Holy Hour for Life, Marriage
and Religious Liberty

by Gary D. Penkala

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, as part of a five-point plan, have asked every church and cathedral in the U.S. to schedule a Holy Hour on the last Sunday of each month, starting December 30 [Holy Family] and ending November 24 [Christ the King]. Read more information here.

Two services follow, one led by clergy (including Benediction), the other led by laity.

Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage
and Religious Liberty

December 30 / January 27 / February 24 / March 31 / April 28 / May 26 / June 30 / July 28 / August 25 / September 29 / October 27 / November 24

In this Year of Faith, the Catholic Bishops of the United States have called for a nationwide effort to advance a movement for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty through prayer, penance, and sacrifice. Catholics across the nation are being encouraged to pray for rebuilding a culture favorable to life and marriage and for increased protections of religious liberty.

This call to prayer is prompted by unprecedented challenges to the Church and the nation, particularly the HHS Mandate and current trends in government and culture toward redefining marriage. The goal of this call to prayer is twofold: (1) to increase awareness of these challenges and (2) to build spiritual stamina and fortitude among the faithful so that we can be effective and joyful witnesses of faith, hope, and charity and agents of the New Evangelization.

Beginning on the Sunday after Christmas, the Feast of the Holy Family, the Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage and Religious Liberty has five components:

1. Monthly Eucharistic Holy Hours in cathedrals and parishes
2. Daily Rosary by families and individuals
3. Special Prayers of the Faithful at all Masses
4. Fasting and abstinence from meat on Fridays
5. A Fortnight for Freedom in June/July 2013

Join the movement! Pray for our nation. Pray for life, marriage and religious liberty.

I. Holy Hour (clergy-led) with Benediction

Organ Prelude

Entrance Hymn: O Saving Victim

Tune: Duguet, Werner, or other familiar LM tune

1. O saving Victim, op'ning wide
   The gate of heav'n to man below!
   Our foes press on from ev'ry side:
   Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow. 
   
   
2. To thy great name be endless praise,
   Immortal Godhead, One-in-Three:
   O grant us endless length of days
   When our true native land we see. Amen.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Opening Prayer

Celebrant: Let us pray. Lord our God, in this great Sacrament we come into the presence of Jesus Christ, Your Son, born of the Virgin Mary and crucified for our salvation. May we who declare our faith in this fountain of love and mercy drink from it the water of everlasting life. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

Scripture Reading

Quiet Meditation

• Part of the Liturgy of the Hours may be prayed.
• The Rosary or a Litany may be prayed.
• A homily may be preached.

Prayer for Life, Marriage and Religious Liberty

Celebrant: Together let us pray.

All: All powerful, ever-living God, we come before you at an important time on the history of our nation. Over two hundred years ago our country claimed its place among the families of nations; for what has been achieved we give you thanks, for the work that still remains we ask your help.

May our bishops, priests and all the faithful be strengthened by the grace of the Holy Spirit to continue proclaiming the dignity of all human life from conception to natural death, the unique meaning of marriage, and the importance of religious liberty for all. natural

May all who serve us in elected office be enlightened by your law in their hearts, that they enact laws and policies that uphold the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death, the dignity of marriage as the permanent, faithful and fruitful union of a man and a woman, and authentic liberty for all.

We turn to you, loving Father, with fervant prayer for our own parish, that we will always be aware of the dignity of all human life from conception to natural death, the beauty of God's plan for marriage, and the significance of full and authentic religious liberty.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Hymn: Humbly Let Us Voice Our Homage

Tune: Saint Thomas, Pange lingua, or other familiar 8.7.8.7.8.7 tune

1. Humbly let us voice our homage
      For so great a Sacrament:
   Let all former rites surrender
      To the Lord's New Testament;
   What our senses fail to fathom
      Let us grasp through faith's consent. 
   
   
2. Glory, honor, adoration
      Let us sing with one accord!
   Praised be God, almighty Father;
      Praised be Christ, his Son, our Lord;
   Praised be God the Holy Spirit;
      Triune Godhead be adored! Amen.

Celebrant: You have given them Bread from heaven (P.T. alleluia).
All: Having all sweetness within it (P.T. alleluia).

Celebrant: Let us pray. O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament have left us a memorial of your Passion, grant us, we pray, so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.

Benediction [Blessing]

Divine Praises

Each may be repeated after the celebrant.

• Blessed be God.
• Blessed be His Holy Name.
• Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
• Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
• Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
• Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
• Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
• Blessed be Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
• Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
• Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
• Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
• Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
• Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
• Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints.

Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Closing Hymn: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

Tune: Grosser Gott

1. Holy God, we praise Thy name! Lord of all, we bow before Thee.
   All on earth Thy scepter claim; All in heav'n above adore Thee.
   Infinite Thy vast domain, Everlasting is Thy reign,
   Infinite Thy vast domain, Everlasting is Thy reign. 
   
   
2. Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
   While in essence only One, Undivided God we claim Thee;
   And adoring, bend the knee, While we own the mystery,
   And adoring, bend the knee, While we own the mystery.

Organ Postlude