CatholicVote announced on March 10 a bold campaign promoting prayer and patriotism across America for its 250th birthday, inviting citizens to pray daily to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the country and cultivate the virtue of patriotism through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Described as “a virtual pilgrimage of prayer,” the campaign is led by Cardinal Raymond Burke and features a special event to be held June 13 in Wisconsin with His Eminence.
“I am grateful to join CatholicVote in this important endeavor of prayer for our nation,” Cardinal Burke said. “As we approach the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding, it is fitting that we turn with humble confidence to Almighty God, acknowledging our dependence upon His Providence and imploring His Divine Mercy.”
CatholicVote is an official partner of the White House America Prays initiative, which has a goal of having one million Americans committed to praying one hour a week for the nation and its people. The Zeale for America 250 campaign is CatholicVote’s initiative to help reach that goal.
The campaign is anchored in devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and formation in the virtue of patriotism, invites the faithful to enthrone the Sacred Heart of Jesus in their homes, pray a Fourth of July novena, and commit to praying a daily prayer for America, both penned by Cardinal Burke.
“It is my earnest hope that every Catholic in America will unite with us in this commitment to prayer throughout the year,” Cardinal Burke said, “and especially during the Season of Lent, asking the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to renew our hearts and to guide our nation in the way of truth, justice, and peace.”
The campaign includes an eight-part video series, led by Cardinal Burke, on the virtue of patriotism, encouraging people to learn about and cultivate a rightly ordered love of country. Along with individual formation, CatholicVote is inviting the faithful to form Zeale for America 250 prayer groups to regularly pray in community for the country. All prayer and formation materials are provided to those who register to take part in the movement.
The entire campaign is entrusted to the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Americas. Cardinal Burke has promoted devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe for many years, particularly at the shrine dedicated to her in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He announced the project to build the shrine in 1999, and it was dedicated in 2008, as Zeale News previously reported. Cardinal Burke said in the previous report that the shrine has since become a site of pilgrimage visited by thousands of faithful from around the globe.
Although the campaign will continue through December, its pinnacle is the June 13 Zeale for America 250 Rally at the La Crosse Center. Tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks.
Catholic political commentator Michael Knowles and others to be announced are among the featured speakers.
CatholicVote CEO and President Kelsey Reinhardt emphasized that the campaign is an opportunity to foster spiritual renewal across the nation.
“With the participation of America’s faithful, we will make our nation’s 250th anniversary not only a celebration of her past achievements but also the promise of tomorrow,” Reinhardt said. “We will transform our country by asking Our Lord to grant her sincere spiritual renewal and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”