The CatholiCity Message

Pope John Paul II's 25th Anniversary – October 16, 2003

Dear Friend of the Holy Father,

Let's offer three beautiful gifts to Pope John Paul II for his 25th Anniversary...

1. SEND A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THE POPE
We've secured an electronic address especially set up by the Vatican to receive personal messages of thanks and congratulations to the Holy Father for his 25th Anniversary. You are one click away from a special webpage we designed just for this purpose. You can offer your own words to the Holy Father here:

(MESSAGE CAN NO LONGER BE SENT)

2. JOIN A 54 DAY ROSARY NOVENA FOR THE POPE
John Paul II was elected on October 16. His motto is Totus Tuus–short for "I am all yours, Mary, and all that I have is yours." Every year CatholiCity has sponsored a 54 Day Rosary Novena which begins on October 16th and ends on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. So please join countless Catholics around the world by offering your daily Rosary for the Holy Father's intentions.

If you're reading this after October 16th, please jump in and finish with us on December 8th. Unfamiliar with the Rosary or the power of a 54 Day Rosary Novena? Do you want a free Rosary CD or tape to help you get started? Go here:

http://www.catholicity.com/support/praywithus.html

3. PRAY FOR THE POPE RIGHT NOW
Please join 70,000 CatholiCity Citizens around the globe and countless others receiving this email as we pray for this incredible man.

Let us remember that he is indeed a man–flesh and blood, humbled by his frailty. He is in constant pain, crippled and weakened, bearing a cross of overwhelming responsibilities with serene grace and silence. He has asked us to pray for him during his final days on earth.

HOW THIS PRAYER CAME TO BE
A long time ago, while praying the Rosary, Our Lady inspired us to compose a universal prayer for the pope. Mysteriously, we were given the last words of the prayer at the time but were compelled to wait patiently for years for the rest of the prayer to well up from our soul through suffering.

This past June, inspired by the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, the rest of the words flowed into our minds. Since then, we have practiced and polished the prayer with all the tenderness we could muster. We feel as if God had designed us before we were born to compose this particular prayer for you on this unique milestone in salvation history.

It is simple. Like the Angelus, it is designed to be prayed in a group with responses. Let us begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...

(Leader) Upon this Rock He will build His Church...
(All) ...and the jaws of death shall not prevail against her.

(Leader) O Mother of the Redeemer...
(All) ...Living Tabernacle of the Eucharist, and Luminous Rose of Heaven, with humble confidence we ask you to bestow upon the Holy Father all the graces and blessings reserved for him by the Holy Trinity from all eternity. Amen.

(Leader) Help his friends...
(All) ...convert his enemies.

(Leader) Saint Joseph...
(All) ...pray for us. Amen.

Thank you. Your email to the pope, your prayer just now, and your 54 Day Novena are priceless gifts of grace.

If you would like to print out the Prayer for the Holy Father to memorize it or use it in your family, prayer group, or parish devotions, you can find it here:

http://www.catholicity.com/prayersdevotions/popeprayer.html

Please forward this message far and wide. Amen.

With Christ,

Your Friends at CatholiCity