Framework for a Catholic Prayer Service (option 1)
One Day Against Hate Prayer Service
(a resources for staffs, faculties, catechists…)
(a resources for staffs, faculties, catechists…)
Call to Prayer
Leader: Today we find ourselves often living in a world of hatred.
All: In the darkness we light a candle of hope.
The first candle is lit.
Song: Refrain from “Christ be our Light” by Bernadette Farrell
Leader: We pray for all those who have suffered injury, disrespect, loss or death because of hatred.
All: In the darkness we light a candle of compassion.
The second candle is lit.
Song: Refrain from “Christ be our Light” by Bernadette Farrell
Leader: We pray for those who perpetrate hatred through their attitudes, their words, and their actions.
All: In the darkness we light a candle of conversion.
The third candle is lit.
Song: Refrain from “Christ be our Light” by Bernadette Farrell
Leader: We pray for ourselves and all those with whom and to whom we minister that we may be the face of God, the face of love, of respect, of peace in our world.
All: In the darkness we light a candle of commitment.
The fourth candle is lit.
Song: Refrain from “Christ be our Light” by Bernadette Farrell
All: In the darkness we light a candle of hope.
The first candle is lit.
Song: Refrain from “Christ be our Light” by Bernadette Farrell
Leader: We pray for all those who have suffered injury, disrespect, loss or death because of hatred.
All: In the darkness we light a candle of compassion.
The second candle is lit.
Song: Refrain from “Christ be our Light” by Bernadette Farrell
Leader: We pray for those who perpetrate hatred through their attitudes, their words, and their actions.
All: In the darkness we light a candle of conversion.
The third candle is lit.
Song: Refrain from “Christ be our Light” by Bernadette Farrell
Leader: We pray for ourselves and all those with whom and to whom we minister that we may be the face of God, the face of love, of respect, of peace in our world.
All: In the darkness we light a candle of commitment.
The fourth candle is lit.
Song: Refrain from “Christ be our Light” by Bernadette Farrell
Opening Prayer |
Leader: God of Unity, you created us as one people, interconnected and interdependent. Your Son and our brother, Jesus Christ taught us to love one another, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and even to love our enemies.
Side 1: Jesus showed that the path to the liberation of the whole world lies in showing kindness to our neighbor, in returning hate with love. Side 2: We beg for your help, God of Peace; nudge us, push us to right what’s gone wrong, to speak the truth in all circumstances, to heal the wounds, to be instruments of love, peace and hope. All: We pray – and vow to act – in the name Jesus, your son and our brother, who continues to challenge us to be his disciples. Amen. |
Reading 1:from Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only Light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only Love can do that. |
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from Desmond Tutu’s
An African Prayer Book: |
Victory is ours
Goodness is stronger than evil; Love is stronger than hate; Light is stronger than darkness; Life is stronger than death; Victory is ours through Him who loves us. |
Response:from Desmond Tutu
set to music by John Bell |
Reading 2
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Leviticus 19:17-18 (or Ephesians 4: 29-31 or 1 John 2: 9-11)
Lead me from death to life,
from falsehood to truth; lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust; lead me from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peace fill our heart, our world, our universe. |
World Peace Prayer |
This World Peace Prayer is found in A New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa (p. 164). The prayer was first publicly used in July 1981 by Mother Teresa in the Anglican Church, St. James’, Piccadilly in London.
The prayer has been set to music by Marty Haugen: https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/world-peace-prayer-print-g3627 |
Reading 3:
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Matthew 22: 37-40
Leader: Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Side 1: Make us instruments of your peace in ______ (mention the cities in which you live)and throughout your world. Side 2: Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Side 1: Help us to sow acceptance and friendship whenever and wherever people are divided, wherever and whenever people are threatened, harassed, or harmed. Side 2: Where there is injury, pardon. Side 1: Nudge us to listen, to seek reconciliation and build peace wherever people live in fear, wherever people are not given their human dignity. Side 2: Where there is doubt, faith. Side 1: Strengthen us to be your presence when, because of the failure of Christians, people have given up on God. Side 2: Where there is despair, hope. Side 1: Empower us to bring healing and hope to a world that often looks for revenge, to people who look for superiority. Side 2: Where there is darkness, light. Side 1: Intensify our actions to be beacons of light, to shine your light on the possibilities of creating a more loving world. Side 2: Where there is sadness, joy. Side 1: Encourage us to people of joyfulness and wonder, to rejoice in your goodness, and gently sharing that with those who suffer. All: O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life. Amen. |
Closing Song |
Note: Other music that might be used throughout the prayer:
- Diverse in Culture, Nation, Race (https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/diverse-in-culture-nation-race-pdf-dhb0307)
- If You Believe and I Believe (https://www.ocp.org/en-us/songs/30357/if-you-believe-and-i-believe)
- In Christ There Is No East or West (https://www.ocp.org/en-us/songs/462/in-christ-there-is-no-east-or-west)
- All are Welcome (https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/all-are-welcome-print-g4166)
- God of Day, God of Darkness (https://www.ocp.org/en-us/songs/593/god-of-day-and-god-of-darkness)