Oblate News

Day of Prayer for Survivors and Victims of Sexual Abuse

Friday 19 February 2021

The annual Day of Prayer for Survivors and Victims of Sexual Abuse takes place on Friday 19 February 2021, the first Friday of Lent. The Day of Prayer is an initiative by Pope Francis and was first marked in Irish dioceses and parishes in 2017.

Candle of Atonement Prayer

Lord, forgive us our many sins.

We grieve and repent with all our hearts for having offended you,

for our great failings and neglect of the young and vulnerable.

We place all of those who have been hurt by the Church in any way into your loving hands

and under the protection of Our Blessed Mother.

Lord, bring peace to their broken lives and show us all the way out of darkness

and into the light of your Word.

May we as the people of God be more fully human,

more fully Christ-like and more fully your people,

 that we may see the errors of the past

and go forward with renewed hope

and faith in Christ and in our Church.

Amen.

“The ‘Candle of Atonement’ and accompanying prayer are offered as a reminder to all of the need for us to atone, to ask forgiveness as a Church for the suffering caused by abuse. My hope is that these candles will be lit in Cathedrals and parishes across the country as a reminder of the need for atonement and that they will symbolise repentance, light in the darkness and hope.” – Archbishop Eamon Martin 
Resources are available at www.catholicbishops.ie

See also the Archdiocese of Dublin website