By Michael Hill

The rain thundered down in Juba, the capital city of south Sudan, making for what seemed a rather inauspicious beginning to the 101 Days of Prayer campaign that was kicking off on the International Day of Peace, September 21.

After all, hundreds of people were expected to march through the streets of Juba to official ceremonies held at the cultural center of the University of Juba. That seemed impossible with the heavy downpours turning the dusty dirt streets into oceans of mud.

But it turns out that the Sudanese would not look at rain on their parade as a bad sign. In this part of the world, where people live close to the ground, where droughts are all too well-known, rain is a good sign. Rain brings life. If it rains on a couple’s wedding day, that’s a fine omen. Rain was blessing the 101 Days of Prayer for Peace.

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As Catholics, we recognize that prayer is of the utmost importance, an invaluable contribution to helping the poor overseas. We invite you to join us in bringing to Our Lord the following intentions and thanks.

Colleagues: Let us pray for our colleague, a 41-year staffer and our dear friend, Jacques Montouroy, who died unexpectedly July 28 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Thank you, Lord, for honoring us with the presence of this tough, tender, “old-school” humanitarian who braved rebels and bureaucrats with a heart fierce with love for the people he served so long and so well. We are grateful, Father, that he is in your hands as we hold him forever in our hearts.
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As Catholics, we recognize that prayer is of the utmost importance, an invaluable contribution to helping the poor overseas. Join with us as we look forward to a new year filled with God’s love and pray that God would:

* Increase our resourcefulness, that we may find better and more effective ways to bring comfort to a world in need.
* Give us the hearts to be living symbols of His grace in times of crisis.
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As Catholics, we recognize that prayer is of the utmost importance, an invaluable contribution to helping the poor overseas. We invite you to join us in bringing to Our Lord the following intentions and thanks.

With Grateful Hearts: Before the year ends, we take time to thank God for large and lasting miracles in our CRS life:

• For all the people who share their treasure with a world in need
• For the volunteers who sacrifice their time, their hands, feet and hearts to join us in bringing comfort and care to the afflicted
• For our leaders, religious and lay, who take on the responsibility of guiding our efforts and stewarding our resources
• For all those who have supported Catholic Relief Services in prayer in 2009
• For Catholics in the United States who do good works in the world through those of us who are privileged to serve them

Health: Let us ask God to continue to empower and encourage us to bring health care to those most in need throughout the world.

Food: Let us pray that God gives us renewed strength to help our brothers and sisters who struggle every day with hunger and chronic food shortages.

Staff safety: Join us in thanking our Father for continuing to extend his protection to our staff working in some of the most dangerous parts of the world.

Policy: Thank you, Lord, for sending us people with a passion for improving human life on a global scale through our political institutions.

Christmas: Thank you, Father, for the greatest gift of all: your Son.

As Catholics, we recognize that prayer is of the utmost importance, an invaluable contribution to helping the poor overseas. We invite you to join us in bringing to Our Lord the following intentions and thanks.

Thank you, Lord, for always releasing your amazing power to grow love in surprising and unexpected ways.

Thank you, Lord, for always working to lift people from despair in the midst of great struggle.
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As Catholics, we recognize that prayer is of the utmost importance, an invaluable contribution to helping the poor overseas. We invite you to join us in bringing to Our Lord the following intentions and thanks.

Thank you, Lord, for people who bring the gift of health.

Let us pray for the people of Kenya and their continued peacebuilding progress.

Let us rejoice and give thanks to God for the tremendous recovery work that followed the 2004 tsunami and the lessons it taught those who helped restore communities.

Let us pray that God continues to inspire us to help women overcome withering odds to start businesses and learn skills that help them succeed.

Let us pray for the people of Nicaragua and El Salvador as they recover from deadly Hurricane Ida.

As Catholics, we recognize that prayer is of the utmost importance, an invaluable contribution to helping the poor overseas. We invite you to join us in bringing to Our Lord the following intentions and thanks.

Thank you, Lord, for dedicated workers who help restore communities that have experienced disasters.

Thank you, Lord, for inspiring ordinary people to perform extraordinary acts of love.

Let us pray that vulnerable people are protected from harm as they struggle to make the best of life in refugee camps.

Thank you, Lord, for sparing Haiti and Cuba from another devastating hurricane season.

Let us pray that Our Father in heaven instills in us a sense of profound gratitude as we approach Thanksgiving Day.

As Catholics, we recognize that prayer is of the utmost importance, an invaluable contribution to helping the poor overseas. We invite you to join us in bringing to Our Lord the following intentions and thanks.

For our brothers and sisters in East Africa who suffer a long drought and face the prospect of flooding, let us pray that God brings them comfort and spares them from extreme rains.

Let us pray that God helps us deliver child soldiers from the clutches of violent men.
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As Catholics, we recognize that prayer is of the utmost importance, an invaluable contribution to helping the poor overseas. We invite you to join us in bringing to Our Lord the following intentions and thanks.

India: Let us pray that our Father quickens in us a spirit of prayerful solidarity with the people of India who have lost so much in the recent flooding.
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