Prayers of the American faithful.

After 489 consecutive columns without missing a single deadline, REB is taking the month off. We're reprinting one of his, and our, favorites. Look for his column in a new spot next month. --The Editors

FOR ALL THE INFANTS, BOTH THOSE WAITING to be born and those already face-to-face with a turbulent world, that they may be blessed with a loving parent or two as well as those who, in the words of Blanche DuBois, "depend on the kindness of strangers."

For priests, ministers, rabbis, and other people of the cloth, especially those for whom life is an unequal struggle, uphill almost all the way.

For parents, young, middle-aged, and elderly, whose ceaseless vigil and breathless efforts to do what is best for their offspring would intrigue Dante.

For those forced to sleep on frigid nights in the streets of our cities, wrapped, if they are lucky, in corrugated cardboard boxes (which once, ironically, wrapped refrigerators)--boxes that at least shield them from the contemptuous glances of passersby.

For our teenagers who, though caught up in a mad whirl of entertainment and other stimuli, seem never to be having any fun.

For those plagued by addiction to alcohol or drugs, both those with the guts to seek and find a 12-step program or a reasonable facsimile thereof and also for those who tell themselves, "One of these days, I'll do something about it."

For those with serious disabilities or illness, especially those who know their days are numbered and can only take comfort in Pascal's wager that, considering the alternative, there must be an afterlife.

For our governmental leaders who are constantly being told that we need less of them while, at the same time, being beleaguered to do more for the ungrateful masses they are expected to serve.

For the pope and our bishops, even though we will be remembering them formally in the Canon of the Mass (Is it still called the Canon?) because, God knows, they need all the prayers they can get.

For the swelling number of unfortunates to whom we say, "Three strikes, you're out," as we cage them like animals, revealing in the process more about our failures than theirs.

For mothers on welfare who, surrounded by small children, are told by some public servant or other that "they just shouldn't have so many children," or are even asked, "Why don't you have abortions like everyone else?"

For nations who, armed with artificial claws, resemble nothing so much as cocks fighting in a pit, tearing at each other until at the end victor and victim are indistinguishable.

For everyone's favorite whipping boys and girls--the media--who, as often as not, do their jobs poorly as they try to please everybody, a contradiction that Aesop would understand.

For teachers at all levels who all too often must face a classroom of glazed eyes and vacant faces as they try to bring their students from point A to B, that their frustrations will not burn away their dedication.

That the pillorying of doctors and lawyers in our society will cease; and that we will realize that a bad apple doesn't really spoil the bushel and that countless decent professionals are striving to make their extensive preparations useful to others.

For those enlightened or humble enough to recognize that we are all sinful creatures and to say, "I'm sorry, God; I'll really try hard to do better," or conversely, for those who strut into the temple announcing, "Thank God, I'm not like the rest!"

For the handfuls of faithful celebrating weekday Mass with a priest in an almost empty church, and for those who appall liturgists by fingering their rosaries or reading their novena prayers during Mass, God bless them all.

For all these and for any that we have overlooked, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.