Understanding General Intercessions for Daily Mass
General intercessions, also known as the "Prayer of the Faithful" or "Universal Prayer," are an essential part of the Catholic Mass where the congregation joins together to pray for the needs of the Church and the world. These intercessions are called "general" because they address universal concerns that affect all Catholics and humanity as a whole.
📖 How to Use These General Intercessions
1. Choose Your Option: Browse the available intercession options for today's Mass.
2. Download PDF: Click "Download PDF" to get a formatted copy for your lector or liturgy coordinator.
3. Edit if Needed: Use "Edit" to customize intercessions for your parish's specific needs.
4. Browse Other Dates: Use the calendar to access intercessions for any date throughout the year.
General Intercessions for Daily Mass
Friday, April 4, 2025
HOLY SATURDAY
·Holy Saturday
Liturgical Color: White
General Intercessions for HOLY SATURDAY
Option 1
1.For the Church, that in the great silence of Holy Saturday she may keep watch with Mary, holding onto the promise of Easter in the darkness before the dawn, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That leaders of nations may have the wisdom to sit with unresolved grief rather than force premature resolution, governing with patience and honesty in times of uncertainty, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For all who grieve the death of someone they love, living in a permanent Holy Saturday of loss, that they may be held by the hope that the tomb is not the final word, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may use this day of sacred silence to be still before God, releasing our noise and activity into His hands, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That our parish may prepare well for the Easter Vigil tonight, entering the greatest night of the year with open and expectant hearts, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For our sick, bereaved, and all who have asked for our prayers.Lord, hear our prayer.
For N. and all the faithful departed, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Option 2
1.For the Church, that she may preach with conviction that Christ descended to the dead — that there is no depth of human darkness too far for the God who came to find us, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That civil authorities may work to release those unjustly imprisoned, knowing that God hears every cry from every captivity, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For those whose faith is suspended — who cannot quite believe but are not yet ready to deny — that the silence of this day may be a place where God meets them, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may enter tonight's Vigil fire with the longing of those who have truly sat with darkness and found it unbearable without the light, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That our catechumens and candidates, on the final day before their baptism, may be filled with holy anticipation of the sacraments they will receive tonight, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For those who will be received into the Church at tonight's Easter Vigil.Lord, hear our prayer.
For N. and all the faithful departed, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Variations if Optional Commemoration is not celebrated
Option 1
1.For the Church, that as the new fire is kindled in the darkness tonight she may be renewed in her identity as the people of the Risen Christ, light from light, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That those who hold power over others may be moved this Eastertide to break the chains that bind the poor — freed as Israel was freed — and to serve rather than dominate, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For all those who will be baptised, confirmed, and receive their First Communion at the Easter Vigil tonight, that what begins in them this night may never be quenched, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may renew our baptismal promises tonight with a seriousness we have never brought before, knowing what it cost to make us children of God, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That our parish, gathered around the Paschal Candle tonight, may be set alight again with love for the Risen Lord and sent out to share His light with the world, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For our sick, bereaved, and all who have asked for our prayers.Lord, hear our prayer.
For N. and all the faithful departed, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Option 2
1.For the Church, that the Exsultet may be no mere ritual but a true shout of joy — that this is the night, this is the night — welling up from hearts that know what darkness costs and what the Resurrection means, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
2.That leaders of nations may hear in the Easter proclamation the word that unmakes every unjust power: that the Author of Life cannot be held by death, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
3.For all who are in exile, prison, or captivity — that this night of liberation may be their promise that freedom is coming and that no darkness lasts forever, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
4.That we may enter fully into the Easter mystery tonight — going down into the waters, rising into new life — and live from that mystery all the days that follow, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
5.That the Easter Vigil may be the heartbeat of our parish's year — the night from which all our courage, all our hope, and all our love for one another flows, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
Optional:For all who kept vigil in suffering this week and now await the joy of Easter morning.Lord, hear our prayer.
For N. and all the faithful departed, let us pray to the Lord.Lord, hear our prayer.
About Our General Intercessions for Daily Mass
Our general intercessions are carefully written by Giuseppe Njualem, a seminarian at St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario. Each set of intercessions follows the guidelines established by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) and is crafted with input from theology students and experienced clergy.
📅 Liturgically Accurate
Every intercession is crafted to reflect the specific liturgical season, rank, and saint of the day, ensuring theological accuracy and seasonal appropriateness.
🌍 Universally Focused
Our general intercessions address the four traditional categories: Church needs, world concerns, those in distress, and local community intentions.
📝 Ready to Use
Each option is formatted for immediate use by lectors and can be downloaded as a professional PDF for easy printing and reading during Mass.
✏️ Customizable
Edit any intercession to address your parish's specific needs while maintaining the theological structure and universal focus of general intercessions.