By LifeSiteNews (Faith) | Created at 2024-11-18 20:24:07 | Updated at 2024-11-21 12:32:37
2 days ago
Mon Nov 18, 2024 - 3:14 pm EST
Add your name to the spiritual bouquet for President Trump
(LifeSiteNews) – Bishop Strickland has informed LifeSiteNews that he will be taking part in our nine-day novena dedicated to the well-being of President Donald Trump and his conversion to the Catholic faith.
Soon after the election, the bishop stated that the American people’s decision in favor of President Trump was “a step in the right direction” and an “opportunity.”
“My attitude for this election is that it has given us an opportunity, but an opportunity that we can’t take for granted,” Bishop Strickland said.
“We can’t become complacent,” he warned. “We can’t breathe a sigh of relief and say, ‘Okay, now we have a president that will lead us out of this darkness.’ Hopefully, he will convert more deeply to Christ, along with all the administration, all the leaders that were elected. We must continue to pray for our leaders, men and women, sinners, dealing with the corruption, and sometimes giving into the corruption, in our world.”
The bishop added: “We must pray for our leaders – as we pray for ourselves, our families, and our Church – to more and more turn to the truth that God has revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ, Truth Incarnate.”
RELATED: Bishop Strickland: Trump’s election is an opportunity for Catholics to share the faith more boldly
Other participants will include Deacon Keith Fournier and Fathers David Nix, Chris Alar, and James Altman, and of course LifeSiteNews readers are warmly invited to join us!
The novena will begin on the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, November 21, and end on the Vigil of Saint Andrew, November 29.
We will compile a list of the names of everyone who signs the pledge to participate in the novena and present it by email to President Trump as a “spiritual bouquet” on St. Andrew’s Day, November 30. Fr. James Altman has agreed to deliver a paper copy to the president-elect’s home in Mar-a-Lago when he visits.
Here, again, is the Novena Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in the name of Thy Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, we beseech Thee to look with favor upon Thy servant, President Donald Trump, as he assumes his public office. Guide him in this task by Thy Holy Spirit. Draw him ever closer to Thyself. Surround him with men and women of living faith. Give him heavenly wisdom to accomplish his work here on earth.
Make him a man of prayer. Give him an ever-deepening hunger for the Truth found in Thy Holy Word and the teaching of Thy Church. Pour forth upon him the spirit of wisdom, charity, and true service. May St. Michael the Archangel protect him against the evil one. Please Lord, help him to both discern – and work for – the real common good. Use him to promote authentic peace and justice, in this nation, and with other nations.
Lead him to embrace Thy One True Faith. Enlighten his mind with Thy Holy Spirit that he may defend the sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural death. May he protect and defend authentic marriage, and the family and the social order founded upon it. May he promote authentic human freedom, including economic freedom, governing with a heart for the poor.
May he recognize, affirm and uphold the Natural Moral Law and Thy Divine Law in his exercise of governance as the President of the United States of America. Grant him the grace to turn away from all forms of evil and self-interest, and to lead with humility, integrity, and compassion. O Lord, we place President Trump in Thy hands. May he always seek to serve Thee above all, and lead with a heart transformed by Thy love. And we ask for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Patroness of the United States of America, for him, his family and our nation. Amen.
During his recent and successful campaign, President Trump shared on X (formerly Twitter) an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on September 8, the Feast of her Nativity, and publicly wished her a happy birthday. On September 29, he posted Guido Reni’s 1636 painting of St. Michael defeating Satan under a transcription of the Prayer to St. Michael. Although President Trump has sadly weakened his stance in defense of the unborn in recent years, Catholics were pleased (or intrigued) by his tweets. The then-candidate also took part, as is customary, in this year’s Al Smith Dinner hosted by the Archdiocese of New York, unlike his rival for the presidential office, current Vice President Kamala Harris.
RELATED: Trump calls Kamala Harris’ decision to skip Al Smith Dinner ‘very disrespectful’ to Catholics
On Truth Social, Trump accused the Biden-Harris administration of anti-Catholic persecution, possibly a reference to FBI plans to spy on Traditional Latin Mass communities and the arrest of Catholic pro-life witness Mark Houck at his home in front of his children. (It is worth noting, too, that the FBI targeted another Catholic pro-life witness, Mark Reno, who died in prison after a false accusation and was posthumously framed for the arson of an abortion clinic.)
“It’s sad, but not surprising, that Kamala has decided not to attend,” Trump posted. “I don’t know what she has against our Catholic friends, but it must be a lot, because she certainly hasn’t been very nice to them, in fact, Catholics are literally being persecuted by this Administration.”
56% of Catholics who voted in the presidential eletions responded to the Biden Administration by voting for Trump. Only 41 percent of voting Catholics made their mark for Harris.
Add your name to the spiritual bouquet for President Trump
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