Pray

  • Praying with Mary to Overcome the Sin of Racism

    In November 2018, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a pastoral letter against racism, Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love. This prayer closes the letter. As in all things, we turn to prayer, asking Our Blessed Mother to intercede on our behalf: Mary, friend and mother to all, through…

  • Litany for Those Who Aren’t Ready for Healing

    This litany was written by Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce, Professor and Dean of the Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, TN, in the wake of the killing of Michael Brown. On August 9, 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, MO. Let us not rush to the language of…

  • Collection of Short Prayers in the Face of Executions

    Prayer for Life By Bishop Daniel Flores God Eternal Father, You are the Living God. Life is who you are, Life is what you love, Life is what you breathe. Creation was made to house life; life is what you give. Human life is your most beloved, And what You most affirmed when you sent…

  • Prayer for God’s Justice, Mercy, and Compassion

    Sr. Addie Lorraine Walker, SSND, wrote and shared the following prayer in honor of the Virtual Prayer Vigil held for Christopher Vialva on Thursday, Sept. 28th, 2020. Mr. Vialva was executed hours later by the federal government. As you say this prayer, whether in solitude or with others, we invite you to remember all persons impacted…

  • A Prayer for Fraternal Love from Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Fratelli Tutti”

    An Ecumenical Christian Prayer from Pope Francis’ 2020 Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship O God, Trinity of love, from the profound communion of your divine life, pour out upon us a torrent of fraternal love. Grant us the love reflected in the actions of Jesus, in his family of Nazareth, and in…

  • [Recording] Good Friday Prayer Vigil for an End to the Death Penalty

    On the First Friday of every month, CMN holds a Virtual Prayer Vigil to lament upcoming executions and bear witness to the sanctity of all human life. These monthly gatherings feature the diverse voices of Catholic bishops, Church leaders, death penalty abolitionists, and people impacted by crime, violence, or incarceration. Each vigil includes time for…

  • CMN’s Stations of the Cross

    The 14 Stations of the Cross invite us to walk with Jesus through his Passion. Often prayed during the season of Lent, each station depicts a moment on Christ’s journey to Calvary. With CMN’s Stations of the Cross, you are invited to pray this traditional practice while reflecting on the parallels between our modern criminal…

  • Litany for a More Expansive Gratitude

    This prayer was composed by CMN staff for Thanksgiving in 2022. As many enter into a space of gratitude and share time with family, friends, and loved ones, this prayer acknowledges both the beauty and the pain of our human journey. It invites us to reflect on our interconnectedness — a value at the heart…

  • Respect Life Month: A Novena to End the Death Penalty

    This prayer resource features nine days of prayer that lift up the dignity of life and the Catholic call to end the death penalty. CMN prays this novena each year starting on October 1, which begins Respect Life Month, celebrated each October. These nine days of prayer prepare us for World Day Against the Death…