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UNITED KINGDOM: 100 days of prayer for the Pope
By John Newton
Pope Benedict XVI. Photo copyright Stefano Spaziani
Benefactors of Aid to the Church in Need have pledged to pray the equivalent of more than 100 days of continuous prayer for Pope Benedict XVI ahead of his visit to the UK in September.
Supporters have so far promised to spend 2,141 hours in Eucharistic adoration – the equivalent of more than 89 days . And they will also be saying 19,192 decades of the Rosary, which would take just under a fortnight to say.
The pledges are part of a Prayer-Action for the Pope, which was launched at the end of May. Participants are asked to show their solidarity for the Holy Father through both prayer and action to support the priorities he has outlined for Aid to the Church in Need.
Patricia Hatton, Aid to the Church in Need's head of fundraising, said: “We want to welcome Pope Benedict XVI when he comes.
“Aid to the Church in Need’s special Prayer-Action for the Holy Father is a wonderful opportunity to do that. We are inviting people to make a Gift of Faith and at the same time make a spiritual pledge.”
The charity is encouraging participants to support projects helping the Church in the Middle East, which is a priority at the request of the Pope.
In a message to the charity on its 60th anniversary in 2007, the Pope expressed his “great concern that local Churches in the Middle East are threatened in their very existence and that many Catholics are forced to live their faith without pastoral care or unable to profess total or in part in community and publicly”.
In response to the Pope’s request Aid to the Church in Need, which is a universal public association of the faithful, has expanded its help for Christians in the region.
Ms Hatton added: “Our benefactors’ prayer pledges are signs of faith and support for his holiness and their compassionate generosity is a true act of solidarity with Christians in the Middle East who are enduring so much.”
Aid to the Church in Need is offering those who support the Prayer-Action the opportunity to have their names included in a commemorative book that will be presented to the Pope or his representative.
Catholics have also been encouraged to offer a Mass for the Pope’s intentions through Aid to the Church in Need. The charity will ensure the Mass is celebrated by a priest in a country where the Church is in serious need.
Currently more than 7,000 benefactors have asked to have Mass offered by a priest in a country where Aid to the Church in Need is supporting the Faith.
There is still time to join in with Aid to the Church in Need’s Prayer-Action for the Pope. You can make your pledge online or call 020 8642 8668.