The Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Abuse is observed on 30 April 2024. It is always marked on the Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter in England and Wales.
This year’s focus is on communities who have been directly affected by allegations or convictions related to abuse – especially, but not exclusively, within the Church. This may be associated with clergy, a teacher in a local school, a leader of a Catholic group or other person or group whose investigation or conviction is likely to affect the wider community.
There will be legal and financial implications but, for the community, something that addresses
their pastoral and spiritual needs can be very helpful. It can also support those who need to impart very painful information by helping them to draw on spiritual resources beyond themselves. This is not “spiritualising” the situation as if to diminish it; rather, it is to say that, for us, the bar is set higher as we know that all involved are children of God and part of the Body of Christ. What harms one harms all.
Based on Readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter. (John 15:1-8 and 1 John 3: 18-24).
For use as required.
This is presented and can be used as a full-day session but is designed to be adaptable. Prayers, readings and prompts for personal and shared reflection can be used as standalone resources in a variety of settings. Some could be used, for example, as part of an information evening or in a short liturgy to bring the community together in prayer or offered to groups looking for ways to focus prayer on what has happened.
This can be used with the Parish Pastoral Session and includes the prayers
and readings. It could be developed by the addition of transitions, animations, pictures or
photographs. There corresponding slide numbers are included in the text for the Session.
The Jesuit Institute is offering a week of guided prayer for those who have been affected by the scandal of clergy abuse in the Catholic Church
