PRAYING FOR THE NEEDS OF THE WORLD

Prayer

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

PRAYING FOR THE NEEDS OF THE WORLD:
THE GENERAL INTERCESSIONS

During the celebration of the Eucharist, the Church provides an opportunity for those assembled to pray for all humanity. These prayers are called the "general intercessions" or "the prayer of the faithful", and are to follow this order:

1) Prayer for the needs of the Church,
2) Prayer for public authorities and the salvation of the world,
3) Prayer for those suffering from any need,
4) Prayers for the local community.

You have probably noticed this pattern at our liturgies.

At St. Julie, we have the custom of singing the General Intercessions. This limits the length of our intercessions as opposed to the length that is possible if the prayers are recited. For that reason we are not able to name specific tragedies or natural disasters. These are, however, included in the sung petitions; for example: "For an end to war and bloodshed among nations..."; "For innocent victims of hatred and violence..." Our prayer, then, includes all those who are suffering from the evils of war or other acts of violence, wherever they may be.

In order to specify particular cases of war violence, or loss of innocent lives, we mention them in the announcements before Mass, and the Presider mentions them again when he names the sick and the deceased.

The prayers for the local community include intercessions for special events like First Communion, Confirmation, etc., prayers for parishioners’ health and holiness, and prayers for the sick of the community and those who have died.

Since the Church enjoins us to pray for all humanity, our intercessions are phrased so that they include the needs and sufferings of all people. As mentioned above, our national or local needs are named specifically in the announcements before Mass and in the prayers for the sick and the deceased.

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