Why are the bells of St. Monica, and churches everywhere, ringing at 2:30 p.m. today? 

President-elect Joe Biden has invited faith communities across the country to ring or toll their bells at 2:30 p.m. PST to coincide with a candle light vigil and prayer taking place in Washington at the reflecting pool on the Capitol mall: watch the livestream by click here. 

We honor the more than 400,000 people who have lost their lives to the coronavirus. The Inauguration Committee invites everyone to light a candle in their window as a sign of the solidarity. We embrace those families who have lost loved ones, some losing multiple members across generations. Grab your St. Monica Christ Candle and join us today. Now and always, we continue to pray for peace and unity in our country.

The President-elect and Vice President-elect are calling us to a moment of remembrance, prayer, thanksgiving for all lives, and we call upon God to take us beyond this moment and bring us hope.

Msgr. Torgerson shared the following words in his homily today calling us to embrace each other and our nation in prayer today:

Let this be our prayer for today, inspired by Psalm 23:

Loving God, like a shepherd, you lead us.

You shelter us and show us the way, for it is

in your footsteps, we strive to follow.

Lord, to the naked eye, we are walking through

the shadow of death in this moment,

And darkness is all around us, yet YOU, are our guide.

Four hundred thousand of our brothers, sisters, parents, children,

aunts, uncles, neighbors and friends

have died as a result of a pandemic we have known for less than a year.

Families carry tremendous pain at their personal tragedy;

our nation is in shock at this national tragedy.

Yet, with you by our side, we need not fear the darkness of the night.

You are there to guide us through the valley of the shadow of death.

With your crook and your staff, you bring us comfort

even when the darkest hour of the night can seize us with fear.

Show us your kindness. Show us your mercy.

Hold our families in your care,

and especially hold close those

who have crossed from death to life with you.

Let us know the power of your love,

that we may live in your house forever.

We make this prayer in the name above every other name,

Jesus the Lord.

Amen.