Powerhouse of Prayer
Are requests for prayer taken seriously at Holy Family Home? You bet! You’ll find here an army of faithful intercessors!
Right in synch with our Archdiocesan Eucharistic Revival we appreciate the source and summit of all prayer which is the Eucharistic Sacrifice offered in our Chapel by Father James Sullivan, our Chaplain, every single morning. Further prayers of intercession are offered by Father, Little Sisters, and some of the Residents in the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the day. Add to this the Visits to the Blessed Sacrament and personal prayer lifted up daily.
Recently our Apartment Residents celebrated the third anniversary of their prayer group. Everyday at 3 o’clock sharp they gather to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Holy Rosary for the many intentions and for the many persons confided to our prayers. The other day, when he heard the various Residents leading a decade of the Rosary, our Chaplain, Father James Sullivan, remarked: “This is indeed the School of Mary!” Paul B replied: “Well then, our Saturday Rosary with Residents on the Skilled Unit could be called ‘Mary’s University!’” A few of the pray-ers there suffer with different kinds of aphasia; they rarely say a word. Ask them to lead the “Hail Marys” and lost abilities are re-discovered—they remember prayers they learned as children on their mother’s knee! It was Resident Christine McM who had the idea to organize a Rosary on Saturday after supper when the war in the Ukraine first broke out. In fact, the daily 3 o’clock Rosary in the Apartment Wing and the weekly Saturday Night Rosary with the Residents on the Skilled Unit were both Resident-initiated and continue to be Resident-piloted with the wholehearted support of the Little Sisters. A young couple living in our parish have also been coming with their newborn son to join in this prayer.
Besides these special times of praying together, the daily Rosary is prayed with those present in the Chapel at 10:30 a.m. and those united via closed-circuit TV just before Mass. This is led by Sr. Elizabeth Teresa, a.k.a. “Philly’s Mother Angelica.” On Friday and Sunday evenings, a Holy Hour with the Rosary or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Divine Office and Benediction is presided by Father Sullivan.
Grace before meals is another sacred tradition at Holy Family Home. It is edifying to see everyone, even busy employees of all faiths or none, pause respectfully to pray in gratitude to our Great God for his providential care.
Finally, we must mention the ongoing prayer conducted by EWTN that brings readily available spiritual riches to the TV screens in many a Resident’s room.
Is there any doubt? The dwellers of the hallowed halls of 5300 Chester Avenue truly participate in a powerhouse of prayer!
