Upon invitation of the President, the following prayer was offered by Senator Allen, as written by the Chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM:
As we celebrate Earth Day today, let us pray this prayer of Pope Francis from Laudato Si:
All-powerful God, You are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of Your creatures.
You embrace with Your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of Your love that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this Earth,
so precious in Your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey upon it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the Earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey toward Your infinite light.
We thank You for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love, and peace.—AMEN.
(Laudato Si by Pope Francis)