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Prayer
Vigils

As long as lives are on the line, our work must be rooted in prayer.

First Friday Prayer Vigils

On the First Friday of each month, CMN invites you to a virtual prayer vigil, a sacred space to lament upcoming executions and bear witness to the sanctity of all human life. Join us to stand in solidarity with people facing execution, their victims, and all who are impacted by the unjust system of capital punishment.

First Friday Prayer Vigils include time for guided prayer, petitions, Scripture reflections, and contemplative silence. Catholic bishops, ministry leaders, and allies from the abolition movement often lend their voices to these gatherings.

Our Next Vigil

Join us on July 11 at 2 p.m. ET for our next vigil, featuring a Scripture reflection
from Sr. Laurie Brink, OP. Please note, we will gather on the second weekend of July due to the Fourth of July holiday.

Sr. Laurie Brink is a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa and Professor of New Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union, the school that trained the Pope! Committed to promoting biblical literacy, she has presented on a variety of biblical topics in Australia, Bolivia, Israel, Jamaica, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Trinidad & Tobago. She has also published several books and articles. Her upcoming book, Radical Advent: Biblical Reflections on the Challenge of Change, will be published next year.

What to Expect

Virtual prayer vigils are held on Zoom and live-streamed to CMN’s YouTube channel. On the day of the vigil, registrants receive an emailed link with instructions on how to join. You can also sign up above to get vigil reminders delivered automatically each month to your inbox.

Prayer Resources

Explore a variety of prayers from CMN’s resource library.

Prayer of the U.S. Bishops to Address the Sin of Racism

Lord of all, we pray for healing to address the persistent sin of racism, which is the rejection of the full humanity of some of your children, and the talents and potential you have given them. We pray for the grace to recognize the systems that do not support the dignity of every person, that…

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,may the faith you have given usin your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,and the flame of charity enkindledin our hearts by the Holy Spirit,reawaken in us the blessed hopefor the coming of your Kingdom. May your grace transform usinto tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.May those seeds transform from within both…

Prayer Vigil on the Day of an Execution (English/Spanish)

Drawn from the resources compiled for a Prayer Vigil in Texas, this bilingual resource is aimed at assisting those planning prayer vigils in states where condemned prisoners are to be executed. Although it is specifically worded for a vigil on the night before or day of a scheduled execution, it is easily adaptable to other…

Impending Execution: Novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots

The devotion to our Lady Undoer of Knots began in the 2nd century with St. Irenaeus. He wrote, “The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by the obedience of Mary; what the virgin Eve bound by her unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosened by her faith.” With this Novena, we pray for Mary, our Advocate, and…

Sample Prayers of the Faithful for Respect Life Month

These sample prayers of the faithful center around the work to end the death penalty and build a more restorative criminal justice system. They can be used in October during Respect Life Month or any time of the year. >> Click here to download Prayers of the Faithful in Spanish

St. Maximilian Kolbe Prayer Service

This prayer service focuses on the life and ministry of St. Maximilian Kolbe, patron saint of prisoners and the pro-life movement. Lifting up the work of all pro-life advocates, the service highlights in a particular way our shared Catholic call to end the use of the death penalty. This resource features: A short biography of St. Maximilian Kolbe…

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