[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 89 (Monday, May 9, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 27983-27984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10952]


 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 81 , No. 89 / Monday, May 9, 2016 / 
Presidential Documents  

 ___________________________________________________________________

 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 27983]]

                Proclamation 9441 of May 4, 2016

                
National Day of Prayer, 2016

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                In times of steady calm and extraordinary change alike, 
                Americans of all walks of life have long turned to 
                prayer to seek refuge, demonstrate gratitude, and 
                discover peace. Sustaining us through great uncertainty 
                and moments of sorrow, prayer allows us an outlet for 
                introspection, and for expressing our hopes, desires, 
                and fears. It offers strength in the face of hardship, 
                and redemption when we falter. Our country was founded 
                on the idea of religious freedom, and we have long 
                upheld the belief that how we pray and whether we pray 
                are matters reserved for an individual's own 
                conscience. On National Day of Prayer, we rededicate 
                ourselves to extending this freedom to all people.

                Every day, women and men use the wisdom gained from 
                humble prayer to spread kindness and to make our world 
                a better place. Faith communities at home and abroad 
                have helped feed the hungry, heal the sick, and protect 
                innocents from violence. Nurturing communities with 
                love and understanding, their prayer inspires their 
                work, which embodies a timeless notion that has kept 
                humanity going through the ages--that one of our most 
                sacred responsibilities is to give of ourselves in 
                service to others.

                The threats of poverty, violence, and war around the 
                world are all too real. Our faith and our earnest 
                prayers can be cures for the fear we feel as we 
                confront these realities. Helping us resist despair, 
                paralysis, or cynicism, prayer offers a powerful 
                alternative to pessimism. Through prayer, we often gain 
                the insight to learn from our mistakes, the motivation 
                to always be better, and the courage to stand up for 
                what is right, even when it is not popular.

                Each of us is an author in our collective American 
                story, and in participating in our national discourse 
                to address some of our Nation's greatest challenges, we 
                are reminded of the blessing we have to live in a land 
                where we are able to freely express the beliefs we hold 
                in our hearts. The United States will continue to stand 
                up for those around the world who are subject to fear 
                or violence because of their religion or beliefs. As a 
                Nation free to practice our faith as we choose, we must 
                remember those around the world who are not afforded 
                this freedom, and we must recommit to building a 
                society where all can enjoy this liberty and live their 
                lives in peace and dignity.

                On this day, may our faiths enable us to sow the seeds 
                of progress in our ever-changing world. Let us resolve 
                to guide our children and grandchildren to embrace 
                freedom for all, to see God in everyone, and to 
                remember that no matter what differences they may have, 
                they, just like we, will always be united by their 
                common humanity.

                The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, as amended, has 
                called on the President to issue each year a 
                proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a 
                ``National Day of Prayer.''

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2016, as

[[Page 27984]]

                National Day of Prayer. I invite the citizens of our 
                Nation to give thanks, in accordance with their own 
                faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and 
                blessings, and I join all people of faith in asking for 
                God's continued guidance, mercy, and protection as we 
                seek a more just world.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand 
                sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States 
                of America the two hundred and fortieth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2016-10952
Filed 5-6-16; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P