May 29: Memorial of Blessed Rolando Rivi, martyred seminarian

Today, is the memorial of a newly-beatified Seminarian, who was killed because he was wearing a cassock, and because he was a practicing Christian.

"Io sono di Gesu", 'I belong to Christ", these are the words in which Rolando Rivi expressed his love for Christ and the Church, and publicly witnessed in wearing his cassock.

Let us pray for seminarians, those who already entered the seminary and those who will be called to the priesthood. May he inspire us to publicly say to the world: "Io sono di Gesu!"

O God,
merciful Father,
who chose the small 
to confound the powerful of the world,
we thank You for having given us, 
in the seminarian Rolando Rivi,
a testimony of total love
for Your Son, Jesus, and the Church,
unto the sacrifice of his life.
Enlightened by this example, 
and through Rolando’s intercession,
we ask You to give us the strength 
to be always living signs of Your love in the world,
and we beg You to grant us the grace of [here state your petitions],
which we ardently desire.
Amen.