Lawrenceville Parish Prays For Armed Forces

Published: December 2, 2004

LAWRENCEVILLE—Parishioners of St. Lawrence Church gathered on the Monday night before Thanksgiving to pray for the men and women of the armed forces, remembering especially their fellow parishioners, extended family members and friends who are serving at home and abroad.

The celebration of Evening Prayer from the church’s Liturgy of the Hours, including hymns, psalms, canticles and intercessions, was augmented by a period of quiet devotion during which worshippers were invited to come forward and pen personal greetings to the 20 servicemen and women with connections to the parish.

St. Lawrence pastor Father Albert Jowdy, who presided at the liturgy, found that sight to be particularly moving. “Because of the number in church, I suppose I had expected everyone to come forward and just sign their name to the cards. But nearly everyone took their time and wrote a personal message—adults and kids, too—and there were tears on many faces as we did this,” he said.

The Lawrenceville parish has been praying regularly during the general intercessions at Sunday Mass for the safety of all who are in harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The beginning of the holiday season seemed the perfect time for us to come together and put some flesh to those prayers, for our parishioners and friends in the service and also for their families and loved ones here at home,” Father Jowdy said.