Political advocacy group CatholicVote has unveiled a national initiative encouraging Catholics in prayer, patriotism, and pilgrimage on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
With the participation of Cardinal Raymond Burke, the campaign, branded as “Zeale for America 250,” invites Americans to cultivate patriotic virtue by joining a virtual prayer pilgrimage centered on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Participants are encouraged to engage in a structured program authored by Burke that includes daily personal as well as group prayer, an eight-part video series on the virtue of patriotism, guidance for enthroning the Sacred Heart of Jesus in homes, and a Fourth of July novena.
The campaign will also include the “Zeale for America 250 Rally,” which will take place on Saturday, June 13, at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The event will feature Burke, Catholic media personality Michael J. Knowles, and other well-known Catholic leaders.
“We need Americans committed to pray daily to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the renewal of our country that only God can bring,” CatholicVote President and CEO Kelsey Reinhardt said.
Part of White House ‘America Prays’ initiative
The campaign has been placed under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. It is also part of the White House America Prays initiative, of which CatholicVote is an official partner and which aims to enlist 1 million Americans to dedicate an hour of prayer each week for the nation.
“The White House America Prays initiative brings God and prayer into the heart of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, which itself references God four times,” Reinhardt said in a statement to EWTN News.
“America Prays affirms that God hears and answers our prayers and invites Americans to imagine how bright our future could be if 1 million citizens committed to praying an hour each week for our country,” she said.
“Through Zeale for America 250 and our collaboration with Cardinal Burke, we hope to inspire Catholics and people of goodwill across the nation to answer that call and pray for America at this historic moment,” Reinhardt added.
In the press release, Burke said: “I am grateful to join CatholicVote in this important endeavor of prayer for our nation,” he said. “As we approach the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding, it is fitting that we turn with humble confidence to Almighty God, acknowledging our dependence upon his providence and imploring his divine mercy.”
“It is my earnest hope that every Catholic in America will unite with us in this commitment to prayer throughout the year and especially during the season of Lent, asking the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to renew our hearts and to guide our nation in the way of truth, justice, and peace,” Burke said.
Reinhardt concluded: “With the participation of America’s faithful, we will make our nation’s 250th anniversary not only a celebration of her past achievements but also a renewed commitment to her spiritual future,” she added. “We will transform our country by asking Our Lord to grant her sincere spiritual renewal and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”
