Prayer and Discussion Resources
Frequently, the circumstances leading to an emergency overseas are not well-known or understood by people in the United States. To assist people with understanding complex emergencies, such as the conflict in the Holy Land or the HIV pandemic, CRS creates informational backgrounders, discussion resources and prayer services that you can access and share with people in your diocese. Additional prayers and links will be added on a regular basis.
Global Hunger Resources
Hunger diminishes the lives of many throughout the world. These resources can be used to pray for the elimination of hunger and raise awareness among children using M & M candies in a simple exercise.
HIV and AIDS Prayer Resource
The global HIV pandemic is the world's most pressing public health issue and the leading challenge to long-term social and economic development. Pray for those living with HIV and AIDS.
Prayer to St. Damien and a Prayer from the Liturgy of Saint Damien
On October 11, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI canonized Father Damien de Veuster. Saint Damien of Molokai is the patron saint of the Diocese of Honolulu and Hawaii. He is also considered the spiritual patron for Hansen's disease, HIV and AIDS patients and outcasts. We hope the Prayer to St. Damien and a Prayer from the Liturgy of Saint Damien will be of practical use when gathering as a community.
St. Damien through his love for God and his compassionate treatment of people suffering with leprosy, serves as an example to us how we should treat those living with HIV and AIDS.
Sudan: Remembering, Responding and Rebuilding
The following tools are available to educate your parishes and communities about the crisis in Sudan: Sudan: Remembering, Responding, Rebuilding Backgrounder, Map of Darfur Affected By Conflict, Prayer Service for Sudan and West Darfur Field Atlas.
Prayers and Petitions for Peace in the Middle East and Holy Land
We hope the prayers below will be of practical use when gathering as a community. We encourage you to creatively adapt these prayers to meet the specific needs, diverse backgrounds and time constraints of those who gather to pray.
- Prayer for the Holy Land on the Occasion of Pope Benedict's Pilgrimage
- Prayers of the Faithful for Peace in the Holy Land
- Prayers for Peace in the Middle East
- Hope for Peace Prayer
Prayer Without Borders
A Day of Reflection on Global Solidarity is a mini-retreat plan providing guidelines, activities and handouts for a 3-hour retreat using prayers and stories. The format is ideal for groups of 16 to 30. It includes communal prayer, visual arts, storytelling and drama, personal reflection and commissioning.
Additional prayer and retreat materials modeled for youth and young adults are available on the CRS Education:Going Global with Youth site.
Environment
The Beauty of God's Creation Retreat is a half day retreat on the environment that you can utilize in your parish and community using reflections, prayers and information to affirm the beauty of God's creation.
The Water for Life DVD and study guide can be used to illustrate the work of Catholic Relief Services in partnership with the National Council of Catholic Women in responding to the critical need for water projects in developing countries. The greatest humanitarian crisis in the world today is food and water scarcity issues that threaten the peace and security of most developing nations.
