Please Pray for Bishop Ricard

15 FEBRUARY 2011. It was reported today locally that the bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee, John H. Ricard, SSJ, has asked Rome for leave to retire early for health reasons. Bishop Ricard suffered a stroke and additional complications many months ago.

Please join us in this mission diocese in praying for Bishop Ricard, our good and faithful pastor since 1997.

Merciful Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 
one Holy and United Trinity,
we praise you and thank you for the pastoral leadership
of Bishop John Ricard.
In this time of need, dear Lord, provide
him with every grace and blessing to be
sustained and comforted in his trials.
Bless his difficulty and suffering dear Father;
sanctify and unite it with the suffering of Christ Jesus
in His Holy Passion.
We pray, O Lord, that your Divine Will
reign on earth, as it does in heaven, 
and that Bishop Ricard, especially, be the blessed
benefactor of Your loving Will.
Bless him, O Lord, and keep him.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
only begotten Son of the Father, who is one in union
with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.

Amen.