For use during the Fortnight for Freedom United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
This prayer may be prayed in a group setting led by a leader of prayer, who begins the litany with the introduction and the announcement of each invocation, or if it is prayed individually, the individual prays the entire prayer.
INTRODUCTION
Christ the Lord has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Let us turn to him in humble but fervent petition,
seeking the grace to root out from our hearts all trace of darkness, and all that holds us back
from walking in the full freedom of the children of God.
As Christ is our great model for that inner freedom,
which enables us to do the right, let us turn to him with confidence that we, too, may follow him to the fullness of spiritual freedom.
 Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy;
Jesus, victor over sin and death...
Jesus, source of light and hope...
Jesus, fullness of truth and mystery...
Jesus, teacher of seeking hearts...
Jesus, healer of body and soul...
Jesus, bringer of mercy and justice...
Jesus, who humble the heart and mind... Jesus, release of captives...
Jesus, voice against violence...
Jesus, courage for the lowly/downtrodden... Jesus, origin of all authority and power...
Jesus, true lawgiver...
Jesus, unity of order and passion...
Jesus, freedom of the Spirit...
Jesus, obedient Son of the Father.
.. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Free our hearts. Free our hearts.
Free our hearts. Free our hearts.
Free our hearts. Free our hearts.
Free our hearts. Free our hearts.
Free our hearts. Free our hearts.
Free our hearts. Free our hearts.
Free our hearts. Free our hearts.
Free our hearts. For the freedom to love...
For the freedom to believe...
For the freedom to hope...
For the freedom to worship...
For the freedom to serve in charity...
For the freedom to care for the suffering...
For the freedom to comfort the sick...
For the freedom to feed the hungry...
For the freedom to shelter the homeless...
For the freedom to proclaim the Gospel...
For the freedom to walk in chastity...
For the freedom to live in peace...
For the freedom to work in good conscience...
For the freedom to stand in solidarity...
For the freedom to seek justice...
For the freedom to reject sin...
For the freedom to reject coercion...
For the freedom to reject falsehood...
For the freedom to reject evil temptations...
For the freedom to reject injustice...
Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace. Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace. Give us your grace.
Give us your grace.
CLOSING PRAYER O God, who gave one origin to all peoples and willed to gather from them one family for yourself,
fill all hearts, we pray, with the fire of your love and kindle in them a desire
for the just advancement of their neighbor,
that, through the good things which you richly bestow upon all, each human person may be brought to perfection,
every division may be removed,
and equity and justice may be established in human society.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.
Amen.
[Collect for the Mass For the Progress of the Peoples, Masses for Various Needs and Occasions
January 5, St. John Neumann John Neumann was born in Bohemia on March 20, 1811. Since he had a great desire to dedicate himself to the American missions, he came to the United States as a cleric and was ordained in New York in 1836 by Bishop Dubois. In 1840, John Neumann entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists). He labored in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland. In 1852, he was consecrated bishop of Philadelphia. There he worked hard for the establishment of parish schools and for the erection of many parishes for the numerous immigrants. Bishop Neumann died on January 5, 1860; he was beatified in 1963.
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January 13, Feast of the Baptism of Christ Today we celebrate the baptism of Christ in the Jordan. This is the second epiphany, or manifestation, of the Lord. The past, the present, and the future are made manifest in this epiphany. The most holy one placed Himself among us, the unclean and sinners. The Son of God freely humbled Himself at the hand of the Baptist. By His baptism in the Jordan, Christ manifests His humility and dedicates Himself to the redemption of man. He takes upon Himself the sins of the whole world and buries them in the waters of the Jordan. The Light of the World by Benedict Baur, O.S.B.
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