Everyone across the eight-county Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is invited to participate in praying the Night Prayer of the Church at nine different parishes in the diocese on consecutive evenings from Aug. 7 to Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Nine churches will be open for night prayer 8:15-9 p.m. each of those nights. Parishes taking part in this opportunity for prayer are:
- St. Michael the Archangel Parish, 3114 Scranton Road, Cleveland **
- St. Mary Parish, 242 N. State St., Painesville
- St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, 527 Beall Ave., Wooster
- St. Peter Parish, 35777 Center Ridge Road, North Ridgeville
- St. Augustine Parish, 204 Sixth St. NW, Barberton
- St. Sebastian Parish, 476 Mull St., Akron
- St. John Cantius Parish, 906 College Ave., Cleveland
- St Luke Parish, 1212 Bunts Road, Lakewood
- Holy Spirit Parish, 4341 E. 131st St., Garfield Heights
“For nine consecutive nights, in nine particular churches around the diocese, the faithful – and even the non-faithful – can come out to pray the universal Night Prayer of the Church. Those who are really adventurous can try to pray at all nine churches in nine nights,” said Father Damian Ference, who recently was appointed the new position of diocesan vicar for evangelization.
“As the first vicar for evangelization, I wanted to get moving right away, but not with any new program,” he said, explaining the multi-night prayer event.
Night prayer is part of the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office. In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church fulfills Jesus’ command to “pray always.” Through this prayer, the people of God sanctify the day by continual praise of God and prayers of intercession for the needs of the world.
“‘Nine Nights of Night Prayer’ is a unique opportunity to open up nine of our beautiful churches in the evenings for an experience of beauty, community, Scripture and tradition,” Father Ference added, noting that Pope Francis reminds us that prayer “appeases anger, sustains love, multiplies joy and instills the strength to forgive.”
Click here for additional formation.
**In Spanish