Virtual prayer service on anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings
08/06/25
6:00 pm
Location: online
Host: FSPA and the Franciscan Peace Center, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa
On August 6, FSPA joins Catholic Sisters across the country 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. We are co-hosting this event with 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 marked 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.
This solemn prayer service will serve as both a remembrance and a call to action. It also highlights 80 years of advocacy by Catholic women religious against nuclear weapons production and use. Open to the public, the service invites people of faith to join in reflection and recommitment to building a peaceful, nuclear-free world. The virtual prayer service will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, August 6, at 6 p.m. CDT. Participants are encouraged to register in advance to receive a reminder before the event. The prayer service will also be recorded for those unable to attend the live session.
This prayer service also responds to a call from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) for “100 Days of Prayer, Fasting, and Advocacy” - a collective spiritual witness running from May 29 (Feast of the Ascension) through September 5. Participating congregations are each dedicating a day to pray and act for peace and justice; this August 6 gathering represents one such communal offering.
The event is co-sponsored by several communities of women religious and justice and peace offices, that share a dedication to peacebuilding, including:
Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary JPIC Office, Presentation Sisters Union - USA Unit, School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central Pacific Province, Sisters of Benet Hill Monastery, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Sisters of Charity of New York, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur – Ohio Province, Sisters of St. Dominic/Racine Dominicans, Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia, Wheaton Franciscan JPIC Office.
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