By Rev. Canon Stewart Murray, Incumbent at St. Barnabas, Ottawa

One of the great treasures of our Anglican tradition that I have rediscovered in the last few years is the Great Litany in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and the Book of Alternative Services (BAS). At one time it was common to find a copy of the Litany in a separate book on a prayer desk, called a litany desk, in the sanctuary or nave of most churches. The BCP suggests that the Litany be used as a form of intercession and petition “at least once a month on a Sunday”. I remember as a chorister at St. Matthew’s learning to sing the Litany and finding it both tedious and fascinating as we prayed for the world and all sorts of people, from the Queen to women laboring of child, and for all in danger, necessity or...