Prayers of Justice and Peace for Various Occasions
These are prayers that have appeared here at the Justpeace site, posted in email messages, or compiled for this page. Some are original, some are redactions of existing traditional prayers.
Consecration to Our Lady of the Most Precious Blood & the Sacred Heart of Jesus
For the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
For
Those About to be Killed by War or Economic Oppression
A PRAYER OF CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD AND THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
Our Lady of the Most Precious Blood, Queen of Justice and Peace,
as a visible sign and witness
of my consecration to your most immaculate heart and to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, I promise to
live my life in solidarity with the poor and all who are despised
and rejected. I will respect and
protect the human dignity of every person, from conception to the
time of natural death. As
patron of this promise, I call upon St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose
solidarity with the poor was
even unto death.
Our Lady of the Most Precious Blood, Queen of Justice and Peace,
as a visible sign and witness
of my consecration to your most immaculate heart and to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, I promise to
work and live for justice. I will be just in all of my personal,
political, and economic
relationships. I will seek to create and participate in structures
of justice and beauty in my
culture and community. I will not be silent in the face of
injustice and wickedness. I will speak
truth to power and in your name question unjust authority. As
patrons of this promise and
consecration, I call upon St. Gaspar del Bufalo and Dorothy Day of
New York..
Our Lady of the Most Precious Blood, Queen of Justice and Peace,
as a visible sign and witness
of my consecration to your most immaculate heart and to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, I promise
service to all people through the spiritual and corporal works of
mercy. I will feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, protect the defenceless,
raise up the down-trodden,
comfort the sick, visit those in prison, and give water to all who
are thirsty. As patrons of this
promise and consecration, I call upon St. Vincent de Paul, St.
Elizabeth Ann Seton, and St.
Louise Marillac.
Our Lady of the Most Precious Blood, Queen of Justice and Peace,
as a visible sign and witness
of my consecration to your most immaculate heart and to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus, I promise to
live in service to peace on earth and good will to all. I will
practice peace and reconciliation in
my personal, economic, and political relatinoships and will daily
seek an end to war, violence,
suffering and alienation. As patron of this promise and
consecration, I call upon St. Francis of
Assisi.
A PRAYER FOR ELECTION DAY ...TOP
+ Lord God of all creation,
You rule and judge all nations,
You scatter the arrogant of mind and heart,
You cast down rulers from their thrones and raise up the lowly.
Today we elect those who will serve in our government:
the voices that call us to go this way or that way are confusing,
the signs of these times that we must discern are tragic and unjust,
the culture of death that afflicts all people is powerful.
Open our eyes to see your Reign in history,
our hearts to share your love with all people,
our ears to hear the cry of the widow, the orphan, and the
stranger among us.
Send your Holy Spirit upon the people of this land:
Teach us to make wise and prudent decisions.
Increase our faith and hope.
Help us to live the Gospel we profess.
May all who are elected this day:
do justice,
love goodness,
and walk humbly before You and all people.
We ask for these blessings,
confident in your providence through all time,
calling upon Mary our Mother
and all the saints who have served the cause of justice,
through your Son, Jesus Christ, Redeemer and Savior, Amen.
A LITANY OF REMEMBRANCE AND SALVATION ...TOP
God of witness and memory -- Lord, have mercy
Vindicator of the poor -- Christ, have mercy
Spirit bearing justice -- Lord, have mercy.
Response: We will not forget.
Let us remember this day all people who are
killed in wars (we will not forget)Response: Save us O Lord. . .
From the marginalization of poverty, (Save us O Lord)Response:
Pray for us. . .
St. Joseph, (pray for us)
St. John the Baptist,
St. Francis of Assisi,
St. John of God,
Venerable Pierre Toussaint,
St. Moses the Moor,
St. Rose of Lima,
St. Peter Claver,
St. Rose Duchesne,
St. Martin de Porres,
St. Gaspar del Bufalo,
Blessed Maria Mattias,
St. Maximilian Kolbe,
Ugandan Martyrs,
St. Andrew Duc Lac & all Vietnamese Martyrs,
Blessed Frederic Ozanam,
St. Katherine Drexel,
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross,
Martyrs of the Americas,
Venerable Matthew Talbot,
St. Francis Xavier Cabrini,
St. Vincent de Paul,
St. Louise Marillac,
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton,
St. Mary MacKillop,
Blessed Kateri Tekawitha,
Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange,
Henriette Delille,
Mother Teresa of Calcutta,
Ita Ford,
Maura Clarke,
Dorothy Kazel,
Jean Donovan,
Barbara Ann Muttra,
Shirley Kolmer,
Mary Joel Kolmer,
Agnes Mueller,
Kathleen McGuire,
Ignacio Ellacuría
Segundo Montes
Ignacio Martín-Baró
Juan Ramón Moreno
Armando López
Joaquín López y López
Julia Elba Ramos
Celina Ramos
Dietrich Bonfoeffer,
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dorothy Day,
Peter Maurin,
Stanley Rother,
Archbishop Oscar Romero,
May we hear and remember the tragedy, joy, despair, and hope of the voices that call to us and to history for justice, reconciliation, and peace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
NOVENA PRAYER FOR A WEEK OF NOVENAS FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE ...TOP
This prayer was prepared for use during a series of seven novenas to Our Lady under the titles of: Our Lady of Sorrows, Guadalupe, Most Precious Blood, Good Counsel, Perpetual Help, Queen of Peace, Victories.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, (title of Mary for the novena) help the helpless, strengthen the fearful, comfort the sorrowful, bring justice to the poor and peace to all nations; title of Mary for the novena, intercede for those who serve the poor and the Church; may we who keep this sacred commemoration experience the joy and love of the grace of your Son; may His most immaculate Heart, together with yours, pierced with sorrow for the evils of the world, be a sure refuge of hope in a time of trouble for all who are oppressed by injustice and violence.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, My spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed, the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, He has scattered the proud
in their conceit. He has cast
down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with
good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to
the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to
our fathers, to Abraham
and his children for ever.
