On Tuesday, May 17th, Father Henry Sands and several members of the Mission Office staff attended the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast. The Black and Indian Mission Office was an underwriting sponsor of the printed programs at this year’s NCPB.
The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast began its events on Monday evening, with a Holy Mass celebrated by His Eminence Robert Cardinal Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and His Excellency, Most Reverend Carlo Maria Vigano, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States. The Mass was celebrated at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, where our very own executive director Father Sands concelebrated the Mass with His Eminence. During the Mass, Cardinal Sarah quoted Mother Theresa, speaking to our need for prayer in order to grow further in peace and service and thus bring peace to our world.
“The fruit of Silence is Prayer. The fruit of Prayer is Faith. The fruit of Faith is Love. The fruit of Love is Service. The fruit of Service is Peace.” – Mother Teresa, quoted by His Eminence during Monday evening’s homily.
Tuesday morning, the Black and Indian Mission Office attended the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast program, in addition to setting up a table in the Exhibit Hall. Several notable speakers were present at this year’s National Catholic Prayer Breakfast. U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke to the need for religious liberty, as well as compassion and good works in the face of suffering.
Next, keynote speaker Cardinal Sarah followed Speaker Paul Ryan by addressing marriage within the Church, and encouraging American Catholics to “be prophetic, be faithful and pray.”
Sister Constance Viet of the Little Sisters of the Poor also spoke at the conference, noting that we must not only care for the physical needs of those who are suffering, but also their spiritual needs.
“Look upon each person, friend or foe as Christ would,” said Sister Constance. “Even our most cunning adversary is a person ultimately longing to love and to be loved.”
Also present at the NCPB were Father Paul Scalia, a priest in the Diocese of Arlington and son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who led a recitation of the Divine Mercy chaplet. Following Father. Scalia, Bishop Paul S. Loverde gave the invocation and offered a blessing at the start of the breakfast. To conclude, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who serves on the Black and Indian Mission’s Board of Directors as well as the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Freedom, gave the final blessing.
The Black and Indian Mission Office is proud to have served as a sponsor for this year’s National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, underwriting the printed programs. For more articles relating to this year’s National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, see below.
Related Links:
- On Cardinal Robert Sarah’s keynote speech
- On U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan’s address
- Transcripts from this year’s speakers: https://catholicprayerbreakfast.com/speaker/
