Prayer of Reparation
For crimes of abuse committed by clergy
God and Father of Mercy,
We your people come before you today in deep humility, Aware of our own sins and asking your forgiveness.
Lord, we trust you to take care of us. Time after time, you have rescued your people From power of their enemies, You have renewed Your covenant when your own people have broken it, And You have healed the wounds which sin and unfaithfulness have unleashed on your sons and daughters.
Father, today we come before you invoking your mercy, And offering you our prayers and sacrifices of reparation For the scandalous crimes that have been committed By some of those appointed to proclaim your Word and lead your Church. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
We pray for the victims of these crimes, both known and unknown. Protect them with your mighty hand,
Heal them with the soothing balm of your Spirit, And console them with the loving presence of our
heavenly Mother.
We pray for those who have committed these crimes. Give them sincere repentance And the humility to accept the consequences of their actions.
We pray for those responsible to correct the abuses that have occurred. Give them wisdom, a desire for authentic reform, and courage to carry it out.
We pray for those who have been scandalized by these crimes. As your Son Jesus calmed the winds and waves, Let him speak his Word again to calm the confusion and concern in their souls. Renew the faith of us all – A faith which acknowledges that you have appointed shepherds to lead us and a faith that likewise acknowledges that we have only one Master, the Christ, And all of us are brothers and sisters.
Father, at the beginning of time, Your Spirit hovered over the darkness and chaos, And brought about light and life, order and beauty. After the chaos of Good Friday and the darkness of Holy Saturday, Your Spirit again breathed on the apostles, And brought about a new wave of grace for the world.
Send that Spirit now Upon our souls, upon our Church, and upon our world. Keep our eyes fixed on you,
And renew our commitment to follow your Son, In holiness of life, And with the joy and peace that come only from you, And that nobody can take away from us.
We pray with humility and with confidence, Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We your people come before you today in deep humility, Aware of our own sins and asking your forgiveness.
Lord, we trust you to take care of us. Time after time, you have rescued your people From power of their enemies, You have renewed Your covenant when your own people have broken it, And You have healed the wounds which sin and unfaithfulness have unleashed on your sons and daughters.
Father, today we come before you invoking your mercy, And offering you our prayers and sacrifices of reparation For the scandalous crimes that have been committed By some of those appointed to proclaim your Word and lead your Church. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
We pray for the victims of these crimes, both known and unknown. Protect them with your mighty hand,
Heal them with the soothing balm of your Spirit, And console them with the loving presence of our
heavenly Mother.
We pray for those who have committed these crimes. Give them sincere repentance And the humility to accept the consequences of their actions.
We pray for those responsible to correct the abuses that have occurred. Give them wisdom, a desire for authentic reform, and courage to carry it out.
We pray for those who have been scandalized by these crimes. As your Son Jesus calmed the winds and waves, Let him speak his Word again to calm the confusion and concern in their souls. Renew the faith of us all – A faith which acknowledges that you have appointed shepherds to lead us and a faith that likewise acknowledges that we have only one Master, the Christ, And all of us are brothers and sisters.
Father, at the beginning of time, Your Spirit hovered over the darkness and chaos, And brought about light and life, order and beauty. After the chaos of Good Friday and the darkness of Holy Saturday, Your Spirit again breathed on the apostles, And brought about a new wave of grace for the world.
Send that Spirit now Upon our souls, upon our Church, and upon our world. Keep our eyes fixed on you,
And renew our commitment to follow your Son, In holiness of life, And with the joy and peace that come only from you, And that nobody can take away from us.
We pray with humility and with confidence, Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.