Archbishop John Neinstedt announced on Thursday, a special prayer he hopes will help pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Minnesota’s Catholic hierarchy has been the driving force behind the amendment with the Archdiocese issuing 400,000 DVDs last fall to influence the ballot measure and the church’s lobbying arm, the Minnesota Catholic Conference joining the Minnesota Family Council and the National Organization for Marriage in pushing the amendment.

On the Archdiocese website, he wrote:

The current struggle to defend and define marriage within our civil constitution demands a three-fold approach. We must educate our fellow citizens on the meaning and good of marriage. We must actively and resolutely promote widespread participation among our fellow believers in the support of a marriage amendment. And most importantly, we must pray and offer sacrifice for the success of all endeavors that seek to protect and promote marriage.

To help assist in the strengthening of our state-wide efforts to defend marriage in our civil constitution, I am pleased to offer to your community of faith the enclosed prayer. Copies may be ordered through the Office of Worship, and are meant for use within the Holy Mass as part of the Prayer of the Faithful. In addition, I would encourage the posting of the prayer within Eucharistic Adoration chapels, along with an encouragement to adorers to pray for the success of the amendment and all efforts to strengthen marriage.

I would also like to call upon all Catholics of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis to embrace Fridays as a particular day of prayer and sacrifice for the success of this most current struggle to defend marriage with our civil constitution. Without such deliberate prayers and sacrifices, our efforts will be in vain. But with God, all things are possible.

Much rides on the success of our struggle to defend marriage. May God bless our efforts, and our great state of Minnesota.

With every good wish and a remembrance in prayer, I am,

Cordially yours in Christ,

Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

And the prayer is as follows:

Heavenly Father,

Through the powerful intercession of the Holy Family, grant to this local Church the many graces we need to foster, strengthen, and support faith-filled, holy marriages and holy families.

May the vocation of married life, a true calling to share in your own divine and creative life, be recognized by all believers as a source of blessing and joy, and a revelation of your own divine goodness.

Grant to us all the gift of courage to proclaim and defend your plan for marriage, which is the union of one man and one woman in a lifelong, exclusive relationship of loving trust, compassion, and generosity, open to the conception of children.

We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.