Catholic Day of Action: Praying with Dreamers
February 27, 2018
Prayer
Leaders: Welcome
We want to thank you for taking time
from your very busy lives to join the Catholic Community for a day of prayer
and action with Dreamers.
It’s time for Congress to do the right
thing by Dreamers who are our neighbors, our students, our parishioners, and
friends. It’s time—it’s long past time—for
Congress to protect our communities and pass a clean Dream Act without additions that harm our immigrant communities,
without threats to family unity, and without further militarization of border
communities.
We recall how often Dreamers, and our
immigrant communities, fail to find welcome, fail to find acceptance, and fail
to find solidarity. And we ask forgiveness.
Sing:
This is Holy Ground
Prayer
Leader: Opening Prayer
Let us pray. Loving God, you have given
us in your Word the stories of persons who were forced to leave their
homelands—Abraham, Sarah, Ruth, Moses. You sent us your son Jesus whose life
was filled with travel and flight from enemies. We ask you, our God, to open
our minds and hearts to the invitation to model your perfect example of love
and to share the journey with those who seek welcome. Amen.
Leader
of the Rosary:
We gather today to pray that ancient Catholic
prayer, the rosary. We gather as a believing community here in the site of our
elected leaders. We pray for them, knowing that God can open minds and
transform hearts. And we commend Dreamers, and all our immigrant sisters and brothers,
into the loving hands of our Blessed Mother, Mary.
And so we begin, as is our custom . .
.
In
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Apostles
Creed:
I
believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and
in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the
Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose
again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at
the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He
shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the
Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of
sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Our
Father:
Our
Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail
Mary (3x):
Hail Mary full
of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray
for us sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen.
Glory
Be
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Today we pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of
the rosary remembering the passion of Jesus and sharing the suffering of
Dreamers.
First
Mystery Reader:
The first sorrowful mystery, the agony in the garden (Mark 14:34-42)
If a Non-Dreamer Leader: Part of Christ’s suffering was that he
endured it alone. The Apostles slumbered while his persecutors approached. Are
we asleep as well? Do we recognize the injustice of current immigration policy?
Do we speak on behalf of Dreamers and their families?
If a Dreamer Leader: Part of Christ’s suffering was that he
endured it alone. The Apostles slumbered while his persecutors approached. Are
we asleep as well? Like Jesus, I, too, have
felt alone on this painful journey. Do you recognize the injustice of our immigration
policy? Will you stand on behalf of me
and my fellow Dreamers?
We pray for the grace of solidarity with those who are denied welcome
in our country.
Rosary Leader: Our Father; Hail Mary (10x); Glory Be
Second
Mystery Reader:
The second sorrowful mystery, the
scourging at the pillar (John 19:1)
Non-Dreamer Leader: Pilate used torture to try to force a
confession from Jesus. Today, Dreamers who, with their parents, fled to the
United States to escape violence and torture are often deported or imprisoned
for failing to possess proper documents.
We pray for forgiveness for our silence and we beg for the courage to
speak out for justice.
Rosary Leader: Our Father; Hail Mary (10x); Glory Be
Third
Mystery Reader:
The third sorrowful mystery, the crowning
with thorns (Matthew 27:27-30)
If a Non-Dreamer Leader: Jesus’ captors were not content with
torture; they humiliated him, crowned him with thorns, and mocked him. Racism, prejudice,
cruel stereotypes, and verbal abuse are the thorns that pierce many new
migrants as they seek work, housing, and education for their children.
If a Dreamer Leader: Jesus’
captors were not content with torture; they humiliated him, crowned him with
thorns, and mocked him. Racism, prejudice, cruel stereotypes, and verbal abuse
are the thorns that pierce many Dreamers as we seek work, housing, and
education for our children.
We pray for compassion and for the grace to heal the wounds that divide
us.
Rosary Leader: Our Father; Hail Mary (10x); Glory Be
Fourth
Mystery Reader:
The fourth sorrowful mystery the carrying
of the cross (Luke 23:26)
Non-Dreamer Reader: The burden of the Cross was so great that
without the help of Simon of Cyrene, Jesus would have been crushed by its
weight. Often, Dreamers bear crushing guilt because they survived when their parents
or relatives were deported or died horribly in our deserts or our jails. Who
can endure this alone?
We pray for the grace to be present to their suffering and help them
carry their burden.
Rosary Leader: Our Father; Hail Mary (10x); Glory Be
Fifth
Mystery Reader
The fifth sorrowful mystery, the crucifixion
(Mark 15:37)
If a Non-Dreamer Leader: And with a loud cry, he breathed his
last and died. Do DACA recipients cry when their status expires and their
dreams of education, safety and work die? Or when a legislator tells them that
the only home they know, is not their home? Or when their citizen children are told they
don’t belong?
If a Dreamer Leader: And
with a loud cry, he breathed his last and died. We, DACA recipients also cried when
DACA, our ticket to safety, was ended. We cry when our dreams of education,
housing and work die, or when our citizen children are told they don’t
belong.
We pray for the grace to understand that no human being is illegal,
that every life is sacred, and that each person must be welcomed with reverence.
Rosary Leader: Our Father; Hail
Mary (10x); Glory Be
In the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Closing Song:
·
Here I am Lord
·
The Servant Song
Many thanks to Mary Ellen Lacy,
DC who developed the original prayer from which this adapted.
