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These prayers are intended to be used on
occasions to celebrate Blessed Edmund, or for any prayer service that would
have a theme around our founder and/or the Congregation. They all can be
adapted in various ways. Just click on one of the buttons above to take you
to the service indicated.
Blessed
Edmund's Our Father
(Would everyone read the bold
part of the prayer, and our readers alternate the italic part - please pray
this very slowly)
Our Father ... who always
stands with the weak, the powerless, the poor, the abandoned, those that
must sneak off to "the hedgerow schools" of our day, hiding their lamps
under bushel baskets.
Who art in heaven ...
where everything will be reversed; where the first will be last and the last
will be first; where Mary, Edmund's wife and his daughter and all our
beloved dead will greet us and welcome us home,' where grieving will be no
more.
Hallowed by thy name ...
for you are a God who desires intimacy with us,' who calls each of us by
name and calls each of us "my beloved son" and "my beloved daughter,'" who
called Edmund to pray and mourn and steep himself in holy scripture and the
spirituality of a God who has many "interior castles " for each of us.
Thy kingdom come ... a
kingdom where we wake up to our destinies in you; where we find Edmund and
the early brothers struggling to teach young people just as we struggle "to
do and to teach."
Thy will be done ... open
our freedom, to let you in, so that the complete love that flows through and
Edmund to listen to your will in times of great struggle. Help us also to
listen with constancy and great sensitivity
On earth as in heaven ...
may the work of our hands, the schools and temples and structures we build
in this world, reflect the values of heaven which are joy, graciousness,
tenderness and justice. Make us all CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
Give us this day ... Not
tomorrow. Do not let us put off being whole and holy, being your face to our
students and the world, being, like Edmund, men and women who seek out the
prisoner, the disenfranchised and the "Black Johnny" in our midst. *
Our daily bread ... which
you have become in us, in all, in Eucharist and in the bread of the
hospitality which Edmund showed and lived whether in the shoe shop, the
bakery, the business office or the classroom.
And forgive us our trespasses
... forgive us our blindness toward each other. Help us really see the
person in front of us as your face and not just as a burden. Forgive our
racism, our sexism, our incurable propensity to fret about tomorrow and help
us in Edmund's own words to know deeply that "providence is our
inheritance."
As we forgive those who trespass
against us ... God forbid us to grow bitter in spirit or despairing
and even when we are maligned by our own as Edmund was, help us to forgive,
to bless and not curse. Why? Because that is exactly what you did Jesus!
And lead us not into temptation
... for none of us is without sin.
But deliver
us from evil ... that is, from the blindness that lets us not see
ourselves, each other, and our wounded world as brothers and sisters, saints
in training, lovers in the Holy Trinity, sons and daughters of Mother Mary,
disciples of a God who called Edmund and all of us to a reality that we can
only imagine.
Amen ...
I believe, Yes Lord, Maranatha, Jesus, live in our hearts forever!
Composed by
Al Widziewicz (Edmund Rice Institute)
PETITIONS BASED ON EDMUND’S SAYINGS
Response:
Lord, Hear Our Prayer
1. Edmund said, "Cast
all your cares into the arms of Divine Providence." We pray that our trust
in the goodness and kindness of God will never waiver. We pray to the
Lord R/
2. Edmund said, "Have
courage, the good seed will grow up in the children's hearts later on." We
pray that we will never be discouraged in the mission of Brotherhood and
will always endeavor to sow good seeds in the hearts of those we serve.
We pray to the Lord R/
3. Edmund said, "The
world and everything in it is continually changing ... Perfect happiness is
not to be expected but in another world." We pray that we shall not be
afraid of changes and not hesitate to make the changes necessary for living
Brotherhood in our times. We pray to the Lord
R/
4. Edmund said, "Be
intent on prayer and whatever may happen will turn to our good." We pray
that we may grow as people committed to prayer. We pray to the Lord
R/
5. Edmund said, "One
thing you may be sure of, that whilst you work for God, whether you succeed
or not, God will amply reward you." We pray that we will always remember
that God asks us to be faithful. For faithfulness to living Jesus' gospel in
community and in mission. We pray to the Lord
R/
6. Edmund said, "Were
we to know the merit and value of only going from one street to another to
serve a neighbor for the love of God, we shall prize it more than silver or
gold." We pray that we will continue to commit ourselves in faith to the
building of Christ-centered communities as Brothers. We pray to the Lord
R/
CREED OF EDMUND'S PEOPLE
We believe the God fire burning in our
hearts can transform both
ourselves and our world.
We believe we are called by God to a
deep personal relationship with Jesus,
the lover of all creation, as
a brother.
We believe we are called to be good
news people.
We believe we are called to be
stewards of creation.
We believe we are called to keep our
hearts and minds open
and attentive to God’s will.
We believe we are called to witness by
prophetic action
to our option to the poor,
the oppressed, and people at the margins.
We believe we are called to immerse
ourselves in the culture
in which we live and work.
We believe in community which is
prayerful,
inclusive and welcoming.
We believe our international
brotherhood is a witness to a search for
global unity.
