As we celebrate this feast day of the Holy Name of Mary, let all Marists “bear in mind that they belong by a gracious choice to the family of the blessed Mary, Mother of God, from whose name they are called Marists, and whom they have chosen from the beginning as their model and their first and perpetual superior.” (Society of Mary Constitutions, #228)

Happy Feast Day to all!

For people living on the margins

Let us pray for those people on the margins of society in subhuman living conditions, that they may not be neglected by institutions and never be cast out.

A homeless person who dies on the street will never appear among the top stories of search engines or newscasts.
How could we have reached this level of indifference?
How is it that we allow the “throwaway culture” – in which millions of men and women are worth nothing compared to economic goods – how is it that we allow this culture to dominate our lives, our cities, our way of life?
Our necks are going to get stiff from looking the other way so we don’t have to see this situation.
Please, let’s stop making invisible those who are on the margins of society, whether it’s due to poverty, addictions, mental illness or disability.
Let’s focus on accepting them, on welcoming all the people who need it.
The “culture of welcoming,” of hospitality, of providing shelter, of giving a home, of offering love, of giving human warmth.
Let us pray for those people on the margins of society in subhuman living conditions, that they may not be neglected by institutions and never be cast out.

View the September Prayer Intention Pope Video – a global initiative to disseminate the Holy Father’s monthly intentions (Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network).