For Peace and Healing in  Our World.
Wilderness God: whose Son was a displaced person in Bethlehem, a refugee in Egypt, and had nowhere to lay his head in Galilee.
Bless all who have nowhere to lay their head today, who find themselves strangers on earth, pilgrims to they know not where, facing rejection, closed doors, suspicion and fear.
Give them companions in their distress, hope in their wandering, and safe lodging at their journey’s end.
And make us a people of grace, wisdom and hospitality, who know that our true identity is to be lost, until we find our eternal home in you.
Through Christ, our rejected yet risen Lord.
Amen.
(From St Martin in the Fields, London - commended by Archbishop Justin Welby

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God, our Father, no one is a stranger to you. You watch over each of us with your loving gaze.
May those people fleeing from their homes in search of refuge be reminded that your own Son, and Mary our Mother, also experienced life as refugees and be renewed in their faith and hope.
Guide political leaders to act generously and work towards lasting and meaningful peace in those areas affected by violence and conflict.
May we, through Christ’s example, open our arms and hearts in welcome to those most in need of safety, shelter and compassion. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 (Cardinal Vincent Nichols)                                        
 (Photo courtesy of Independent Catholic News)

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PRAYERS FROM THE ISLAND OF LESBOS, 16 APRIL, 2016.

On 16 April, Pope Francis was joined by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronymus II at the Port of Lesbos. All three religious leaders prayed for all those in difficult circumstances and for all the men, women and children who have died after leaving their homelands in search of a better life.

Following the prayers the three religious leaders dropped flowers into the waters off the port of Lesbos to remember the victims.

Find below the English translation of these prayers:

Pope Francis:

Merciful God,we pray to you for all the men, women and children who have died after leaving their homelands in search of a better life.
Though many of their graves bear no name, to you each one is known, loved and cherished.
May we never forget them, but honour their sacrifice with deeds more than words. We entrust to you all those who have made this journey, enduring fear, uncertainty and humiliation, in order to reach a place of safety and hope.
Just as you never abandoned your Son as he was brought to a safe place by Mary and Joseph, so now be close to these, your sons and daughters, through our tenderness and protection.
In caring for them may we seek a world where none are forced to leave their home and where all can live in freedom, dignity and peace.
Merciful God and Father of all, wake us from the slumber of indifference, open our eyes to their suffering, and free us from the insensitivity born of worldly comfort and self-centredness.
Inspire us, as nations, communities and individuals, to see that those who come to our shores are our brothers and sisters.
May we share with them the blessings we have received from your hand, and recognize that together, as one human family, we are all migrants, journeying in hope to you, our true home, where every tear will be wiped away, where we will be at peace and safe in your embrace.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople:
Lord of mercy, compassion and all comfort, we pray to You for our brothers in difficult circumstances and we offer to Your Goodness:
Nurture the infants; instruct the youth; strengthen the aged; give courage to the faint hearted; reunite those separated; sail with those who sail; travel with those who travel; defend the widows; protect the orphans; liberate the captives; heal the sick.
Remember, O God, those who are in mines, in exile, in harsh labour, and those in every kind of affliction, necessity, or distress; and all those who entreat Your loving kindness; those who love us and those who hate us; and pour out upon all Your rich mercy, granting them their petitions for salvation.
Again we pray, Lord of life and of death, grant eternal repose to the souls of Your departed servants, those who lost their lives during their exodus from war-torn regions and during their journeys to places of safety, peace and prosperity.
For You, Lord, are the helper of the helpless, the hope of the hopeless, the saviour of the afflicted, the haven of the voyager, and the physician of the sick.
Be all things to all, You who know each person, his requests, his household, and his need.
Deliver this island, O Lord, and every city and country, from famine, plague, earthquake, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreign enemies, and civil war. Amen.

Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronymus II:

O God of all spirits and flesh, Who has trodden down death, destroying the power of the devil, bestowing life on Your world to the soul of Your servants departed this life, do You Yourself, O Lord, give rest in a place of light, in a place of green pasture, in a place of refreshment, from where pain and sorrow and mourning are fled away.
Every sin by them committed in thought, word, or deed, do You as our good and loving God forgive, seeing that there is no man that shall live and sin not, for You alone are without sin: Your righteousness, and Your law is truth.
For You are the Resurrection, the Life, and the Repose of Your servants, O Christ our God; and to You do we send up Glory, as to Your Eternal Father and Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-creating Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.


Father God,
You so loved the world you sent Jesus to share our lives and bring healing to broken humanity – Jesus, the outsider, born in a stable because there was no room at the inn;  Jesus, the outsider, whose family became refugees to escape the  killing rage of Herod; Jesus, the outsider,  who broke down all human barriers when he touched the leper, invited the woman at the well to give him a drink, shared his love with all those who were vulnerable; Jesus on the cross, dying outside the city walls for the sins of all of us… Thank you for the gift of your amazing grace in Jesus.  Thank you that each one of us is unique and precious to you.  Thank you for loving us.

 We beseech you now to hear our cry as we lift to your throne of grace the families fleeing violence and persecution who  seek refuge in  Calais.   Lord, we pray that your love surrounds them, that you give them strength and hope for the future as they worship together in the church they have created to bring you glory.   We pray that, here in Kent, the body of Christ  shines the light of your compassionate love in sacrificial giving for those a few miles across the water.   Guide us through the discernment of  your Holy Spirit to show your love in action; to speak out for those who have no voice; to challenge the human barriers built by fear and prejudice.  Help us to worship you not only with our lips but in the way we live our lives and show us  how to be salt and yeast in a world grown fearful of welcoming the stranger. In the name of Jesus, servant King, Amen    (Helen Longley)

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Lord of compassion and love, may our eyes see those who are suffering on our shores as Christ sees them, may our ears hear their stories, their grief, their desperation and their hope.
May what we see and hear reach our hearts so that we respond to their human need before any other consideration.
Free us from preconceived ideas about migrants and from the prejudices that build borders, walls and fences, around hearts and between countries.
Give us the grace to love those who have fled from war and persecution and all who have lost homes and loved ones before making the hazardous journey to our shores.
May we obey Christ’s commandment to love them as we love ourselves and so accept them as our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Amen  
(Eileen Routh)

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Lord, make us instruments of your Peace.

Lord, where there is hatred, fear and lack of peace
    Make us instruments of your peace
Where there is sorrow and sadness          Make us……
Where there is persecution and oppression.  Make us…..
Where people are made to suffer for what they believe.  Make us….
Where people are imprisoned because they are different.  Make us……..
Where there is torture and pain.  Make us…….
Where there is death for those who do no wrong.  Make us….
Where there is war, terrorism, sexual exploitation and violence.  Make us….
Where there are tears, loneliness, and hopelessness. Make us….
[Bishop Michael Evans]

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‘O Lord, open my eyes that I may see the need of others,
Open my ears that I may hear their cries, open my heart so that they need not be without succour.
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong, nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed, and use me to bring them to these places.
Open my eyes and ears that I may this coming day do some work of peace for thee’. Amen
[Alan Paton]

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God of compassion whose own son experienced life as a refugee we remember those fleeing from danger,
hungry and afraid, with nowhere to call home.
God, we ask for them warmth, security, food and peace.

God of hope, we thank you for those who are working to bring relief and comfort to those displaced, showing glimpses of grace in the darkness of despair.
God, give them strength.

