Got a news release from the PR Newswire saying that the Knights of Columbus is asking its members and all Catholics to pray for the pope and the Church in anticipation of Pope Benedict XVI’s retirement, scheduled for the end of this month.
It also featured this prayer and attributed it to Knights of Columbus Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore. It’s linked as a pdf on the Knights’ website, but I still have no official word regarding the author. Regardless of who wrote the prayer, it’s still worth sharing:
O Lord Jesus Christ, Supreme Pastor of Your Church,
we thank you for the ministry of Pope Benedict XVI
and the selfless care with which he has led us
as Successor of Peter, and Your Vicar on earth.Good Shepherd, who founded Your Church
on the rock of Peter’s faith
and have never left Your flock untended,
look with love upon us now,
and sustain Your Church in faith, hope, and charity.Grant, Lord Jesus, in Your boundless love for us,
a new Pope for Your Church
who will please You by his holiness
and lead us faithfully to You,
who are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
And here is the statement from Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.
UPDATE (Feb. 19):
The Knights of Columbus launched a prayer campaign during this time of papal transition. Feel free to record your pledge at www.PrayfortheChurch.com. Should you officially pledge, your name will be brought to the Installation Mass for the new pope.
Interested in a physical prayer card for your parish, school or council? Call (203) 752-4483 or email communications@kofc.org.
You can also directly Tweet the pope with something as simple as “I am praying for you,” a Knights of Columbus press release said and the hashtag #prayerforthechurch to the pope’s Twitter account: @pontifex.
Supreme Knight Anderson serves on several Vatican committees, and has worked both with Pope Benedict XVI and with his predecessor Blessed John Paul II.
