Pax Christi is deeply saddened at the bomb attack in the city of Manchester. Such crimes of violence seek to create fear and enmity and bring division. We are encouraged by the dignity and courage of the families, rescue workers, medical teams and the ordinary citizens of Manchester who have shown that love and solidarity outweigh hatred and violence.
Working for justice through nonviolent peacemaking is the only sustainable way forward to address the wounds of Manchester and our world. We will continue in our own efforts as a part of an international movement for peace to achieve this. We invite people to pray with us Saint John Paul II’s ‘Cry for Peace‘
To you, Creator of nature and humanity, of truth and beauty, I pray:
Hear my voice, for it is the voice of the victims of all wars and violence among individuals and nations.
Hear my voice, for it is the voice of all children who suffer and will suffer when people put their faith in weapons and war.
Hear my voice, when I beg you to instil into the hearts of all human beings the wisdom of peace, the strength of justice and the joy of fellowship.
Hear my voice, for I speak for the multitudes in every country and every period of history who do not want war and are ready to walk the road of peace.
Hear my voice and grant insight and strength so that we may always respond to hatred with love, to injustice with total dedication to justice, to need with sharing of self, to war with peace.
Oh God, hear my voice, and grant unto the world your everlasting peace.