God of justice, guide the nations and the leaders of the world towards peace stir hearts to be generous and compassionate.
God, help us to play our part in bringing about the change that we want to see.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Church of England]

Dear migrants and refugees! You have a special place in the heart of the Church, and you help her to enlarge her heart and to manifest her motherhood towards the entire human family. Do not lose your faith and hope! Let us think of the Holy Family during the flight in Egypt: Just as the maternal heart of the Blessed Virgin and the kind heart of Saint Joseph kept alive the confidence that God would never abandon them, so in you may the same hope in the Lord never be wanting. I entrust you to their protection and I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing. (Pope Francis)

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O God,  you keep us company in the heart of our suffering and helplessness.
All our hope is in you.
Give courage and confidence to those who seek safety in our country.
Stay with them, protect them, surround them with your love.
Inspire them always to carry something beautiful in their hearts and keep them from being crushed and embittered by their sorrows.
We trust that through loving kindness, solidarity and practical help, given and received  in your name,  O God, a bright bridge will be built across the dark chasm of injustice and conflict towards a new dawn.
Amen.

(Sr Teresa White FCJ)


'This WAS our Church'

Dedicated to the Church of St Michael in the 'Jungle', Calais

'Our prayers have risen to the Lord
Not in a glorious building
But in a tent which has been an a symbol of hope
To so many trapped in the jungle around us.

We have been a haven of solace and peace
giving praise to the Lord in the squalor and our mud-filled surroundings.

We have remained faithful to the Lord's word, ensuring that the teachings
of holy scripture are studied and understood.

We have kept and marked the Holy Days which are so special to our faith.
In your name we have adorned our Church with sacred images to
glorify you and give you praise.

And now our Church is no more
But we, its people are still there.

Wherever we will be in an uncertain future
Our Church lives on in our hearts and our souls.
May it be an inspiration for all those who strive to put into action
the message of Jesus of justice and peace.

God of the downtrodden and the voiceless
Give us confidence that we can see the way ahead
and not lose the hope of a decent and peaceful life
which is common to all those made in your image.

Give us strength to go forward, always trusting in you
that some day our hopes and dreams will be fulfilled.'
Amen.

Ben Bano of Seeking Sanctuary, on behalf of the displaced community of the Church of St Michael in the 'Calais Jungle' .

A prayer for the situation in Calais

God of all humanity
When your people were enslaved and displaced,
You led them to a land that they could call home;
When your people were in exile;
Your promise was that one day,
They would live in streets of play and laughter.
When your disciples were afraid and uncertain,
You spoke of a Fathers House
With mansions and places prepared.

We pray today for all those who have no place to call home,
Hearing the heart-cry of your word
For those who are without refuge.
Where shelter is ours to offer
Grant us the will and resolve to reflect the generosity of our Creator.
Where others stand in the way of those who need safe haven
May our cry for justice never falter.
May the idols of self-interest and economic gain
Never deflect us from the ways of your Kingdom.
Through Christ our Lord. AMEN.

(Baptist Union, UK)

For All Refugees

Merciful God,
We pray for all whose desperation leads them to the sea,
to undertake perilous voyages,
often following dangerous journeys over land:
those escaping brutal wars,
those fleeing religious persecution,
those escaping climate disasters and economic ruin,
those looking for hope in a hopeless situation.

May we look beyond our own fears and concerns
to the needs of those who have nothing,
risk everything
and depend on the kindness of strangers.

May our hearts be opened,
our leaders be challenged
and our self-interest be called out,
in Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Christian Aid)


 A prayer for peace
By Pope St John Paul II.
Hear my voice, for it is the voice of the victims of all wars and violence among individuals and nations.
Hear my voice, for it is the voice of all children who suffer and will suffer when people put their faith in weapons and war.
Hear my voice when I beg You to install into the hearts of all human beings the wisdom of peace, the strength of justice, and the joy of fellowship.
Hear my voice, for I speak for the multitudes in every country and in every period of history who do not want war and are ready to walk the road of peace.
Hear my voice and grant insight and strength so that we may always respond to hatred with love, to injustice with total dedication to justice, to need with the sharing of self, to war with peace.
O God, hear my voice and grant unto the world Your everlasting peace.
Amen.

