A Prayer for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament
Each year on August 6 and August 9, we remember the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These attacks killed and injured hundreds of thousands of people, most of them civilians, and devastated homes, hospitals, emergency services, and public buildings. As we honor those who died and all whose lives were forever changed, we pray for healing, reconciliation, and a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.
Christ, Lord and Prince of Peace,
let your peace reign in our hearts and in the hearts of all people.
Teach us to build a culture of life, trust, and peace,
so that the devastation witnessed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki may never happen again.
Have mercy on us as we remember all who have suffered because of nuclear weapons.
Guide leaders and nations toward wisdom, restraint, and lasting disarmament.
Make us faithful peacemakers in our homes, communities, and world.
We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Adapted from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ “Prayer for End of Nuclear Weapons.”
