Liturgy Suggestions for the April 2008 Child Abuse Prevention Campaign
Samples for Blessing of Children (Example: when children line up to leave for “children’s church”):
May the Lord Jesus, who loves children,
Bless and keep you in His love,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
+ and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Look with favor on Your children whom the faith of the Church
Commends to Your tender care,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
+ and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sample Intercessions for use during the Prayers of the Faithful:
- Let us pray for all children, for the world in which we live, and for the Church who is called to uphold the sanctity of all life…
Response: Lord, hear our prayer.
- Protect all children with your enduring love…
- Keep them safe and make them a blessing to all…
- Give them strength to hold their faith in you…
- Keep their joy and trust alive…
- Grant us the grace to protect and nourish the innocent…
- Preserve our nation to be chaste and pure in love…
- Enable us to live in harmony with one another according to the spirit of Christ…
- For children wounded and tearful- save, heal and protect them…
- For children confused or alone-save, heal and protect them…
- For children afraid or abandoned-save, heal and protect them…
- For children who are beaten-save, heal and protect them…
- For children who sleep in fear-save, heal and protect them…
- For children whose innocence has been stolen-save, heal and protect them…
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Final Blessing:
We pray that you, Father, will send Your blessing upon us this day, so that we may help our children grow in Christian maturity. By the power of the Holy Spirit, lead them to become Christ’s witness in the world, spreading the faith You have given your Church. Amen.