Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - The disciples’ request «Lord, teach us to pray» is still valid today. In the face of a crisis of faith and morals in the world today, especially in Europe, people need to rediscover a sense of God so that He may reign in this world bringing His love and His peace, and bread for the hungry … This is precisely the sense of the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples: «Adveniat Regnum tuum… Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie», «Thy kingdom come … give us this day our daily bread»…
Do people pray? Do they know how to pray? Do they know they have a Father who loves them with infinite love? Many say: «I believe, but I do not practise…». And who are the practicing Catholics, the elderly, adults, and growing number of young people. However a discrete “survey” in one of Rome’s very active parishes, showed that not many people today know simple Catholic prayers such as the acts of faith, hope and charity. The survey showed that 10% adults could not remember the Act of Sorrow, and although 50% of the children and young people said they go regularly to confession they could not say, the Act of Contrition.
Unless we recite the act of faith every day how can we believe «ALL the truths» which God teaches through his Church? The consequence is that ever more frequently one hears a Catholic say: «I disagree» (with the Church, with the Gospel, with Christian morals etc…), forgetting that God is Truth: “I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches because you have revealed them who are eternal truth and wisdom, who can neither deceive nor be deceived” (Act of Faith)… This means they are beginning to leave the Church: « Anyone who is not with me is against me, …»(Mt 12,30) . This is a warning for priests and faithful, faithful and priests to reflect…
The Rosary? Some recite it every day, the elderly in particular. But many have no idea what the Rosary is, or how it is said, many have never seen or possessed a rosary beads …
A young priest from Democratic Congo, assistant priest in a parish in Rome told me: «I do not know the old prayers which were included in the small missals used by the people. They are not always included in the new missals».
I told him about Fides’ Dossier on Catholic Prayers in the languages of the world. We began with the publication of the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Rosary in a few languages. The purpose of the initiative, not meant to be simply “interesting Dossier” , is to show the bond between Catholics the world over, the presence of the Church to the ends of the earth, salvation carried to all peoples: our Dossier intends to show a great rosary of prayer embracing the world to protect it and save and lead it to Christ and to God through the Blessed Virgin Mary: A WORLD CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER, part of the mission entrusted to the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples «go and teach all nations» (Mt 28, 18-20).
The initiative continues with the publication of the traditional prayers prayed by our parents and fathers in the faith: prayers to the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Sacrament, the Blessed Virgin Mary, thanksgiving after communion, etc… who remembers the prayer (Anima Christi)? Who recites the Angelus every day? Who prays the Rosary every day, alone or in the family, as Pope Benedict XVI asked recently? What happened to devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sacred Heart, to Saint Joseph? For many the month of March was dedicated to Joseph; in May people would recite the Litany of Our Lady; in June, the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart many recited the Litanies of the Sacred Heart… «In illo tempore»…
In a world of human mobility, emigration, our initiative has been welcomed with enthusiasm: countries and dioceses have asked for the texts of prayers in different languages in order to print small prayer books to meet the needs of immigrants.
Fides thanks all who are forwarding prayers in different languages and urges those who have delayed, to send the information soon…«without me you can do nothing… watch and pray so as not to fall into temptation…».
The world will find peace and justice only when it finds God again. And for this to happen we Christians must be «salt of the earth and light of the world»… as Jesus said, and salt must not lose its taste … and the prayer of the faithful must be that of Christ: «… Holy Father, keep those you have given me true to your name » (Jn 17, 11).
Fides is grateful for all those who are helping in this important undertaking. Please contact: french@fides.org. See Dossier of three prayers of the Rosary at www.fides.org (J M.) (Agenzia Fide 31/10/2006)
