PEACE AND JUSTICE PRAYER CALENDAR FOR JULY 2020 International Year of the Nurse and Midwife (UN)
July 1 Feast of St. Junípero Serra
▪ Pray for the repose of the souls of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks, whose slayings sparked the recent uprising against racial injustice. ▪ Pray for the nearly one-half million people who have died from COVID-19 globally.
July 2 • Civil Rights Act signed in 1964 • Death Penalty reinstated in 1976 • Mary Elizabeth Lange founded the Oblate Sisters of Providence in 1829 to minister to the Native Americans and African Americans
▪ Pray that the “Black Lives Matter” movement will bring about policies that will end racism in the judicial system. ▪ Pray for the repose of the souls of the 1,518 people executed since 1976. ▪ Pray for the Oblate Sisters and their co-workers.
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July 3 • Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle • International Plastic Bag Free Day (Zero Waste Alliance) Request paper bags at stores not accepting reusable bags because of the pandemic. • First Friday Action Against the Death Penalty (Catholic Mobilizing Network)
▪ Pray for a plastic-free ocean. ▪ Pray for the end of the death penalty.
July 4 • U.S. Independence Day • Feast of St. Elizabeth of Portugal, patron of Catholic Charities and prisoners • Dharma Day, celebrating the day Buddha began teaching
▪ Pray that the United States becomes a united and welcoming country, rejoicing in diversity. ▪ Pray for the end of the 940 active hate groups. (Southern Poverty Law Center)
July 5 Salvation Army founded in 1865
▪ Pray with gratitude for all those who care for people in need, especially for the Salvation Army. ▪ Pray for prisoners.
July 6 • Feast of St. Maria Goretti • 14th Dalai Lama born in 1935 • International Day of Cooperatives (UN)
▪ Pray for all teens, especially those who are recovering from acts of violence. ▪ Pray for tolerance among religious people. ▪ Pray for the success of cooperatives.
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July 7 Dorothy Stang, SND, born in 1931
Pray for the indigenous people of the world and for those who work with them to preserve Earth’s resources.
July 8 Pray for all those on death row, especially Billy Wardlow, scheduled for execution in Texas, and for the victims and their families.
July 9 Feast of St. Augustine Zhao Rong and 120 martyrs
▪ Pray with gratitude for all nurses and midwives, especially those who risk their lives caring for patients with COVID-19. ▪ Pray for the underground Church of China.
July 10 Pray “that today’s families may be accompanied with love, respect and guidance.” —Pope Francis’ Monthly Intention
July 11 • Feast of St. Benedict • World Population Day (UN) World Population: 7,795,500,129
▪ Pray for the people of the world. ▪ Pray for the Benedictines and those who live out the Benedictine charism.
July 12 Malala Yousafzai, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner and advocate for women born in 1997
Pray that all girls and women have the freedom to live out their dreams and reach their potential in life.
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July 13 Feast of St. Teresa de los Andes
Pray for the people of South America, especially Chile.
July 14 • Feast of St. Kateri Tekakwitha • Feast of St. Camillus de Lellis
▪ Pray with gratitude for the contributions to U.S. culture by the Native Americans and pray that acts of discriminations against them cease. ▪ Pray with gratitude for all those in the healing profession during this time of pandemic.
July 15 • Feast of St. Bonaventure • World Youth Skills Day (UN)
▪ Pray that the world’s youth attain the skills they need to acquire meaningful jobs. ▪ Pray for Franciscans, theologians and philosophers.
July 16 • Feasts of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of the Triumphant Cross (Philippines) • First atomic bomb test, 1945
▪ Pray for the people of the Philippines, especially those affected by natural disasters. ▪ Pray for destruction of all nuclear weapons.
July 17 During this year that celebrates nurses and midwives, let us pray for and show our gratitude to the nurses and midwives we know. Pray for all those affected by the coronavirus.
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July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day (UN) “It is easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who made peace and build.”
Pray for peaceful protests against injustice across the world.
July 19 First Women’s Rights Convention in U.S., 1848
Pray that women around the world will experience the human rights to which they are entitled.
July National Natural Family Planning Awareness Week 19 – 25 (USCCB) Live the truth and beauty of God’s plan for married love.
July 20 • Shooting at movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, 2012 • World Chess Day (UN) • First human walks on the moon in 1969 (Neil Armstrong)
▪ Pray for peace in our communities. ▪ Prayer for astronauts. ▪ Pray for the safety and wellbeing of those who are seeking public office. May their interactions be civil and worthy of those seeking to serve the people.
July 21 Pray in gratitude for the exoneration of Clifford Williams, unjustly imprisoned for 43 years.
July 22 Feast of St. Mary of Magdala
Pray for women in leadership roles in the church and religious communities.
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July 23 Feast of St. Bridget of Sweden, founder of the Bridgettines
▪ Pray for more women in leadership roles in church and society, particularly government. ▪ Pray for the Bridgettines.
July 24 Feast of St. Sharbel Makhluf, “hermit of Lebanon”
Pray for peace in the Middle East.
July 25 Feast of St. James the Apostle
Pray that Congress will pass a budget that considers the common good and those most in need.
July 26 • Feasts of St. Joachim and Anne • Americans with Disabilities Act becomes law, 1990
▪ Pray for all grandparents, especially those who are caring for grandchildren because of drugs, violence or immigration. ▪ Pray that all those with disabilities have the freedom to live up to their potential.
July 27 ▪ Pray for peace in Central America, especially Honduras, and in Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, South Sudan and Israel. ▪ Pray for the end of violence in the U.S.
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July 28 • World Hepatitis Day (World Health Organization) • Birthday of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who developed the hepatitis test and vaccine
Pray for the 325 million people who have Hepatitis B and C.
July 29 Feast of St. Martha
Pray for the grace to be welcoming people, especially to immigrants and the neediest.
July 30 • World Day Against the Trafficking of Persons (UN) • International Day of Friendship (UN) • National Whistleblowers Day (U.S.)
▪ Pray for the 21 million victims of forced labor as determined by the International Labor Organization. ▪ Pray for friendships among people, cultures and countries, and for individuals who work to build bridges between communities. (#EndViolenceSpreadKindness) ▪ Pray for the safety and wellbeing of whistleblowers.
July 31 • Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola • Islam Feast of the Sacrifice - Eid-Ul Adha
▪ Pray for Jesuits. ▪ Pray for the end of Islamophobia. ▪ Pray for police, firefighters and paramedics who risks their lives each day to keep us safe.
Thank you to Sister Jean Murin, RSM (New York, Pennsylvania West), for sharing this monthly justice calendar. Page 7 of 7