INVOCATION 



By His Eminence, JAMES, CARDINAL. GIBBONS 



We are assembled tonight in Thy name, O God of mercy and 

 Father of all consolation. We recall to mind that when Thou 

 didst live upon this earth, Thy mission was one of mercy and of 

 humanity to those that suffered. Thou didst exercise Thy Divine 

 power in going about doing good to all men, giving sight to the 

 blind and hearing to the deaf and speech to the dumb and strength 

 to the paralyzed limb. Thou didst cleanse the leper. Thou didst 

 perform all these acts of mercy in the cause of suffering human- 

 ity, and those that are here this evening in the medical profes- 

 sion, Thy servants, they also are consecrated to the sublime mis- 

 sion of alleviating human suffering and physical pain. 



Thou Who art the author of life and of strength, grant to 

 them that supernal wisdom so that they may perform, in the 

 exercise of their profession, miracles of science. May they con- 

 trol diseases, alleviate sufferings, and, above all, give them 

 the power to preserve and -prolong the lives of infants, those 

 little waifs who are so dear to Thee Who hast regard to the 

 sanctity of human life. Thou didst love and cherish the child, 

 and that Thou didst say, "Suffer the little children to come unto 

 Me, and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." 

 And may Thy servants assembled here tonight be impressed with 

 the conviction of the sense of their responsibility and with this 

 thought, that never do they approach so near to the Divinity as 

 when they alleviate suffering humanity; never do they prove 

 themselves more worthy to be called the sons of God than when 

 they bring light to chambers that are darkened by sorrow and 

 cause the flowers of joy and of gladness to bloom forth in hearts 

 that were dark and desolate before. 



"Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. 

 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. 

 Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as 

 we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but 

 deliver us from evil. Amen." 



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