Beginning Aug. 20, parishioners at St. Louis Church in Alexandria
will pray five Holy Hours of Reparation in response to the abuse crisis in the
church.
Father Keith M. O’Hare, pastor, said people want to do something.
“You can pray by yourself but when you come together, you feel like you are
doing something. Prayer does do something.”
More than 80 people attended the first Holy Hour Aug. 20. The
bilingual evening began with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Scripture
readings, a homily, quiet prayer time, the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine
Mercy.
During his homily, Father O’Hare said, “We are on our knees for
prayer and penance for our own sins first and then praying for the repentance
and healing of the church.”
Joanne Robertson attended the event. “This is an important part
of my daily prayer,” she said. “A lot of humility is going to be required on
the part of the people doing the work — the bishops and cardinals, and we
ourselves need to be encouraging to those priests who are faithful and good so
they feel loved and supported.”
Sonny Masso has been praying daily for the entire situation,
including rosaries and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. “It’s really important to
me that we not just heal but also find a way to mitigate this so it never
happens again,” he said. “It’s an important gesture for my family that, as a
father, it is that important to me and that my faith means a lot to me.”
Father O’Hare didn’t know what kind of a response the Holy Hour
would receive.
“It was important to me that even if not many people came, the
people who didn’t come know it is happening,” said Father O’Hare. “That is
consoling, too. People want to know that the leaders of their parish take this
seriously. Doing something that is not usual helps them know you take it
seriously.”