At the moment is the feast of Saint Juan Diego – you possibly can learn his lovely story here. Juan Diego (canonized in 2002) is the patron saint the indigenous folks of the Americas. His feast day is a prelude to the feast of Our Woman of Guadalupe (patron of the Americas) which might be noticed on Monday, December 12. In my homily at mass this morning, I shared this prayer from the site of the US Convention of Catholic Bishops. The prayer addresses the plight of indigenous and migrant folks – whose tales are within the information daily…
St. Juan Diego,
our first saint from the Americas, pray for us.
We ask God the Father to pour forth the protective love of his Spirit
upon all migrants, taking particular heed of these in want of assist,
who
are remoted or separated from their native lands,
whether or not by alternative or
necessity.
St. Juan Diego, intercede for these torn away from their households
in
pursuit of labor that they might be reunited:
husbands with wives and
mother and father with youngsters.
Because the Virgin of Guadalupe promised you her compassionate prayers
for
the poor of Mexico,
so now elevate your merciful pleading for migrant
girls and kids
who’re notably weak to the hazards of
human trafficking.
Look for them safety from all evil.
Might we, O Blessed Juan Diego, obtain by your prayers,
the grace
to welcome with like to our nation all migrants
who search a house in our
parishes and communities.
And we ask that you simply be part of your prayers to these of Our Woman,
who
appeared to you as your Mom and as Mom of all in our land.
Might she
wrap her mantle of safety round all migrant folks.
We beg for her love, compassion, assist, and safety
on all
immigrants who right now expertise nice sufferings, sorrows,
requirements,
and misfortunes.
Within the shared energy of Christ
and the union of the Holy Spirit,
we are saying: Amen.
