Prayers Against Crime and Violence

Heavenly Father, we come to You because crime is on the increase in our country. We ask that You protect all of us from the evil of crime and violence.

Comfort, heal, and bless all victims of crime. Be near to all who have been affected by violence: those who have been hurt, lost their loved ones, or have lost their sense of security.

Lord, be with all who live in situations of domestic violence: be for them a steady source of comfort. Give them the courage to seek a place of peace and safety. Strengthen Your Church in its care and support of all who are in pain and help us to be sensitive and caring to all those who need our help.

We also pray for those who have died as a result of violence. Draw them to You and shine Your face upon them so they can rest in Your eternal peace.

Lord, give us the grace to purge ourselves of all violence – in our thoughts and actions, in our family life, our friendships and in all our relationships with others.

We pray especially for a life-changing conversion of all perpetrators of crime and violence.- remove all evil from their hearts, fill them with Your goodness and love that they may cease their evil works and that our land may be free from this ongoing scourge. Soften their hearts and steady the minds so that hate be replaced with love, violence with peace and darkness with Your light.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer of Hope for Victims of Violence and Crime

I have to admit, God, that sometimes it’s hard to even call your name. On those days I can’t help but think that if you had been there, I wouldn’t be here—

—Here in a world where a picture, a place, a smell, a sound brings me back to that awful day when everything changed.

—Here where sleep no longer is welcome for that’s when the nightmares come and I wake in tears.

But here is where I need you, and here is where I cry to you. Be here with me, Lord, be here.

Let me not be a prisoner of the past, but allow me to remember its joy. Help me to trust in tomorrow by showing me how to live in today.

Let me be angry for what had been done, but don’t let me be consumed by it that I no longer recognize myself.

Unbind me from the bonds of grief and fear that I may become again the person you created me to be— a person of joy, of love, of trust, and hope.

And if there’s at all any room in my heart to forgive, then so let it be, for we all need joy, we all need love, we all need trust and hope.

Be here with me, Lord, be here, right where I am and here as I am. Be here with me, Lord, be here. Amen.

Stand Against Violence:

Lord God, crime is on the increase within our city and our country.

From the depths of our hearts we pray that you will comfort, heal, and bless all victims of crime.

We ask that you protect all people from the evil of crime and violence.

We pray especially for life-changing conversion for all criminals and the violent— remove all evil form their hearts, fill them with your goodness and love that they may cease their evil works and that our city and land be free from the scourge of crime and violence.

We pray also for the grace to purge ourselves of all violence—

in our own thoughts and actions,

in our family life,

in our friendships,

in relationships with others

Lord, I personal commit to refrain from violent acts or words

To settle conflicts.

I further swear to teach others, especially our youth,

that violence is too quick an answer

that produces irreparable, life-long

and threatening results.

Amen.

Pope Francis’ Prayer for Peace and Protection from Violence and from Terrorism

O Almighty and merciful God, Lord of the universe and of history. All that You have created is good and your compassion for the mistakes of mankind knows no limits.

We come to You today to ask You to keep in peace the world and its people, to keep far away from it the devastating wave of terrorism, to restore friendship and instill in the hearts of your creatures the gift of trust and of readiness to forgive.

O Giver of life, we pray to You also for all those who have died as victims of brutal terrorist attacks. Grant them their eternal reward. May they intercede for the world that is torn apart by conflicts and disagreements.

O Jesus, Prince of Peace, we pray to You for the ones who have been wounded in these acts of inhuman violence: children and young people, old people and innocent people accidentally involved

in evil. Heal their bodies and hearts; console them with Your strength and, at the same time, take away any hatred and a desire for revenge.

Holy Spirit Consoler, visit the families of the victims of terrorism, families that suffer through no fault of their own. Wrap them in the mantle of Your divine mercy. Make them find again in You and in themselves the strength and courage to continue to be brothers and sisters for others, above all for immigrants, giving witness to Your love by their lives.

Touch the hearts of terrorists so that they may recognize the evil of their actions and may turn to the way of peace and goodness, of respect for the life and for the dignity of every human being, regardless of religion, origin, wealth or poverty.

O God, Eternal Father, in Your mercy hear our prayer which we raise up to You amidst the deafening noise and desperation of the world. We turn to You with great hope, full of trust in Your infinite Mercy. Made strong by the examples of the blessed martyrs of Perú, Zbigniew and Michael, who have rendered courageous testimony to the Gospel, to the point of offering their blood, we entrust ourselves to the intercession of Your Most Holy Mother. We ask for the gift of peace and of the elimination from our midst of the sore of terrorism.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer Against Bloodthirstiness:

O Lord, you who abhor the bloodthirsty, rebuke the murderous, we pray, and break the sword of the violent, so that we might witness you as the God of Justice and the Lord of Righteousness under the light of the noonday sun. We pray this in the name of Christ our King. Amen.

Prayer Against Gun Violence

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we come to you burdened and grieved by the evil and destruction of gun violence, entrusting to your mercy each victim of this horrific crime. Father of mercies and God of all consolation, who console us in our every affliction, comfort the families and friends of each victim, give solace to grieving communities, and bring peace to anxious hearts. O God, who show a father’s care for all, pour out your gracious blessing on police, medical personnel, leaders, and all who are your ministers of mercy, bringing them healing and peace in the face of this tragedy. O God of peace, who are peace itself and whom a spirit of discord cannot grasp, nor a violent mind receive, grant to those who are tempted to commit these acts repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, so that they may return to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, entrapped by him, for his will.

O God, author and lover of peace, defend against every attack those who cry to you, so that all who trust in your protection may not fear the weapons of any foe. O God, merciful and strong, be pleased to banish violence swiftly from our midst and to wipe away all tears, so that we may all truly deserve to be called your children.

Amen

Prayer Against Violence

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that through your death on the cross you disarmed the powers of evil.

Help us, we pray you, to enter into your victory and to stand in your authority against all evil.

Send forth your light and your truth, O Lord.

Bring to light the deeds of darkness and let plans of violence and murder be revealed.

By the power of your Holy Spirit convict those who have allowed their minds to be dominated by evil.

Lead them, O Lord, to true repentance that they may receive your new life and rejoice in your forgiving love.

Amen.

A Litany Against Violence

Lament Against Violence

O Holy God, like Isaiah the prophet we stand in awe of your glory, feeling tremendously small and polluted by our sin, and the sin of our society. We lament the violence that deeply marks our world. Violence entered creation through Cain and Abel. Born of jealousy, rooted in fear of scarcity, Brother turned against brother The soil soaked with blood, Cain asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper? Help us to know your presence wherever there is suffering in our world. Help us to hear and respond to our brothers and sisters who cry out.

Oh Good and Just God, aware of our own brokenness, we ask for the gift of courage to identify how and where we are in need of conviction in order to live in solidarity with all the people of the earth.