Moment of Prayer for the Synod: Wednesday May 31 2023

The General Secretariat of the Synod has invited the Synods of the Eastern Catholic churches, episcopal conferences and Marian shrines to celebrate a moment of prayer on Wednesday May 31, the liturgical memorial of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the end of the Marian month, to entrust to Mary, Mother of the Church, the work of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

Among the indications provided by the General Secretariat of the Synod is that the moment of prayer should be celebrated at a Marian shrine of particular national importance, or at several Marian shrines chosen for their representativeness, or in all the Marian shrines present in the territory.

The realisation of the moment of prayer is entrusted to each episcopal conference, which will be responsible for informing the diocesan ordinaries and the shrines of its ecclesiastical circumscription.

Individual parish communities, in agreement with their diocesan bishop, are also invited to celebrate a moment of prayer for the work of the Synod on that day.

A specific section is being developed at synodresources.org/31may2023/ with useful material for the preparation and realisation of the moment of prayer.

Prayer Entrusting the Synod to Mary

O Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, as disciples gathered around you to await the coming of the Holy Spirit, so we entrust ourselves to your protection as we seek to follow that same Spirit on the path of synodality.

Obtain for us, by your powerful intercession, grace to deepen our communion with our Lord and one another, charity to welcome full participation of all the baptised in the life of the Church, and courage to engage in Christ’s mission to the world.

Guide our bishops as they assemble this October, that they may build up the household of faith as they shepherd us along the way to eternal life in Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.

Amen