Blog

In this jubilee year, +Pope Francis invited each of us to be a pilgrim of hope. In this spirit, the Young Adult Initiative will publish monthly blogs related to the jubilee year and our role as pilgrims on the journey.

(Image: Saint Monica and her son Saint Augustine) 

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Every so often, I am approached by a parent whose child is away from the faith. These moms and dads carry a wound, many of them for a while, and it manifests in different ways – anger, guilt, sadness, defensiveness, and despair to name a few.

My first response to parents who find themselves in this situation is simple (though, albeit not easy): pray.

Pray for your child by name every day. Pray for their hopes and desires, their confusion and doubt, their pain and sadness, their joys and successes. A parent’s prayer is powerful, and if you doubt that, then look to Saint Monica to be your companion.

God is always at work in the world. In this jubilee year, we remember with hope the divine preference for hiddenness in the work of our salvation. Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, is at work in the hidden places, including in the life of your child. Trust in him.

The litany below was written for you to be a place of encounter with the Lord. Please consider placing your child’s name in the appropriate lines when praying.

May God bless you!

Litany for a parent whose child is away from the church

From the guilt I may carry because my son or daughter no longer practices their faith
Deliver me, Jesus

From the lie that I failed as a parent
Deliver me, Jesus

From the fear that my son or daughter will not have a relationship with God
Deliver me, Jesus

From the pressure I put on myself to bring my son or daughter back to church
Deliver me, Jesus

From the lie that my son or daughter is a problem to be solved rather than a person to be loved
Deliver me, Jesus

From the inclination to put undue pressure on my son or daughter to come back to church
Deliver me, Jesus

From the temptation to place judgment on my son or daughter or withhold mercy from them
Deliver me, Jesus

From feeling like God does not hear my prayers
Deliver me, Jesus

From the fear of sharing my own faith with my son or daughter
Deliver me, Jesus

From despairing that my prayers for my son or daughter do not matter
Deliver me, Jesus

That my son or daughter will have an encounter with the One who loved them into existence
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That my son or daughter will be surrounded by a community who cares for their soul
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That my son or daughter will be accompanied in the life of faith, even if I am not the person who walks with them
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That my son or daughter will seek happiness through discovering their purpose
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That my love for my son or daughter will remain unconditional
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That I will grow in understanding of the Lord’s plan for myself and my son or daughter
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That my heart will be filled with the reckless and generous love of the prodigal Father
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That I will always be ready to welcome my son or daughter into my heart and my home
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That I will have the courage to surrender my son or daughter to the Lord’s tender care
Jesus, I place my hope in you

That the Blessed Mother will wrap my son or daughter in her protective mantle
Jesus, I place my hope in you

For the strength to share my faith intentionally and authentically as a model for my son or daughter
Jesus, I place my hope in you

For continued healing in my relationship with my son or daughter
Jesus, I place my hope in you

For perseverance in praying for my son or daughter
Jesus, I place my hope in you

For an increase in the hope that my son or daughter will encounter Jesus, the source of true happiness
Jesus, I place my hope in you

In confidence that my prayers are heard by a good Father
Jesus, I place my hope in you

Saint Monica, pray for us.
Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pray for us.
Guardian angels, pray for us.