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Centennial Prayer
Prayer for the Centennial of the Dedication of
St. Anthony of Padua Parish, New Bedford
1912-2012
Heavenly Father,
A century ago
the hardworking people of St. Anthony's built a beautiful temple to your glory
and since then you have been showering down graces
to form us into a spiritual house made out of living stones.
It is in this holy place that
your beloved Son continues to stretch out his arms to embrace us,
your angels continue to hover over us and guide us,
and the radiance of your light continues to shine in full splendor,
strengthening us to bring that light of truth
and blaze of charity to the world around us.
As we gratefully celebrate 100 years adoring you in this sanctuary,
we beg you, through the intercession of St. Anthony,
to grant us a thorough renewal in faith.
Fill us with the same courage as our ancestors
to dare to do something great for you.
Draw others here, as you once attracted waves of immigrants,
to enrich us and be enriched by your Son.
Make us all, through the Eucharist,
a tabernacle of your presence
and an extension of you Son's self-giving love.
Mercifully welcome into your arms the members of this parish
who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.
And inspire us a new, through the celestial beauty of this Church,
to hunger and thirst above all for the holiness
that will bring us to contemplate forever
the beauty of your heavenly home.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
