Guided by the shrines around the world, all the faithful during the month of May unite in the recitation of the Holy Rosary to ask for the end of the pandemic and the resumption of social and work activities.
Praying-for-the-end-of-pandemic_liturgical-guide.pdf
In response to the Holy Father's heartfelt wish, the month of May will be dedicated to a "marathon" of prayer, to ask for the end of the pandemic, which has afflicted the world for more than a year now, and to ask for the resumption of social and work activities. Pope Francis wishes to involve all the shrines around the world in this initiative, so that they may become vehicles of the prayer of the entire Church. The initiative is being conducted in the light of the biblical expression: "Prayer by the Church was fervently being made to God" (Acts 12:5).
The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, entrusted by the Holy Father with the task of organizing the event, has extended this invitation to all the Shrines around the world, in order to promote the diffusion of the initiative in the relevant Regions, so as to reach priests, families, and all the faithful, inviting them to join in this prayer of intercession and hope to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Together with the prayer of the Holy Rosary, each day of the month is characterized by a prayer intention for the various categories of people most affected by the plight of the pandemic: for those who have not been able to say goodbye to their loved ones, for all health care personnel, for the poor, the homeless and those in economic difficulty and for all the deceased. These are some of the intentions that will punctuate our prayer to Our Lady.
“Every shrine around the world is invited to pray ... asking for the resumption of social life, work, and the many human activities that were suspended during the pandemic”, says the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. “This common appeal seeks to create an unceasing intercession, dispersed over the meridians of the world, which rises continuously from the entire Church to the Father through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
The Rosary, led from a different Marian Sanctuary each day during May, is being broadcast by Vatican Media, beginning at 5.00pm Irish time.
Knock Shrine will participate in this global Rosary initiative on Monday, May 10th, at 5.00pm Irish time.