By Ambria Hammel | May 7, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

Prayer can move mountains.

Ric and Davonna Serrano, parents of two children ages 13 and 10, believe in the power of prayer and constantly emphasize its value to them.

As co-chairs of the 2009 Charity and Development Appeal, Ric and Davonna hope that their diocesan family will come to understand and experience the uniting power of prayer. That’s why they suggested that CDA prayer request cards be made available to Catholics within the diocese. The cards will be available at Masses this weekend.

“The purpose of what we can accomplish through the CDA is built on prayer,” Davonna Serrano said.

The request cards give prayer a renewed focus throughout the diocese. Beginning in 2007, local Catholic families received a copy of the CDA mealtime prayer with the bishop’s appeal letter. The prayer asks for blessings and assistance for those throughout the diocese. Many parishes, schools and families commit to offer that prayer.

Now, through the new CDA prayer request cards, churchgoers can ensure that their specific, yet anonymous, intentions are being lifted up in prayer.

“Our friends, family and community struggle for many reasons and are in need of our prayers,” said Fr. Greg Schlarb, diocesan vicar of stewardship and pastor of St. Anne Parish in Gilbert. “The Office of Stewardship, through our parishes, is offering an opportunity to everyone who wants to request a special intention prayer for jobs, food, health, family or any concern they want brought to our Lord.”

The CDA prayer request cards will be available to churchgoers May 9-10. The cards feature the CDA logo, a Scripture passage from the Gospel of John and a space for Catholics to write in a special prayer intention.

The cards will be collected during each liturgy. The presiding priest at every parish will pray over the prayer requests during Mass.

Parishes will then send the cards to the Office of Stewardship. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted will offer a Mass for those needs and special intentions.

“I think the idea that the cards are being collected as a diocese shows some solidarity between the people in the pew and the bishop,” said Fr. John Coleman, pastor of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Chandler.

That image of being a diocesan family is vital to the CDA. Priests at several parishes regularly hear about individuals and families struggling to survive in this down economy.

“For their sake, we all need to ask our Lord for His love, compassion, and mercy,” Davonna Serrano said.