We believe it is in facing our own
fragility
that we can accompany others
in theirs.
We believe in sharing eucharist and
reconciliation that we are drawn
beyond ourselves to the
mystery of God.
We believe others share the charism of
Edmund,
and are one with us in
living it out.
We
hear the call to live justly,
love tenderly and
to walk humbly with our God.
Amen.
MAGNIFICAT OF THE CHRISTIAN
BROTHER
Today
and every day, we live and proclaim the greatness of God;
We cherish the loving presence
of Jesus in our lives;
We honor the gifts the Spirit
has conferred upon us,
and we commit these gifts
to the service of God's Church.
Through
fidelity to our vows, through personal and communal prayer,
and through the enrichment of our
community life,
we are called to live a deep
relationship with Jesus,
and we open our hearts to
love each other
and to love all God's
people.
We
are endowed with the charism of Blessed Edmund Rice.
It allows us to trust in the Providence
of God,
to affirm the dignity of all
persons,
to work for peace in a truly just society,
;
and to live a life of love and compassion.
As
men committed to international brotherhood,
we seek global solidarity in one
God.
We stand with the marginalized,
and we challenge injustices
wherever we meet them.
We acknowledge our brokenness and
fragility,
and we claim the growth that God's
healing brings to us.
We acclaim the Edmund Rice Family as a
gift to the Church and to the world,
and we work in partnership with
all authentic expressions of Edmund's charism.
As
a model of discipleship and of faith,
as one called to make visible God
dwelling among us,
Mary is our patron and our protection.
God
has blessed us and gifted us.
God has called us to love, to
service, to brotherhood.
-
Brother Daniel Casey (Western US)
LITANY OF BLESSED
EDMUND RICE
Glory to you, God our Creator ... Breathe into us
new life, new
meaning.
Glory to you, God
our Savior ... Lead us in the way of
peace and justice.
Glory to you,
healing Spirit ... Transform us to empower
others.
Blessed Edmund,
Model of strength ... Be our guide.
Model of risk
Model of
gentleness
Model of trust
Model of courage
Model of patience
Model of openness
Model of
perseverance
Teacher of the
uneducated ... Pray for us
Teacher of the
poor
Teacher of the
marginalized
Widowed husband
Single father
Friend of a
political prisoner
Friend of the
condemned
Friend of the
executed criminal
Liberator of the
oppressed ... Lead us to life.
Comforter of the
afflicted
Breaker of
bondage
Sharer in
Christ's ministry
Participant in
Christ's passion
Seeker of God's
will
Brother of mercy ... Empower
us.
Brother of faith
Brother of
contemplation
Brother of vision
Brother of wisdom
and understanding
Brother of grace
and truth
Brother, filled
with hope
Brother, centered
in God
Closing
Prayer
Blessed Edmund,
in whose steps we follow, we entrust our lives to you.
Shelter us from
ignorance, selfishness and oppression.
Teach us to live
in peace, to educate ourselves for justice and peace.
Inspire us to act
justly, to revere all God has made.
Root peace firmly
in our hearts and in our world. Amen.
Adapted from ‘Litany of Mary of Nazareth’ from Pax Christi
BLESSED
EDMUND RICE PRAYER
O God, we thank you
for the life of Blessed Edmund Rice.
He opened his heart to Christ
present in those oppressed by poverty and injustice.
May we follow his example of faith and generosity.
Grant us the courage and compassion of Blessed Edmund
as we seek to live lives of live and service.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
PRAYER FOR A FAVOR
O God, you inspired
Blessed Edmund Rice to follow your son
in a life of consecrated service of the poor
and of all in need of a truly Christian education.
Grant through his intercession the petition I now make
…………………..
I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SPIRIT PRAYER
OF BLESSED EDMUND
Spirit of God, grant us the
LOVE which filled the heart of Blessed Edmund,
inspiring him to give all for
you.
Spirit of God, grant us the
JOY of Blessed Edmund
who found this happiness in
seeing and serving you in the poor.
Spirit of God, grant us the
PEACE of Blessed Edmund
who trusted in you and your
providence through countless difficulties.
Spirit of God, grant us the
PATIENCE of Blessed Edmund
who held to being a person of
faith even when misunderstood and opposed.
Spirit of God, grant us the
KINDNESS of Blessed Edmund
who always had time for the
smallest and weakest.
Spirit of God, grant us the
GOODNESS of Blessed Edmund
whose broad vision saw ways
all around him to spread the goodness of the kingdom.
Spirit of God, grant us the
GENTLENESS of Blessed Edmund
who brought the gentleness of
Christ to all his relationships.
Spirit of God, grant us the
FAITHFULNESS of Blessed Edmund
who did not give in to
discouragement.
Spirit of God, grant us the
SELF CONTROL of Blessed Edmund
who prayed constantly that
your will be done in him.
Creator God, to live in your
Spirit is not to be complete but to be open,
not to be perfect but to be
growing,
not to have arrived but to be
firmly on the way.
Help us to continue on the
path of Jesus
in the way of Blessed Edmund
and to be faithful to the gift and spirit he has left us.
We ask this in Jesus’ name.
AMEN.
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