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Writer's pictureProfiles in Catholicism

Homeless

Updated: Aug 31, 2022



A Message from the Editor


Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, whenever I wasn’t traveling, I volunteered at Catholic Charities in Chicago to serve meals to the homeless. I got to know several of the homeless personally, and understood some of the factors that contributed to their homelessness and the challenges of finding housing again. Sadly, two of them contracted Covid-19, and one of them died. So please offer some money to those homeless that you meet who ask for help, and pray for all the homeless, especially those who have died from violence and Covid-19.


A shout out to John Stewart for his leadership in pushing for veteran healthcare bill which had been blocked by Republicans for years.


Cardinal-designate Peter Obere met with Pope Francis on the plague of murders in Nigeria which is why we are asking our readers to pray for all those murdered.


I often think that it was unfortunate that United States law did not follow more of the early Roman Law principles, especially when I read that Sandy Hook parents testified about the 'hell' Alex Jones inflicted on them through his lies about the shooting. Alex Jones has been lying under oath. He had claimed that the Sandy Hook murders of children was a hoax and the parents were all actors. The word “testify” comes from the word testes since in ancient Rome men in court put their hand over their privates when they swore to tell the truth. If they were caught lying, they were castrated. A law like that could prevent more lies under oath.


If you find Profiles in Catholicism of interest and helpful, we deeply need your help to pay our staff who work very hard. If possible, please make a $10.00 donation (tax deductible in the United States) to help pay our hardworking staff.


A Quote to Remember


“How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure but it is news when the stock market loses two points?”

by Pope Francis


Prayers


A Prayer for Homeless Children


Lord, please bless them and meet their needs. Bless the little ones and babies who must be so uncomfortable and scared. Let their eyes see the angels that You send for their protection, that we as adults, cannot see. Give them this comfort, Father.

by Brother Henry


A Prayer for the Homeless


Dear God, now that I am aware that some of the most vulnerable among us, the forgotten, the outcast, those with few resources to safely isolate during this crisis have probably died anonymously, unknown, uncared for - what can I do, Dear God, what can I do to Help just one person OFF THE STREETS One Person At A Time? by Deacon Mike Oles


A Prayer for the Homeless


Lord, everyone who comes into the world breathes with the breath of your Spirit. Without you, we collapse into nothingness. That makes us all brothers and sisters. We cannot hope to know all of your children, but some of your children we avoid getting to know on purpose. We avert our eyes when we see a sister or brother sitting on a milk carton outside of a store, picking through a trash container, slumbering under a viaduct, in line for a free meal, holding a sign in the middle of a busy intersection, draped over a bench, or just walking with well-worn clothes. These brothers and sisters live with few resources and little security, and so are most vulnerable when disease sweeps through our world. Lord, this pandemic knows no favorites. We are all exposed; but some who die from COVID-19 die with great attention and ceremony; others just disappear. Lord, we pray for all the homeless people who have died of COVID-19. Grant them eternal rest. Even if we don’t know them, you know them


A Prayer to Remember the Homeless...


O God, you are the Source of our protection, shelter, faith, love and eternal life. You are the Creator of all that is good, beautiful and everlasting in your holiness.

We pray for the lives of all our homeless brothers, sisters and all children of God, living and deceased. We especially pray for those homeless friends, who have died because of abuse and violence. May they now know God's peacemaking and eternal healing. Please, O God strengthen all with the power of the Holy Spirit to guide others for proper protection, shelter and health care. Yes, Lord we know that All Life Matters in your eyes, your love and gentleness. Send helpers to bolster our homeless friends away from evil and danger towards safety. May they find, you O God in those peaceful helping hands towards security and blessing, now and forever.

We ask this prayer in the name of the Almighty Father, Jesus, our Lord and Savior and their Holy Spirit, Amen and Amen. by Father Christopher Krymski, O.S.M.


Prayer for the homeless who died from Covid-19


In this moment of sorrow the Lord is in our midst and comforts us with his word: Blessed are the sorrowful; they shall be consoled.

