These are written for Foster Care Awareness Month, but can be adapted for use at any time.

May is Foster Care Awareness Month
James 1:27 says pure religion is to care for orphans. At baptism, God adopted us into his family as sons and daughters. Family is where kids are loved, protected and nurtured to their full potential, but for children who age out of the foster care system without a family, 1 in 3 will become instantly homeless and 1 in 5 will be incarcerated. Sixty percent of trafficked youth come from the foster care system. This month, pray for children in foster care, and for loving families to welcome them, because every child deserves a loving family.

Pray for Every Child to Find a Loving Adoptive Family
Every child deserves a loving family. We are all adopted sons and daughters of God, and we know that the family is the “domestic church,” the basic building block of society. There are nearly 4,000 children and youth in foster care in Maryland, and nearly 500 children waiting for an adoptive family. These foster children and youth need the love of a family to support them and nurture them to their full potential. Please pray for these kids during Foster Care Awareness Month.

Not yet available. 

For children in foster care: that they find kind, loving foster families to care for them; we pray to the Lord:

For families: that they may prayerfully consider foster parenting and adoption as a means of extending God’s love through their family to children in our community; we pray to the Lord:

For all foster and adoptive families: that they might imitate the courageous love of the Holy Family and be strengthened by our love and prayers; we pray to the Lord:

For all parents who struggle alone to raise their children: that God will give them the strength of the children of God and the support of his holy Church; we pray to the Lord:

For grandparents who are raising their grandchildren: that God might sustain them and reward them for their goodness and faith; we pray to the Lord:

For orphaned children throughout the world, and especially those who are abused or neglected; we pray to the Lord:

Por los niños en cuidado de crianza temporal, para que encuentran familias amables y amorosas que cuiden de ellos; roguemos al Señor.

Por las familias, para que en oración consideren ser padres de crianza y contemplen la adopción como una forma de extender el amor de Dios a través de sus familias a los niños en nuestra comunidad; roguemos al Señor.

Por los padres que sufren y que solos cuidan de sus hijos que Dios les de fortaleza y que reciban el apoyo de la iglesia; roguemos al Señor.

Por los abuelos que están criando a sus nietos, que Dios los sustente y los recompense por su bondad y fe; roguemos al Señor.

Por los niños huérfanos en todo el mundo en especial aquellos que sufren abuso y descuido; roguemos al Señor.

Invite all families who have been touched by foster care to come forward for a blessing: foster families in the community as well as those touched by foster care in their youth, parents whose children are in the foster care system, people who work with foster children, and anyone who feels called to become a foster parent.

With hands extended, the priest concludes the intercessions by blessing these families in these words:

Gracious Father,
your Word, spoken in love,
created the human family
and your Son renewed the human family
in charity and mercy.
Today we join in offering heartfelt thanks
to almighty God for all those
whose hearts have been touched by foster care.
Endow these families with sincere and enduring love
as they welcome foster children into their midst.
Fill this parish community
with faithfulness and new resolve
to share in the formation of these children
in Christ our Savior,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

R/. Amen.

As circumstances suggest, the priest may sprinkle the families with holy water.

If appropriate, a foster family may bring forward bread and wine for the celebration of the Eucharist and the faithful may bring forward other gifts to relieve the needs of families in difficulty.

Adapted from the Rite of Blessing for a Child in the Womb

Si parece oportuno, se invita a las familias que han sido participes del cuidado de crianza temporal, a pasar al frente para una bendición; familias de crianza, personas que en su juventud vivieron en cuidado temporal, padres de familia cuyos hijos están en cuidado temporal y todos los que se sienten llamados a ser padres de crianza.

Con las manos extendidas, el sacerdote concluye las intercesiones con la bendición de las familias, con las siguientes palabras:

Padre de Bondad,
Tu Palabra de amor creo a la familia humana.
Familia que en caridad y misericordia
fue restaurada a través de tu Hijo.
Hoy nos unimos
y le damos gracias al Dios todopoderoso
por aquellos cuyos corazones fueron tocados
por el cuidado de crianza temporal.
Señor, derrama sobre estas familias
un amor sincero y constante,
ya que reciben a estos niños entre ellos.
Haz de esta comunidad parroquial,
una comunidad fiel, con un compromiso nuevo
de ser participes en la formación de estos niños
en Cristo, nuestro Salvador.
Qué vive y reina por los siglos de los siglos.

R/. Amén.

Según las circunstancias, el celebrante puede asperjar con agua bendita a las familias reunidas.

Si es apropiado las familias de crianza pueden presentar las ofrendas, el pan y el vino para la celebración Eucarística y los fieles pueden presentar otros dones para apoyar a las familias necesidades.

Adaptado del Rito De Bendición De Una Criatura En El Vientre Materno