[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18239]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Today's opening prayer will be offered by Rev. 
Father Gregoire J. Fluet, pastor of Saint Bridget of Kildare Church, 
Moodus, CT.
  The guest Chaplain offered the following prayer:
  For our prayer this day, I paraphrase a prayer written in 1791 by the 
first American Catholic bishop, Archbishop John Carroll, making his 
words my own.
  Let us pray.
  We pray that You, O God of might, wisdom and justice, through whom 
authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment 
decreed would assist, with your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude, 
the President of these United States; that his administration may be 
conducted in righteousness, and eminently useful to Your people over 
whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; 
by a faithful execution of the laws of justice and mercy; and by 
restraining vice and immorality.
  Let the light of Your divine wisdom direct the deliberations of 
Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for 
our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of 
peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, 
sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessings 
of equal liberty.
  We recommend likewise, to Your unbounded mercy, all our brethren and 
fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed 
in Your most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that 
peace which the world cannot give. Great God, make of us a virtuous 
people, and allow us to walk always in Your love.
  We beseech You to send Your special blessings and graces upon these 
elected leaders.
  In Your Name, we pray. Amen.

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