On August 6, 2024, women religious across the country will join in a virtual prayer service to commemorate the tragic events of August 6 and 9, 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The event is being organized by the Franciscan Peace Center, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa on the anniversary of these bombings that resulted in the deaths of over 200,000 people and marks a somber chapter in human history.
Despite the devastating humanitarian impact of these bombings, the threat of nuclear weapons remains ever-present. Today, the world's nuclear-armed states possess a combined total of approximately 12,100 nuclear warheads, posing a significant risk to global safety and peace.
Open to the public, this solemn event will unite people of faith in a period of prayerful reflection and commitment to peace as we strive to create a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons. As we remember the suffering of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we pray that world leaders will commit to end the manufacturing of these weapons of mass destruction and to alleviate the damage already caused by the arms race.
Joining the Franciscan Peace Center, the event is co-sponsored by numerous women religious communities and leadership teams that share a dedication to peacebuilding including:
- Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes
- Dominican Sisters of Racine, Wisconsin
- Holy Union Sisters USA
- Presentation Sisters Union - USA Unit
- School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central Pacific Province
- Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati
- Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Congregational Leadership
- Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Western Province Leadership
- Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur – Ohio Province
- Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, Minnesota
- Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin, Ohio
- Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston
- Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia
- Sisters of the Humility of Mary
The virtual prayer service will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm CDT. The event will be recorded. Please join us by registering in advance here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Id6AX0QESi2y_OFAnOEFEA#/registration