Bishop McGrath, in conjunction with the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, has called on all parishes to dedicate the month of October, Mary’s month, to prayer for victims and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, and those who enabled them.
On Monday, October 1, there will be a prayer service at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, beginning at 7:00 pm. Every parish is asked to send representatives to this service. The bishop will commission those representatives who will return to their parishes as “a tangible sign of our unity in prayer.”
Each parish is asked to celebrate “an evening of prayer and adoration” on one night each week in October. This night will vary from parish to parish, depending on parish schedules. Please check your parish bulletins regarding when this will be in your parish.
In his letter to the priests, Bishop McGrath noted just some of the reasons to gather for this prayer: “Prayer for victims and survivors, prayer for the purification of the Church, prayer to continue to strengthen efforts aimed at the safety of children and all vulnerable persons and, finally, prayer to build up in Christ the Church as an instrument of God’s peace.”