Prayer for Child Soldiers
A prayer to end the recruitment and use of children in conflict – and for the healing of those who have been forced into conflict, and those whom they have harmed.
Download a PowerPoint version of the prayer: Prayer for Child Soldiers.
Dear Lord,
We pray for children whose childhood has been interrupted,
For young eyes which have seen far too much,
Young hands trained to hold weapons,
Young feet forced to march,
Young minds seared by commands
No child should encounter.
O Prince of Peace,
Who gathered the children to Yourself
And blessed them,
We pray for children used in conflicts to be set free,
For your healing to restore their bodies and minds
And the bodies and minds of those they have harmed,
For their reconciliation within families and communities
And an end to cycles of grief and trauma.
And we pray, O Lord, who created all things
And whose love is everywhere,
Bring a just and peaceful resolution of the conflicts
That rend our world
And that put children and adults in harm’s way.
Your Kingdom come, O Lord, your will be done.
Fair Trade Prayers and Reflections from CCOW
Are you looking for Fair Trade prayers and reflections for a church service or for personal prayer? Materials for Prayer and Reflection on Fair Trade offers the materials we’ve provided for Fairtrade Fortnight Church Action Guides and other resources over the years.
Resources for praying with and for South Sudan
- Catholic Relief Services: Prayer for South Sudan
- CAFOD: South Sudan Emergency Prayer
- Christian Aid: Prayer for South Sudan
- Diocese of Salisbury: A Prayer of Intercession for South Sudan
- Episcopal Church of South Sudan Northern Bahr el Ghazel Internal Province: Growing (Lent course, which includes several prayers)
- Episcopal Church (USA): Prayers of the People for South Sudan (includes prayer written by Sudanese refugee children)
- MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship): Pray for South Sudan
- Mothers Union: Prayers for South Sudan
- Solidarity with South Sudan: Prayer for Peace in This New Country
- Tearfund: Prayers for South Sudan (booklet)
- World Vision: Pray for South Sudan
Links to Further Materials for the Day of Prayer for the DRC and South Sudan
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The World Council of Churches has issued:
- a press release and a letter to member churches encouraging people to join in the Day of Prayer
- an article with quotes of support from the South Sudan Council of Churches
- prayer material and background information
- The Anglican Communion has issued a press release that focuses on the welcome for the Day of Prayer from world church leaders. This includes quotes from the Archishop of the Anglican Church of Congo and a prayer from Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. They’ve also issued a statement and prayer points from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- CAFOD: Prayer for DR Congo and South Sudan
- The Canadian Religious Conference has on its website links to a helpful collection of prayers and intercessions for the Day of Prayer. It looks as if some of these may be prayers that are being used in Rome on the day itself.
- Caritas has issued a statement on the current situation in the DRC, which asks people to join the Day of Prayer and gives background material.
- CMS’s prayer bulletin for this week will focus on the DRC and South Sudan: it will be able to be found here.
- Pax Christi has a collection of materials including prayers, stories from South Sudan, background papers, videos and more.
- The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has a selection of prayers
