Prayer for the Election

Written on: December 6, 2022

LCWR Region III recently met at Harvey Cedars. While in small group discussion, sisters expressed their concerns about climate change, voting rights for all and the increasing rhetoric of hatred leading to violence. A Sister suggested hosting a reflective prayer service in our local areas prior to election day, November 8. Sr. Bridget asked Sister Diane and Sister Anita if they were interested in preparing a joint prayer service before elections.

On Sunday, November 6, the Sisters of the Redeemer hosted the prayer for the election in conjunction with the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart. Sisters from both Congregations, their Associates and other laity participated. Under the title, “Reflection on Our Values at Election Time” the prayer was a reflective time for all. Sisters Diane Bardol and Bridget Connor, GNSH and Sr. Anita Bolton, CSR led the prayer.

Sister Anita welcomed everyone.

Prayer began as everyone processed up the center aisle carrying a lit votive. These were placed in a container before the sanctuary as Canticle of Creation (Dan Schutte) was played.

In her introduction Sister Diane reminded those present that, “Living in a democracy is both an awesome gift which I (we) cannot take for granted and an awesome responsibility which I (we) cannot ignore. “

The rest of the prayer drew from both Scripture and from Laudato Si’.

We prayerfully reflected on the powerful words of Bishop Ken Untener:  

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.

We are prophets of a future not our own. Amen.

We ended our service singing Marty Haugen’s World Peace Prayer.

This entry was posted in From our Sisters and tagged: accomplish, Associates, Bishop Ken Untener, climate change, collaborative, concerns, democracy, efforts, election, gift, God's work, Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, kingdom, Laudato Si!, LCWR, lifetime, magnificent, peace prayer, prayer service, reflective, responsibility, rhetoric, scripture, Sisters of the Redeemer, values, violence, vision, voting rights