Almighty and eternal God, hear our prayers for your child whom you have called from this life to yourself due to Covid-19. Grant him / her light, happiness, and peace. Let him / her pass in safety through the gates of death, and live for ever with all your saints in the light you promised to Abraham and to all his descendants in faith. Guard him / her from all harm and on that great day of resurrection and reward raise him / her up with all your saints. Pardon his / her sins and give him / her eternal life in your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. by Father Anthony Coloma


A Prayer for Those Who Died and Were Harmed by the Philippine Earthquake


Good and gracious God, We are worried about the 7.0-magnitude quake hit northern Luzon, the country’s most populous island, at 8:43 a.m. local time (8:43 p.m. ET) Its epicenter was about 13 kilometers (8 miles). Its impact was felt in the capital, Manila, more than 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) away. Please Lord help all to reach out to others to help in this time of need. More than 21,000 people have been impacted by the quake, which caused about $687 million of infrastructure damage, according to the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center. Infrastructure was damaged across northern Luzon, including more than 400 homes, dozens of schools, several hospitals and bridges, and the centuries-old Vigan Cathedral and Banta BellTower. Help the survivors to be peaceful and caring and serve others in this time of hardship. We ask you this through Christ Our Lord Amen. by Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D. Profiles in Catholicism


A Prayer for Those Who Died and Were Harmed in the Kentucky Floods


Merciful God, receive the souls of those who perished in the Kentucky floods, and hold gently in your hand those who have been harmed and who have lost so much in the devastation. Keep us always mindful of our suffering and struggling sisters and brothers and give us generous hearts to help them in any way we can. Protect, lead, and guide all those charged with rescuing victims and helping them to restore their lives. In your providential love and care, we pray. Amen by Father Louis Cameli Profiles in Catholicism


Prayer for Those Who Have Died from Heat-Related Disorders


God our Father

We place in your loving embrace all those whom excessive heat has taken from this world,

those who have perished in fires,

those who have lost their lives crossing harsh landscapes seeking freedom from violence and poverty.

Bring them O Lord, we pray, and all who sleep in Christ,

to a place of refreshment, light and peace,

beyond all pain and sickness, suffering or fear.

Comfort all who mourn after those they have lost, gently wiping way their tears

and strengthening their hope in the resurrection

when we will all be reunited in new life with Christ.

For us who remain, strengthen our resolve to do what we can to care for our common home

that you have placed in our hands,

and to love and cherish the weakest and most vulnerable among us, for in serving them, we serve you.

Help us always to be part of the answer to the prayers of others

We humbly ask you this in the Spirit through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

by Fr. Dorian Llywelyn, S.J. Profiles in Catholicism


Prayer for Justice


We live in hope that your words and actions Jesus of Nazareth when you were in the world inspires us and many more to follow your example, to do justice to all, to help victims win justice in. the courts. Lift up their hearts and spirits when they are believed, when the abusers are proven guilty and cannot abuse or trafficked more children. May we heal and restore the victims/survivors to new life of peace freedom and happiness and may we Lord serve without seeking reward. Amen by Father Shay Cullen Preda Foundation


A prayer for all those murdered in Nigeria:


“Unless the Lord builds the house” (cf. Ps 127: 1)

Lord:

Can we build a house if the ground is dug from beneath it? Can we sow if the seed is ruined before it starts to shoot? Can we harvest, even goodwill, if hostility perpetrates death? But you are the master builder!


Lord:

Unless you speak to the heart of those programmed to kill … Unless you undo the fabric of influence and contamination … Unless you siphon off the poisonous politics of isolation …

But you are the bridge between peoples!


Lord:

The ground is watered with the blood of your children. You have appointed new men to shepherd the Church. You are bringing about a new awareness of their vulnerability.


But you are the Chief Shepherd!

We beg you Lord to transcend divisions, raising up Willing politicians, engineers of unity, capable of helping, today, To take peoples lives out of conflict and the prospect of death.

For you are the Great Reconciler!

Just as the wine ran out, so your mother stepped in; Just as the food was scarce, you multiplied an abundance; Just as many were healed and many more came for healing; So you, Lord, have the power to help, to provide and to heal. We beg you to help. by Francis Etheredge


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  • I, Joan Commentary by Edie Heipel Catholic News Agency

Feasting with the Saints

Videos


Coronavirus outbreak: the worrying situation of homeless people


Street Medicine: Treating Chicago's Homeless During the Coronavirus Outbreak


Coronavirus: South Africa locks homeless up in detention camp


The challenge of protecting homeless populations amid COVID-19


Coronavirus: Volunteers helping Dublin's homeless


Coronavirus outbreak: the worrying situation of homeless people


Disabled homeless man's hardship by Catholic News Service

St. Benedict Joseph Labre - Patron of the Homeless and Mentally Ill


Maybe On The Way Out? A Documentary of the Homeless in Chicago


How "Housing First" Puts Us On A Path to End Homelessness

by Matt Hanka


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