Prisoners Week

This week is Prisoners Week. Various events are taking place across the country. Some of them are within prison and are for the prisoners particularly. The main idea of Prisoners Week, however, is to raise the Church's awareness of prisoners and remind them and urge them to pray. Also, it is to be hoped that in this week prisoners may learn that people in the Church love them in spite of the prisoners' offences, just as God loves us in spite of ours. This is grace. God's grace. Amazing grace. If you're the praying kind, please pray for prisoners. I can think of dozens of things to pray for but perhaps I can trust you to use your imagination about what to ask!! Pray too for the Churches, that we will all be able to be loving, merciful, forgiving, interceding models of grace.

The Prisoners Week Prayer

Lord, you offer freedom to all people.
We pray for those who are captives in prison
and those who are affected by or involved in their imprisonment.
Break the bonds of fear and isolation that exist.
Support with your love: prisoners, their families and friends,
prison staff and all who care.
Heal those who have been wounded by the activities of others,
expecially the victims of crime.
Help us to forgive one another, to act justly, to love mercy,
and walk humbly together with Christ
in his strength and in his spirit now and every day.
Amen.