Prayers for the people of Japan for use by parishes, schools and at home

15 Mar 2011

PRESS RELEASE

15 March 2011

Prayers for the people of Japan for use by parishes, schools and at home

  • We can express prayerful solidarity with the people of Japan.  Prayers available in English and in Japanese as text and as a video resource

We have all been profoundly affected by the shocking images from Japan of last Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.   Cardinal Brady asked the faithful to pray at Masses over the weekend for the suffering people of Japan and for those who have been displaced and perished due to these incredible acts of nature.  We can only but imagine the level of anxiety and stress that the Japanese people are now experiencing.  At this time in Ireland we can express our prayerful solidarity with the people of Japan and with the Japanese community living in Ireland.

As we say our daily and nightly prayers, families and children across Ireland might remember the children in Japan at this difficult time.  Parishes in Ireland are also encouraged to offer prayers for the people in Japan.  Please avail of the following prayers which have been made available online by the Diocese of Meath in English, Irish and in Japanese, and which can be prayed by parishes, schools and at home:

For teachers and parents:

Parents or Teachers who wish to speak to children about 

the earthquake and tsunami images on TV might use the familiar Prayer at Bedtime.

 

God our Father, I come to say,
thank you for your love today.
Thank you for my family
and all the friends you give to me.
Guard me in the dark of night
and in the morning send your light. Amen.

This prayer is available in English and in Japanese as text and as a video resource on www.dioceseofmeath.ie The prayer can be viewed on interactive school classroom boards and by families using their home computers.

For parishes:

The following prayer is offered for use in parishes:

A Prayer in Irish for Parish Masses for the people of Japan

Guimís ar son muintir na Seapáine atá briste agus buartha faoi láthair
– go háirithe ar son a muintire in Éireann maraon lenár muintir féin thall.
Go raibh do shlánú a Thiarna acu ar fad.

A Thiara, éist linn.
A Thiarna, bí ceansa agus éist linn.

Notes to Editors

  • These prayers have been made available by the Diocese of Meath. Ms Therese Courtney, from Gormanston, Co Meath is, a secondary school teacher in St Raphaela, in Stillorgan, Co Dublin.  Therese wrote the piece available as part of the video resource and narrated the Japanese version of the Prayer at Bedtime.
  • Fr Pearse Mullen SSCC, who is based in Clondalkin Dublin and is recently home from Japan, translated the prayer at bedtime into the Japanese language.
  • These prayer resources are available on http://www.dioceseofmeath.ie/japan/index.html and will also be made available through the website and social media pages of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
  • The Twitter hashtag for these and other prayer resources for Japan is #prayforjapan

Further information:

Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: Martin Long 00353 (0) 86 172 7678 and Brenda Drumm 00353 (0) 87 310 4444