day thirty

We give You thanks today, O God, for all of the people at the Casa who perform small acts of healing just by their presence: those who welcome strangers with a smile, those who listen when someone needs to talk, those who offer kind words, those who introduce friends and acquaintances to the Casa. In their kindness, they are the face of Christ.

day twenty-nine

We give You thanks today, O God, for what the Casa has done to reconcile people with the Church and to introduce a life of faith to people who had none. We are grateful, in particular, for the Casa’s Catholics Can Come Home and RCIA and ministries and for the work of the Casa’s priests and spiritual directors.

day twenty-eight

We give You thanks today, O God, for the many support groups that have gathered at the Casa over the years. In each of them, wounded people have come together to heal one another. They have discovered that even in their own suffering they can be ministers.

day twenty-seven

We give You thanks today, O God, for the healing power of the Sacraments celebrated at the Casa: Eucharist and Reconciliation that offer forgiveness and transformation; Baptism and Confirmation that initiate people into a new family and a new way of being; and Anointing of the Sick that is the ointment of mercy. In each sacrament, we experience the living Christ, the physician of our souls and bodies.

day twenty-six

We give You thanks today, O God, for the Casa’s ministers to the sick and dying who bring the Holy Eucharist to those suffering in homes and hospitals. In their sensitive and prayerful service they carry the spirit of the community’s Sunday liturgy to those isolated by their illnesses.

day twenty-five

We give You thanks today, O God, for the Casa’s hundreds of professional counselors who have tirelessly volunteered their time to give people the means to heal from life’s pains. They actively participate in God’s work by responding to those reaching out with hope for consolation.

week five

In celebration of the Casa’s 60th Anniversary, we pray for another holy and peaceful Advent season for our community. Help us to be open to transformation and adaptable to changes that unsettle us. Make us ready, Lord, for Christ’s constant coming into our lives.

This week, in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Franciscan Renewal Center, we remember all of its healing ministries that have given hope to so many people.