A PRAYER FOR A POOR NEIGHBORHOOD ...TOP
God of Creation, Redemption, and Reconciliation.
You call us to live together in peace.
Your Word speaks of reconciliation.
Your Spirit brings justice.
Look upon us
and judge what we have done with our stewardship.
.
Witness the burned houses,
meth labs,
crack houses,
drug dealers,
slumlords,
and prostitutes.
See the emptiness and false promises,
the alienation and despair,
injustice and oppressions,
that bring these tragedies among us.
Hear the gunfire that breaks the peace!
How many lives are swallowed up in these tragedies!
How much pain and how much sorrow do they cause!
Heal this place, God of mercy and forgiveness.
Send your love and grace upon all
prostitutes,
drug dealers,
slumlords,
loan sharks,
bankers,
lawyers,
politicians.
Bring them to conversion of heart and life.
Cause those who are responsible to cease from their oppressions,
stop their crimes, and to keep the peace in our neighborhoods.
Fill the emptiness that is the source of these sorrows,
with love, peace, mercy, and justice.
Give us courage, so that we may show them of your love,
Teach us to respect all people as human beings,
not forgetting all
prostitutes,
drug dealers,
slumlords,
loan sharks,
bankers,
lawyers, and
politicians.
These blessings we ask,
in the name of the One who became poverty,
who will judge the deeds of all humanity,
on that great day when justice reigns
in every neighborhood,
on every street,
and among all nations.
Amen.
November 28, 1999, after the 4th
house burned on Oakley Street in a month, Kansas City,
Missouri
+ A PRAYER FOR ALL ANIMAL COMPANIONS ...TOP
Lord God,
Compassionate Wisdom,
Healing Spirit,
In the beginning when you brought forth life,
you committed the stewardship of
Creation to our first parents.
In your providence we see your love,
and we find the beginnings and the endings
of all journeys within your glory.
We recall with heart-felt gratitude
the lives of the animal companions
who have shared our days.
In life they gave witness to your glory,
In death they are memories of grace and beauty.
May we find in this mystery
of the rhythms of our lives,
grace, wisdom, fortitude,
and the peace that passes
human understanding,
so that we may
see You more clearly,
love You more dearly,
and follow You more nearly.
May all Creation praise,
reverence, and serve your
Holy Name of beauty and justice.
These blessings we ask,
with confidence in your eternal love,
entrusting all our animal companions
to the care and protection of St. Francis,
through your Son Jesus Christ,
Compassionate Lord,
by whose wounds
we are healed.
Amen.
+ For Lady, a faithful friend and constant companion to Fr. Denis Dougherty, OSB, on the memorial of Sts. Zechariah and Elizabeth, 1998
+ And for Sammy, faithful friend and
companion to Susan Munsinger, June 14, 1999
A PRAYER ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ...TOP
God of life and creation,
Word bringing peace,
Spirit bearing justice.
You delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt,
answered the prayer of Hannah,
rescued Daniel from the injustice of the king.
You raise up the lowly,
and cast down the mighty.
Fifty years ago this day
the nations of humanity
in solemn assembly
enacted as an everlasting memorial the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
We give you thanks and praise for
this witness of the dignity of the human person,
sealed by the testimony of martyrs
known and unknown throughout all human history,
In the millennium to come,
may this Declaration be a firm foundation for peace and justice.
Grant to the nations a spirit of wisdom and discernment
so that respect for these rights becomes the way of all people.
Bless those who create and sustain
a culture of life and love
with endurance, hope, and abundance.
May the candles we light glow bright
with hospitality and hope,
respect and love,
peace and justice.
We ask for these blessings,
confident in your providence through all time,
calling upon Mary our Mother
and all the martyrs who were victims of injustice and oppression,
through your Son, Jesus Christ, Redeemer and Savior, Amen.
PRAYER FOR THOSE ABOUT TO
BE KILLED IN WAR OR ECONOMIC CHAOS
...TOP
Our Lady of Sorrows,
Hear our prayer for all those who will die today because of war and economic oppression, especially the children.
Prepare them for the agony, despair, and terror of the violence that is upon them. Comfort them and hold them close to the bosom of your most Immaculate Heart as they drink deeply of the bitter cup which is forced upon them. Wipe their tears, calm their fears, welcome them to peace and safety. Eternal rest grant to them, and may perpetual light shine upon them. May all rise in judgment against the wickedness that brings this violence upon the world.
Overturn the thrones of tyranny, scatter the unjust, cast down
the bloody rulers who make the cry
of the widow and orphan rise to heaven. Give us your grace and
strength to stand against the
demonic powers which prowl about the world seeking the ruin of
souls. Grant that peace with
justice will come to all the world. Amen.