Loretto prays for an end to gun violence
Posted on May 30, 2023, by Loretto Community
June 2 is National Gun Violence Awareness Day
We, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, the Dominican Sisters of Peace, the Sisters of Loretto/Loretto Community, the Mercy Sisters of the Americas, the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville and the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph, along with numerous other congregations of women religious invite you to pray this novena for nine days, starting on June 2, in solidarity with those around the country praying for peace and an end to gun violence. The date of June 2 was chosen because it is the birthday of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old girl from Chicago who was playing in a park with her friends when she was tragically shot and killed, just one week after performing at President Obama’s inauguration in 2013. Supporters are asked to wear orange, a color traditionally used by hunters to alert others not to shoot.
https://wearorange.org/
Loving God, You created for us a world of beauty, order, and endless possibilities. But today ours is a world often in chaos: war, famine, drought, so many “isms”, lack of respect for life and for one another. In this our very own beloved country we face these issues day after day. One of these is uppermost in our minds these days—the horror of gun violence which continues to ravage our nation, our society, our people, even the youngest of our children.
Spirit God, we give you all names: Holy, Sanctifier, Paraclete, Advocate. Yet you are so much more: Challenger, Nudger, whirling Wind and engulfing Fire, Mover, Enabler Lover, Breath of Life. Be that for us, we pray. Instill in us your gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, reverence, and awe. Pentecost us. Enable us to be as daring as the newly inspired Apostles—to be bold in our defense of the right of all persons to feel safe wherever we are, unafraid of being forever silenced by those who are armed with weapons and anger and sometimes even hatred.
Give us the courage to speak the Word. Give us the audacity to take the actions needed to end this needless violence against innocent victims.
In the name of our Creator God, in the name of the Word of Life and in the name of the Fire of Love. Amen.
Prayer by Sister Michele Bisaillon, DHS
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