Prayer for the Election of the General Councillors

We give thanks to You for the gift of Brother Pascal Ahodegnon, elected to guide our religious family in the spirit of Saint John of God. We thank You for his commitment and the mission entrusted to him. In this new stage, full of promise and challenges, we pray that You surround him with Your grace and light. Grant him, and the Brothers who will join him as General Councillors, the wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit. May they be inspired by a spirit of discernment, capable of looking at the past with gratitude, embracing the present with passion, and moving forward into the future with a living hope.

May they let themselves be guided by Your will, renewing the charism of hospitality so that it bears even more fruit in a world seeking compassion and mercy and constantly changing. Lord, may this team embody the hospitality of proximity, following the example of the Good Samaritan. May they have attentive hearts, open to the calls of the most vulnerable, and be witnesses of Your tenderness for the poor, the sick, and all those who suffer.

May their commitment be a source of hope, and may they continue, with humility and faith, to perform acts of mercy where pain and loneliness are most present. In this shared mission, we also pray that this team collaborates with all the Brothers and collaborators of the Order, forming a caravan of solidarity for the service of the weakest. May everyone, whether religious or lay, contribute their part, driven by the passion for hospitality and a spirit of communion.

Lord, enlighten them, strengthen them, and make this election a source of renewal for our hospitaller family. Through their service, may the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God continue to proclaim Your mercy and embody Your tenderness for the most deprived. We pray to You with trust and hope, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Holy Spirit, breath of life and source of all consolation, You who ignited the heart of Saint John of God and Saint Charles Borromeo, descend upon us, the Hospitaller Brothers around the world, gathered at the General Chapter near Our Lady of Częstochowa.

On this day when the Church celebrates Saint Charles Borromeo, zealous pastor and fervent defender of the most vulnerable, we pray to You, Lord, to rekindle in us the flame of charity. As Saint Charles Borromeo supported the work of the Brothers of Saint John of God in Italy in their mission of care and hospitality, grant us the strength to respond to the needs of our time with the same compassion and dedication.

Saint John of God, our father and model, who embraced the folly of the cross, the folly of unconditional love, the folly of compassion for the love of the poor and the sick, guide our steps on the path of hospitality in a constantly changing world. Teach us to “do good at all times,” as the Gospel of this day reminds us (Lk 6:27-38), to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who mistreat us. May your example of unconditional service inspire us to reach out to those who are rejected, heal the wounds of bodies and souls, and offer a loving presence to those who suffer.

Holy Spirit, fill us with Your wisdom and strength so that we may respond to the challenges of our time with courage and faith. Make this General Chapter a time of grace and renewal, where we will listen to Your voice and the needs of the world.

May Our Lady of Częstochowa, Queen of Poland and Mother of Mercy, watch over our Hospitaller Family and intercede for us.

United in prayer and fraternity, we entrust our mission of hospitality to You, Lord.

Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen!