“God, our almighty Father, to you we dedicate our studies and the work that we do this year.

Open our minds and our hearts so that together we may be grateful for our gifts and the gifts of others; generous to become men and women for others; attentive and discerning in the events of daily life; compassionate with the needy; loving towards others; faith-filled in our beliefs, with hope in the future; eloquent and truthful in our speech; learning to find God in all things; curious to know; engaged with the world; committed to change for the better.

May we use the resources of the earth prudently and set a prophetic example by our conduct, so that we may employ our knowledge to benefit others and create one family of all nations to the greater glory of God.

May Mary, the mother of your son, and our mother too, assist us in all that we do and make us more like her son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.”