(This can be used to pray for an end to the war in Syria and for peace for the Syrian refugees fleeing violence. )

A selection of prayers for peace from various Faith traditions can be found here
To jump to the SeekingSanctuary website, click here

PRAYERS SUGGESTED BY THE IGNATIAN SOLIDARITY NETWORK
(http://ignatiansolidarity.net/)

Prayer for Migrants and Refugees
(US Conference of Catholic Bishops)
 
Lord Jesus, when you multiplied the loaves and fishes, you provided more than food for the body, you offered us the gift of yourself, the gift which satisfies every hunger and quenches every thirst! Your disciples were filled with fear and doubt, but you poured out your love and compassion on the migrant crowd, welcoming them as brothers and sisters.
Lord Jesus, today you call us to welcome the members of God's family who come to our land to escape oppression, poverty, persecution, violence, and war. Like your disciples, we too are filled with fear and doubt and even suspicion. We build barriers in our hearts and in our minds.
Lord Jesus, help us by your grace,

• To banish fear from our hearts, that we may embrace each of your children as our own brother and sister;
• To welcome migrants and refugees with joy and generosity, while responding to their many needs;
• To realize that you call all people to your holy mountain to learn the ways of peace and justice;
• To share of our abundance as you spread a banquet before us;
• To give witness to your love for all people, as we celebrate the many gifts they bring.

We praise you and give you thanks for the family you have called together from so many people. We see in this human family a reflection of the divine unity of the one Most Holy Trinity in whom we make our prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen


PRAYER for MIGRANTS, REFUGEES & ASYLUM SEEKERS
God, no one is stranger to you
And no one is ever far from your loving care.
In your kindness watch over migrants, refugees and asylum seekers,
Those separated from their loved ones,
Those who are lost
And those who have been exiled from their homes.
Bring them safely to the place where they long to be,
And help us always to show your kindness to strangers
And those in need.
We ask this through Christ our Lord,
Who too was a refugee and migrant
Who travelled to another land
Searching for a home.
Amen.

(From The Nouwen  Network -  www.nouwen-network.com)


PRAYER FOR MIGRANTS
For all those who see “home” and all it means
Disappear behind them;
For all those who cannot see a home
In the days ahead of them;
For all those who dwell in
Daily insecurity;

For all those who are weary and
Without a safe place to rest their heads;
For all families in migration we pray.
May the image of the Holy Family
Fleeing oppression stay with us as we enter a New Year,
And stay with us each night as we are blessed
With returning to a home.
May we also be blessed
With compassion for those
Still weary, still seeking,
Still with so far to go.

(Jane Deren, 2007)



LET US SEE
Dear God, our journey through life is long and hard.
We cannot make this trip alone; we must walk together on the journey.
You promised to send us a helper, your Spirit.
Help us to see your Spirit in those you send to journey with us.
In the refugee family, seeking safety from violence,
Let us see your Spirit.
In the migrant worker, bringing food to our tables,
Let us see your Spirit.
In the asylum-seeker, seeking justice for himself and his family,
Let us see your Spirit.
In the unaccompanied child, travelling in a dangerous world,
Let us see your Spirit.
Teach us to recognise that as we walk with each other, you are present.
Teach us to welcome not only the strangers in our midst but the gifts they bring as well: the invitation to conversion, communion, and solidarity
This is the help you have sent: we are not alone.
We are together on the journey, and for this we give you thanks.
Amen.
[Rev. Enock De Assis]

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Share the Journey prayer

God our refuge,
you share the journey
with migrants and refugees,
lightening their footsteps with hope.
For you, Lord, are close to the broken-hearted.

Pour out your Spirit
upon world leaders.
May they see the tragedies
of our human family,
and be moved to respond with
wisdom, compassion and courage.

Open our eyes and hearts to the God-given dignity
of all your people.
Move us to welcome our neighbours,
and so bear witness to your love.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Rachel McCarthy/CAFOD