This ongoing drought in Texas is effecting many people in our great state. Now, with the wildfires, the effects are intensifying. With the wildfires in Grimes and Montgomery counties, the fires have now entered into the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. In fact, the devastation from these fires are reaching into the lives of people known to us. For example, the neighbors of an employee of St. Anne’s parish in Tomball have lost home and all its contents; my nephew and the son in law of our music director, Sarah Black are some of the many combating these fires. Parishioners who have relatives in the Bastrop County area are also suffering tremendously from the fires in that area. Homes are being engulfed in flames and lives are in chaos. And as the days go on, we will hear many more stories of devastation and sadness.
We need to turn to God and our Blessed Mother for intercession.
A. I have copied the prayer for rain from the Roman Missal and I ask that you pray it with your morning and night time prayers.
B. I am also asking that before your family goes to bed tonight that you gather your family together and pray the Rosary for the intention of much needed rain as well as for the families/people in harm’s way. Please continue to gather nightly praying the Rosary until our prayers are answered.
C. Come to the Reservation Chapel and pray before the Blessed Sacrament asking our Lord’s favor. The chapel is open from 6:30 am until 10:00 pm.
D. When the rains come, pray once again in thanksgiving! Let us not be ungrateful for what God gives to us through our prayer.
PLEASE pass this message on through your emails to all in your ministries as well as to your family members. We need the Lord’s assistance in this time of trouble!
Prayer for Rain (Taken from the Sacramentary) Lord God, in you we live and move and have our being. Help us in our present time of trouble, send us the rain we need, and teach us to seek your lasting help on the way to eternal life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
With prayers for much needed rain and trusting in God’s goodness,
Fr. Norbert