Rejoicing in Hope

A Prayer Service to ask God’s blessing upon the Apostolic Visit of the Holy Father Pope Francis to DR Congo and South Sudan
Monday 30 January 2023 h 17.30 

PRAYER TO ASK GOD'S BLESSING
UPON THE HOLY FATHER'S VISIT
TO DR CONGO AND SOUTH SUDAN

God of Mercy and Compassion,
We implore you to look upon
our Holy Father Francis
with your loving kindness
as he journeys
to the Democratic Republic of Congo
and the Republic of South Sudan.

The Holy Father goes as the Vicar of Christ,
to give tangible witness
to your love for all of your people,
and especially those who are most abandoned
and most forgotten
in this world.
Through the Holy Father's visit,
may the peoples of these countries
be blessed with a profound experience
of your closeness and tenderness.

We pray, too, for the future of the people
of these countries,
that the Holy Father's visit might inspire them
to lay aside war and violence
and to come together
in the pursuit of the dream
of a better future,
a future in which
the promise of God's reign on Earth is realized:
a future in which the dignity of all is respected,
a future of conversion and reconciliation,
a future of justice and peace,
a future of love and mercy
a future in which all may
see themselves and one another
as sisters and brothers in Christ,
as sisters and brothers of one Father.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.