Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings: Prayers for Peace

8 August 2016
marching in the street

I would like to share that this morning during the Holy Mass on August 6, the Nuclear Prayer of the Rt. Rev. William E. Swing was read jointly by a group of Dominican priests and students at St. Albert's Chapel in Lahore, Pakistan. Each one of us found this prayer very moving. For the Holy Mass, I was the Main Celebrant, with Fr Marcus Daniel OP and Fr Roccus Patras as the Co-Celebrants. 

We also prayed for all 140,000+ people who were killed and those who are still suffering as result of atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

I pray that our human race may never ever again experience such kind of destruction caused by nuclear weapons. May the dream of the Rt. Rev. William E. Swing and URI CC " Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons" become a reality! 

Thank you very much Bishop Swing for your dream! 

May Peace Prevail in Japan!
May Peace Prevail On Earth! 

In peace,

Father James Channan OP
URI Regional Coordinator Pakistan

 


 

I will be reciting The Nuclear Prayer at the UN Church Center at the opening of the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security on August 9. 

I joined the World Peace Prayer Society as they read the prayer from Hiroshima Peace Park. Fumi also gave a call out to Bishop Swing and all of URI when she finished the prayer, minutes before the Hiroshima Peace Bell rang for a minute of silence at the exact time of the nuclear blast 71 years ago. During the broadcast there was an additional meditation and music by James Twyman, and prayers for peace were sent to every country in a World Peace Flag Ceremony. 

Later in the evening, the group at my house gathered to watch the Olympic Games’ parade of the flags, all commenting on how the energy from Hiroshima was what they were thinking about as they watched the Rio games.  So countries got double prayers for peace from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 

I hope others will join this call to prayer throughout the weekend and remember Nagasaki on August 9. 

May peace be in our homes, communities, and in each country. 

Monica Willard
URI UN Representative

 


Around 130 students of SLS DAV Public School Mausam Vihar, Delhi-51 and Kathak Dharohar CC along with 30 URI staff members participated in a rally on August 8, 2016 to commemorate Hiroshima Day and pay tribute to the victims of destruction caused by the atomic bombing of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan during World War II.

The rally was organized in collaboration with URI India North Zone in Delhi, India. The students of Classes VIII-XII recited a Peace Prayer for those whose hearts carry the weight of Nuclear Weapons and appealed to the world to do away with nuclear weapons and war and instead promote peace, harmony, global brotherhood, and cooperation.

The rally was opened by Principal Vandana Kapoor who in her brief address emphasized the need to develop patience, tolerance, and respect for cultural and social differences across the world. She also sensitized the students on how the DAV movement has always contributed in promoting and supporting the cause of Peace and Harmony and considering humanity as the only religion of the world.

Sadanand Biswas, URI’s North India Regional Coordinator of URI, along with his team of volunteers accompanied the students in the rally to motivate and support them.  The rally took the route from the school to Preet Vihar Crossing to Vikas Marg and back to school via Marginal Bund Road covering a distance of around 5 km. The students raised slogans to spread awareness and express their solidarity and desire to have a world free from nuclear weapons, endorse the prevalence of peace and harmony around the globe.

The Message was loud and clear…HELP US LIFT THE FOG OF NUCLEAR DARKNESS!!

Sadanand Biswas, Kathak Dharohar CC
URI India North Zone Regional Coordinator

 


 

Our Sync For Harmony CC is spreading the call for togetherness through global simultaneous prayer. We pray and meditate in the first half UTC hour only. So we hug our planet "Mother Earth"  together by 24 spiritual waves of thousands meditations and prayers in hourly rhythm daily.

As a necessary and worthy cause, we include the Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons Nuclear Prayer video as the first main topic of the Sync-process, that sets up the Perennial Subtle Activities Marathon [PSAM], with 24 standing Sync-waves daily.

We share the vision of a World Free of Nuclear Weapons CC, and hope our call of "Sync process" launches the "Perennial Subtle Activities Marathon" at 2017 Parliament of World Religions.

The Sync - process works silently as each individual prays daily with self or with the group they belong at that day. The PSAM holds much power while it gathers all spiritual foci. The second half-hour is without meditation and prayer.

Much love,
Tomasz Sluszkiewicz 

 


 

The anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing was jointly observed by URI India CCs Kerala Kavya Kala Sahithy and Ayppalloor Edan Nagar at Kurakar City Center, with more than 40 members participating. The meeting offered prayers for those were killed in war over the years, and offered a special prayer for global peace.

The Hiroshima memorial meeting was inaugurated by Prof. John Kurakar, Global Council Trustee of URI; Mr. Cherian P. Koshy, Senior Scientist; Mr. Mathews Koshy and Mrs. Sarasu Sauel, former members of Panchayat; Mrs. Beena Cherian, present Panchayat member; Mr. Panayil Pappachan, political leader; Mr. M. Thomas, former Secretary; Mr. PMG Kurakar, Coordinator; and Mr. Daniel, general convener.

Prof. Kurakar highlighted the importance of anti-war get-togethers to make the young generation aware of the perils of war. “It is innocent people who die or get amputated in the war. The messages against war have to be conveyed in the most befitting way to make the young generation know about its disastrous effects.” The committee distributed planting seeds to all members who participated the meeting, and recited the Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons prayer to conclude the meeting. 

John Kurakar
Global Council Trustee

 


 

I also spread out the message to my friends and got the feedback, that the Protestant Church at Bonn Bad Godesberg as well as the Unitarian Church in Cambridge (England) used the prayer in their services. That's a wonderful success. Today is the feast of peace! I wish all of you: Peace, Samam, Shalom!

Peace prevail on earth...
Marianne Horling