A FATHER’S DAY BLESSING

Where possible a son or daughter could lead the family or the community in the following:-

‘Lord, as we celebrate Father’s Day may we think about the gift of fatherhood and show our appreciation of the love and care of fathers for their families. At the same time may we also be conscious of those fathers who are not with their families at this time.”

INTERCESSIONS.

LEADER: Lord, may our father experience your love from him in new and deeper ways this Father’s Day. May we learn to love him as you do.

CHILDREN: Hear us God, our Father.

LEADER: May our father on earth always respond to the call to be like Our Father in heaven and love and cherish his children deeply.

CHILDREN: Hear us God, our Father.

LEADER: May we always cherish the memories we have shared with our father.

CHILDREN: Hear us God, our Father.

LEADER: May we always have the courage to tell our father of our love and our need of him.

CHILDREN: Hear us God, our Father.

LEADER: May we walk proudly with our father in times of prosperity and of need.

CHILDREN: Hear us God, our Father.

LEADER: Forgive us and free our father from any injury or hurt we may have caused so that we will be united in love as you want us to be.

CHILDREN: Hear us God, our Father.

LEADER: May we have the courage to forgive our father for the hurts we have experienced and may we learn to accept him as he is.

CHILDREN: Hear us God, our Father.

AFFIRMATION

Where possible the children could tell their father about one of his qualities they admire and say the following:

“I believe in you dad. You are someone who is very important to me, not because of the things you do, but because you are my father who has given me life and I love you. If you have hurt me I forgive you and ask for forgiveness for the times I have hurt you.”

BLESSING

LEADER: Lord God, bless our father all fathers this day with all the good things in life: health, joy, love and laughter. Keep him in your care always and protect him from harm.”

ALL: Amen

Children could offer their father a blessing by signing him with the sing of the cross on his forehead and fathers could bless their children in the same way. If done in Church the priest can then bless all present and offer prayers too for absent fathers.