and nuance. He is not always the easiest to understand, but pondering his quotes can reveal a lot of insight: 

Endeavor to be inclined always:

Not to the easiest, but to the most difficult;

Not to the most delightful, but to the most distasteful;

Not to the most gratifying, but to the less pleasant;

Not to what means rest for you, but to hard work;

Not to the consoling, but to the unconsoling;

Not to the most, but to the least;

Not to the highest and most precious, but to the lowest and most despised;

Not to wanting something, but to wanting nothing;

Do not go about looking for the best of temporal things, but for the worst, and, for Christ, desire to enter into complete nakedness, emptiness, and poverty in everything in the world.”

From psalm 35

Your ways, O Lord, make known to me. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God and my savior. 

Remember that your compassion, O Lord, and your love are from of old. The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not. In your kindness, remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord. 

Good and upright is the Lord. Thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice. He teaches the humble his way.  

6 October 2026 - prayers of the faithful for Tuesday of the 26th week in Ordinary time

Lord Jesus - you came as a servant. 

Christ Jesus - you bring us hope. 

Lord Jesus - you are seated at the right hand of the Father. 

Priest: With faith and hope, we now present our prayers to our heavenly Father: 

1. That we may keep Christ as the center of our attention and never tire of calling out for God’s help in the challenges of life. 

2. That we not be confused nor distracted by the different voices that cry out to us in the world. 

3. For an openness to God’s call and our vocation as Christians. 

4. As we celebrate respect life month, may we live out the spirit of the Gospel of life in our words and our actions each day. 

5. For all missionaries and evangelizers. May their zeal for sharing their faith with others bring Christ’s light to the world. 

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

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

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

Catholic Dismissal Blessing for blessing of couple for anniversary of marriage

Bow down for the blessing:

Then the Priest, with hands extended over the couple, says:

May God the all-powerful Father

grant you his joy. ± Amen.

May the Only Begotten Son of God

stand by you with compassion in good times and in bad.

± Amen.

May the Holy Spirit

always pour forth his love into your hearts.

± Amen.

And may almighty God bless all of you, who are gathered here,

the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

± Amen.