Dear Pope John,

your simplicity and gentleness perfumed of God

and enkindled in hearts the desire for goodness.

You often spoke about the beauty of families

gathered around the table to share bread and faith:

please pray for us so that true families may inhabit 

our homes once again.

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With generous hands you sowed hope 

and you taught us to hear God’s footsteps 

preparing for a new humanity:

help us to gain a healthy optimism 

to win over evil with goodness.

You have loved the world

with its bright and dark facets

and believed that peace is possible:

help us become instruments of peace in our homes and cities.

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With fatherly tenderness you asked to give

to all children a loving caress:

deeply moving the entire world

and thus reminding us that hands 

must be used not to strike,

but to embrace and wipe off tears.

Pray for us so that we may no limit ourselves

to weep for the darkness

but we may spread light

by bringing Jesus everywhere

and praying Mary evermore.  Amen.

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