Resources to help you plan events for Hiroshima and Nagasaki
on 6 and 9 August

• Message from the Mayor of Hiroshima to Coventry (can be used elsewhere)
• Sadako's Cranes for Peace: beautiful booklet with story of Sadako, children's activities and how to make paper cranes (produced by CND)
• No to Trident Briefings (CND)
• Text of speech given by Hiroshima survivor, Hisako Kimura at the
  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty meetings in New York, May 2010
• Information on Hiroshima Peace Museum exhibition. This will be on display in Friends House, Euston Road, London between 2 - 12 August. Your community could host this exhibition too!

Prayer/Reflective materials

• Photographs of Pax Christi Hiroshima and Nagasaki events in UK
• Message from the Archbishop of Nagasaki accompanying the image of atomic bombed statue of Mary from Nagasak's Urakami Cathedral Church, used in New York, May 2010
• Hiroshima Day Prayer
• Breaking Faith in Nuclear Weapons: US guide for Religious Communities
• A simple liturgy to mark the days: download here

• Faithful Security: excellent liturgy page with lots of creative ideas.
• Prayer by Fr John Dear sj: download here

Christ our Reconciliation

ICON Prayer Card

Beautiful full-colour prayer card of the icon 'Christ our Reconciliation' made for Pax Christi International at the Monastery of St John in the Desert near Jerusalem.

Drag mouse over each panel of the icon on the right to see the name of the figure/s represented

Click on each panel to read a short explanation of the same

To see the card and prayer in larger view click HERE (PDF format - get Acrobat Reader)

Available in sets of 50 - price £2.50.
Send cheque with note of your address to:
Pax Christi, St Joseph's, Watford Way, Hendon, London NW4 4TY, England.

For more information email orders@paxchristi.org.uk or telephone +44 (0)20 8203 4884

Blessed Are You Peacemakers

Blessed are you peacemakers, who say no to war as a means to peace. Blessed are you peacemakers, who are committed to disarm weapons of mass destruction. Blessed are you peacemakers, who wage peace at heroic personal cost. Blessed are you peacemakers, who challenge and confront judges, courts & prisons. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help those who are hurting.
	Blessed are the peacemakers, who befriend perfect strangers. Blessed are the peacemakers, who open doors for acting justly, loving tenderly and walking humbly with God and all people of good will. Blessed are the peacemakers, who welcome, encourage and inspire. Blessed are the peacemakers, who offer hope and healing. Blessed are the peacemakers, who care and comfort. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help find answers.
Blessed are the peacemakers, who provide stability not insanity. Blessed are the peacemakers, who help restore faith and love. Blessed are the peacemakers, who delight in creation, art & creativity. Blessed are the peacemakers, who see the good in others. Blessed are the peacemakers, who never give up. Blessed are the peacemakers, who give and give and give. Fr. Paul Milanowski Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Prayers for Peace in Iraq and the Middle East

Pax Christi, together with the National Justice and Peace Network and CAFOD invites friends, members, parishes, schools and religious communities to fast and pray every Friday for peace in Iraq and the Middle East. The following is a special prayer chosen to be shared on that day

We come to you, God Creator.
You are the source of life and beauty and power.
Your son Jesus is the way of faith and hope and love.
Your Spirit is the fire of love, the fount of wisdom, the bond of unity.
You call us at all times to be people of the beatitudes,
Witnesses to the Gospel of peace and love and forgiveness.
You call us at this time, when war and rumours of war,
weigh heavily on the peoples of Iraq and the Middle East.
Their lives are already broken by suffering and violence.

We renew our acceptance of your call.

We promise to work:
To bring the light of the Gospel to those living in darkness,
To bring the hope of the Gospel to those living in despair,
To bring the healing of the Gospel to the lonely,
the disadvantaged, the marginalized,
And to bring the peace of the Gospel to a divided world.
Amen.

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Pax Christi Daily Prayer

Strengthen My determination to work for a world of peace and justice My conviction that, whatever our nationality or race, we are all global citizens, one in Christ My courage to challenge the powerful with the values of the Gospel My commitment to find nonviolent ways of resolving conflict - personal, local, national and international My efforts to forgive injuries and to love those I find it hard to love.

Prayer for Peace and Forgiveness

Could be used in a penitential service or for reflection during Lent

We confess that in our lives we do not
Always choose the way of peace.
We spread gossip which fans the flame of hatred.
We are ready to make any sacrifices when Caesar demands -
but few when God invites.
We worship the false god of security and nationalism
We hold out our hand in friendship -
But keep a weapon in the other behind our back

We have divided your body of people
Into those we trust and those we do not.
Huge problems challenge us in the world -
But our greed, fear and selfishness prevent
us from uniting to solve them

Lord, we pray for your help,
Your forgiveness and your
Reconciling power in our lives.

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An Interfaith Prayer for Peace

O God, you are the source of life and peace.
Praised be your name forever.
We know it is you who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.
Hear our prayer in this time of crisis.
Your power changes hearts
Muslims, Christians and Jews remember, and profoundly affirm,
That they are followers of the one God,
Children of Abraham, brothers and sisters;
Enemies begin to speak to one another;
those who were estranged join hands in friendship;
nations seek the way of peace together.
Strengthen our resolve to give witness to these
truths by the way we live.

Give to us:
Understanding that puts an end to strife;
Mercy that quenches hatred, and
Forgiveness that overcomes vengeance.

Empower all people to live in your law of love

Amen.

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Prayer of St Francis

Further Resources

The following Pax Christi resources may be of particular help to those wanting prayer and liturgy material. We also have liturgy resources for Peace Sunday, Northern Ireland and other occasions. All available from the Pax Christi office.

• Peacemaking Day by Day: A reflection a day for peace and justice. £4.00
• A Taste for Peace: Recipes and Reflections from Pax Christi members around the world. £5.00
• The Promise of Peace: Pax Christi anthology of poems, prayers and reading on the message of peacemaking at Christmas. £4.00
• Be Still and Know: meditations for Peacemakers based on the miracle of mindfulness of Thich Nhat Hanh. £3.00

also see publications

Peace Quotes Links

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