Palm Sunday Prayer Vigil

How to organize a prayer vigil at your parish

  1. After each Mass on Palm Sunday get a small group of individuals to hand out flyers, each with a purple ribbon attached, that state the following:

      Prayer Vigil for Accountability
      “ Our Catholic Church nationwide is beset by more problems than have been seen in many years. Join us in a Prayer Vigil for Accountability for our Catholic Church on Palm Sunday evening at (time) at (location).

      If you can’t attend our prayer service, please read the prayer below, as well as the two readings listed, sometime this evening. Light a candle in your window while saying the prayer and the readings to show solidarity with your fellow Catholics.

      Please wear this purple ribbon to show your solidarity with Catholics around the country and the world.

      Our first reading is from Mathew 15:27

      Through dialogue, a foreign woman, moves Christ to change his mind. Her faith opens his heart and mind. Because of her, Christ sees his mission in entirely new terms.

      Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.


      Our second reading is also from Matthew 7:7

      This passage from Matthew deals with the very nature of prayer and expectations. It is very important to note the use of “action” verbs….ask, search, knock. If you are looking for God’s wisdom and help you must act.

      “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will open. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

      Prayer for Accountability

      Generous and loving God,

      We are yours. We ask for the strength and wisdom to move forward, to act humbly and powerfully in building up your reign in this troubled world, in our troubled Church.

      We understand and accept our mission as the Body of Christ. Help us to live it out. At baptism we were joined with Christ, anointed as Priest, Prophet and King.

      We accept the responsibility of being church. We understand that with this responsibility comes the need for us to all work together to understand the workings of our church and to never put the institution before God’s children. Help us create an environment where all of us in our Church are accountable to each other, where our communication is open and honest and all issues are a shared responsibility.

      Fortify us for the work of protecting all children and the renewal of your church. It is your Light we seek; the Light that brings healing, dialogue, and respectful collaboration. May your Holy Spirit continue to guide us, bring us hope, and keep us moving forward, grounded in our love and knowledge of you. May you bless our actions. We ask this, as we ask all things, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

      Let other Catholics know about this Prayer Vigil for Accountability. Email your friends a link to the following web address so they can join us.

  2. Keep your prayer service simple. Follow the format, which appears at the following web address. Do no speeches at the prayer service. Do not turn the prayer service into a rally. It should be a prayerful event that will draw the broadest number of people. Try to get this vigil in your Church bulletin.

  3. Call your local media to see if they will be interested in covering your participation in this nationwide prayer event. If you want to do interviews with the media after the service has concluded to get certain points across about problems in your diocese, that’s OK as long as the tone remains dignified and respectful given the holy season we are entering. For possible facts about very recent problems in the Church that you can speak about with media, click here.)

  4. The following is a link to a sample press release you can use.
  5. Invite your parish priests, the staff – and your bishop.

    As a common courtesy let your pastor know that you will be handing out this vigil notice after Mass.

  6. If you are organizing a prayer service, email John Moynihan at the national Voice of the Faithful office (jmoynihan@votf.org) with the date, time, and location so that we can list it on our web site.



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