A Prayer for Memorial Day

 A Prayer for Memorial Day

 

In the quiet sanctuaries of our own hearts,

let each of us name and call on the One 

whose power over us is great and gentle, 

firm and forgiving, 

holy and healing...

    You who created us,
    who sustain us,
    who call us to live in peace,
        hear our prayer today...

    Hear our prayer for all who have died,

    whose hearts and hopes were known

        to you alone…

 

    Hear our prayer

    for those who put the welfare of others 

    ahead of their own

        and give us hearts as generous as theirs…

 

    Hear our prayer 

    for those who gave their lives 

    in the service of others

        and accept the gift of their sacrifice…

    Help us to shape and make a world
    where we will lay down the arms of war
    and turn our swords into ploughshares 
        for a harvest of justice and the victory of peace…

    Comfort those 

        who grieve the loss of their loved ones
    and let your healing 

        be the hope in their hearts...

    Hear our prayer today
    and in your mercy answer us
        in the name of all that's holy...

    Amen.

By Fr. Austin Fleming

Memorial Day: we remember, we pray

 

Prayer for Memorial Day

God of power and mercy,
you destroy war and put down earthly pride.
Banish violence from our midst and wipe away our tears,
that we may all deserve to be called your sons
      and daughters.
Keep in your mercy those men and women
who have died in the cause of freedom
and bring them safely
into your kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this though Jesus Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen

A Prayer for Memorial Day

 

Prayer for Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)

God of power and mercy,
you destroy war and put down earthly pride.
Banish violence from our midst and wipe away our tears,
that we may all deserve to be called your sons
      and daughters.
Keep in your mercy those men and women
who have died in the cause of freedom
and bring them safely
into your kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this though Jesus Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen

Memorial Day Prayer

 

Hear Our Prayer This Day

In the quiet sanctuaries of our own hearts,
let each of us name and call on the One whose power over us
is great and gentle, firm and forgiving, holy and healing ...

You who created us,
who sustain us,
who call us to live in peace,
hear our prayer this day.

Hear our prayer for all who have died,
whose hearts and hopes are known to you alone ...

Hear our prayer for those who put the welfare of others
ahead of their own
and give us hearts as generous as theirs ...

Hear our prayer for those who gave their lives
in the service of others,
and accept the gift of their sacrifice ...

Help us to shape and make a world
where we will lay down the arms of war
and turn our swords into ploughshares
for a harvest of justice and peace ...

Comfort those who grieve the loss of their loved ones
and let your healing be the hope in our hearts...

Hear our prayer this day
and in your mercy answer us
in the name of all that is holy.

The peace of God be with you.

- Austin Fleming

A Catholic Prayer for Memorial Day

Prayer for Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)

 

God of power and mercy,
you destroy war and put down earthly pride.
Banish violence from our midst and wipe away our tears,
that we may all deserve to be called your sons
      and daughters.

Keep in your mercy those men and women
who have died in the cause of freedom
and bring them safely
into your kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this though Jesus Christ our Lord.

R/. Amen

—from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers

Monday Morning Offering: Memorial Day 2020 from the Concord Pastor

Good morning, good God!

We pray today, Lord,
remembering those who died,
who’ve passed from this life to the next
to meet, at last, their Maker,
you, the lover of their souls...

We pray today, Lord,
remembering those gone long before,
marked with signs of faith,
marked as yours in ways unknown
to us and others' grief...

We pray today, Lord,
remembering those who gave their lives
without a thought of self,
who laid down all that we might stand
in freedom dearly won...

We pray today, Lord,
remembering selfless souls
who marched with courage sure and brave
down roads we’d dare not tread...

We pray today, Lord,
remembering love and sacrifice
so fully, freely given but easily forgotten
by just the ones
for whom the gift was made...

We pray on this Memorial day,
we offer you our thanks and praise
for those who served and gave their lives
that all of us might live secure in peace,
with liberty and justice for us all...

Amen.

Two military chaplains who gave their all in war; on path to Sainthood

Portraits of Saints

Memorial Day 

Thank You for Your Sacrifice.

Father Emil J. Kapaun
Servant of God
1916-1951
Fr. Kapaun was born in Kansas, to a farming family. He was ordained a priest in 1940, and entered the U.S. Army Chaplain Corp. in 1944, serving soldiers during WWII and the Korean war in 1950. Known as a legend for his care of the wounded, valor and steadfast faith, Fr. Kapaun was the recipient of the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Service Cross, and posthumously, the Medal of Honor. Fr. Kapaun died in a Korean POW camp in 1951.

https://www.portraitsofsaints.com/…/all/all-images-fr-kapaun

Fr. Vincent Robert Capodanno
Servant of God
1929-1967
Fr. Capodanno was born into a large Italian family in Staten Island, NY. In 1958, he was ordained a Maryknoll priest and served in Taiwan. He joined the Navy Chaplain Corps in 1965, to serve the Marines in Vietnam. The soldiers nicknamed him the “Grunt Priest” because he had the reputation for always being there, day and night and taking care of his Marines. He died ministering to a wounded soldier in the heat of battle. Posthumously receiving the Medal of Honor, Navy Bronze Star, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Silver Star and the Purple Heart. The USS Capodanno Navy ship was the first ship to receive a Papal Blessing and many military Chapels are named after him.

A Memorial Day prayer from Deacon Greg Kandra(seated to left)

by Denise DeMaria

Friends, let us pray…
To the One who hears every prayer:

Almighty God,
We stand before you this morning,
People of many faiths and traditions,
But people who have this in common:
We are people of remembrance.
We remember today men and women of courage.
And honor.
And sacrifice.
We remember those who gave their lives in service to our country —
All so that we could stand before you, as we do this day,
Warmed by the bright light of freedom.

We remember them.

And we pray this morning that you remember them, too.

Gracious and merciful God,
We ask that you hold in your embrace
Those who have gone before us.
We ask that you hold us close, as well.
This is our prayer:
That you heal those who are broken.
That you comfort those who grieve.
That you grant us, above all, the deepest yearning of our hearts:
A world of peace.

Heavenly Father, help us to live our lives in tribute to those we honor and remember this day.
May we be worthy of their legacy.

And may we leave to those who come after us
What we have received: this blessed land.
A land of justice and freedom, a land of generous hearts and boundless hope.
We ask all this in your name.

Amen.

Just in time for Memorial Day: a special prayer

Prayer for Memorial Day
From Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers


God of power and mercy,
you destroy war and put down earthly pride.
Banish violence from our midst and wipe away our tears,
that we may all deserve to be called your sons
      and daughters.
Keep in your mercy those men and women
who have died in the cause of freedom
and bring them safely
into your kingdom of justice and peace.
We ask this though Jesus Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen