Replies

Well, yes ... but on the other hand, aren't we praying for nobody to give a flying FReep about our suffering?

Not buzzackly, IMHO. We're praying that what others think of us not be so important to us.

It's like "blessings" or what Catholics call "consolations"; like what Mother Angelica said. We want God. We want God to think about us, and to give us the grace to care about each other.

But if what He gives is more important than who He is, I think we're not doing it right yet.

Further, to cease to fixate on consolations is not to turn consolations away any more than it is to crave them. When we are consoled, we are grateful. When we are in an arid spell, there is still plenty to be grateful for. When you think of me, I am consoled. When you don't, is that a reason for my love to be any less?

Sorry, not being clear. Distracted.

Spiritual Pilgrimage With Pope Benedict XVI

Heavenly Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name, we humbly ask that you sustain, inspire, and protect your servant, Pope Benedict XVI, as he goes on pilgrimage to Turkey – a land to which St. Paul brought the Gospel of your Son; a land where once the Mother of your Son, the Seat of Wisdom, dwelt; a land where faith in your Son’s true divinity was definitively professed. Bless our Holy Father, who comes as a messenger of truth and love to all people of faith and good will dwelling in this land so rich in history. In the power of the Holy Spirit, may this visit of the Holy Father bring about deeper ties of understanding, cooperation, and peace among Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, and those who profess Islam. May the prayers and events of these historic days greatly contribute both to greater accord among those who worship you, the living and true God, and also to peace in our world so often torn apart by war and sectarian violence.

We also ask, O Heavenly Father, that you watch over and protect Pope Benedict and entrust him to the loving care of Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Fatima, a title cherished both by Catholics and Muslims. Through her prayers and maternal love, may Pope Benedict be kept safe from all harm as he prays, bears witness to the Gospel, and invites all peoples to a dialogue of faith, reason, and love. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer composed by Bishop William E. Lori, Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, for the Spiritual Pilgrimage with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his Nov. 28-Dec. 1 pastoral visit to Turkey.