Pope Francis marks D-Day anniversary as a call for peace

 

US armoured vehicles travel through the rubble-strewn streets of Saint-Lo, Normandy in 1944  (AFP or licensors)

POPE

• POPE FRANCIS
• WAR
• MESSAGE
• ANNIVERSARY
• APPEAL
• PEACE

Pope marks anniversary of Normandy Landings with call for peace

In a letter addressed to Bishop Jacques Habert of Bayeux and Lisieux, Pope Francis commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Allied forces landing in Normandy.

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis’ letter commemorating the landing of the Allied Forces in Normandy on 6 June 1944 was read during a ceremony in Bayeux Cathedral on the eve of the anniversary, in the presence of religious, civil and military authorities.

Expressing his closeness to all those present at the ceremony, the Pope reflected on the collective and military effort that led to the liberation of Europe and on the immense sacrifices made.

"The landing generally evokes the disaster of this terrible global conflict, where so many men, women, and children suffered, so many families were torn apart, and so much destruction was caused," he wrote.

Evoking the image of Normandy's cities - Caen, Le Havre, Saint-Lô, Cherbourg, Flers, Rouen, Lisieux, Falaise, Argentan - and many others, which were completely destroyed along with the lives of innumerable innocent civilian victims and those who endured tremendous suffering due to the bombings, the Pope emphasized the importance of remembering these events to condemn and reject war unequivocally.

Never again war!

Citing Saint Paul VI's plea at the United Nations in 1965, "Never again war!" the Holy Father lamented the fading memory of past mistakes, and expressed his concern that the notion of a widespread war is becoming increasingly normalized.

"It is indeed worrying that the hypothesis of a generalized conflict is sometimes again seriously considered, that people are gradually becoming familiar with this unacceptable eventuality. People want peace! They want conditions of stability, security, and prosperity where everyone can calmly fulfill their duty and destiny," he wrote.

He condemned the pursuit of ideological, nationalist, or economic ambitions that jeopardize this possibility, describing it as a grave fault against humanity and a sin before God.

Prayers

The Pope then called for prayers for those who instigate and perpetuate wars.

"Let us pray for the men who want wars, those who start them, senselessly fuel them, maintain and prolong them unnecessarily, or cynically profit from them. May God enlighten their hearts, may He show them the procession of misfortunes they cause!" he implored.

He also called for prayers for peacemakers, recalling that the peacemakers shall be called children of God" (Mt 5:9).

And encouraging peacemakers to continue their efforts to foster peaceful encounters and dialogue, the Holy Father said "May they tirelessly persist in their efforts, and may their efforts be crowned with success."

Finally, Pope Francis did not neglect to ask for prayers for the victims of all wars.

"Let us pray for the victims of wars; the wars of the past and the present. May God welcome all those who have died in these terrible conflicts, may He come to the aid of all those who suffer from them today,” and he highlighted how “the poor and the weak, the elderly, women, and children are always the first victims of these tragedies."

FDR took to the radio and prayed as he announced that today was D-Day

“My fellow Americans, last night when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the channel in another and greater operation,” Roosevelt said. “It has come to pass with success thus far. And so in this poignant hour I ask you to join with me in prayer.”

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home – fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas – whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them – help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too – strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen. 

FDR

Pope Francis issues message on 75th anniversary of D-Day, the Normandy Invasion

Pope’s Message of Peace and Homage for 75th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings (Full Text)

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Reads Message During Celebrations in Course in France

June 07, 2019 13:04Anne KurianPope and Holy See

On the occasion of the 75^th anniversary of the Normandy landings (June 6, 1944), Pope Francis paid homage to “all the soldiers that, coming from several countries, including France, had the courage to commit themselves and give their life for freedom and peace.”

In a message read by Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, in the course of the celebrations in France, the Pope encourages Christians, “with believers of other religions and men of good will, to promote a veritable universal fraternity, fostering a culture of encounter and dialogue, attentive to the little ones and the poor.”

Recalling in his message those that ”on the German side, fought in obedience to a regime animated by a deadly ideology,” the Pontiff expresses “the wish that this commemoration will enable all generations, in Europe and in the world, to reaffirm forcefully that peace is founded on respect for each person, regardless of his history, on respect of the law and of the common good, of the creation that was entrusted to us and the moral richness transmitted by past generations.”

The Canadian Cardinal presided over an ecumenical ceremony on June 6, 2019, in the presence of British Prime Minister Theresa May, in the Cathedral of Bayeux, the first French city liberated.

* * *

Pope Francis’ Message

Monsignor Jean-Claude Boulanger

Bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux

On the occasion of the celebrations organized for the 75^th anniversary of the Normandy landings, I assure you of my spiritual closeness and of my prayer, addressing a warm greeting to you, as well as to the Bishops, the representatives of the different Christian Confessions and of other religions, and all the persons that will take part in them.

We know that the landings on June 6, 1944, right here in Normandy, were decisive in the fight against the Nazi barbarity and enabled to open the way, at the end of this War, bruised Europe and the world so profoundly. Therefore, I remember with gratitude all the soldiers that, coming from several countries, including France, had the courage to commit themselves and to give their life for freedom and peace. I entrust them to the infinitely merciful love of the Lord, as well as the millions of victims of this War, not forgetting those that, on the German side, fought in obedience to a regime animated by a deadly ideology.

I express the wish that this commemoration will enable all generations, in Europe and in the world, to reaffirm forcefully that “peace is founded on respect for each person, regardless of his history, on respect of the law and of the common good, of the creation entrusted to us and of the moral richness transmitted by the past generations.” And I ask the Lord to help Christians of all Confessions, with believers of other religions and men of good will, to promote a veritable universal fraternity, fostering a culture of encounter and of dialogue, attentive to the little ones and the poor.

With this hope, I accord to you wholeheartedly the Apostolic Blessing, as well as to the Bishops present and to the faithful of your diocese, and I call for God’s blessing on all the participants in these celebrations.

Franciscus PP.

From the Vatican, May 31, 2019

The D-Day Prayer of President FDR

FDR'S Prayer

At the White House, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt monitored early reports from the front. That evening, he made a statement to the American people, which he read as a prayer. His prayer was broadcast on radio networks nationwide.  

"My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.

And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest – until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home – fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas – whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them – help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too – strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment – let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace – a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen."

On D Day FDR took to the radio and actually lead the nation in prayer

“My fellow Americans, last night when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the channel in another and greater operation,” Roosevelt said. “It has come to pass with success thus far. And so in this poignant hour I ask you to join with me in prayer.”

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home – fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas – whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them – help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too – strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen. 

FDR