Hiroshima Memorial Day to pray for peace

On August 6, 1945 our country dropped the atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima in Japan, a large population center and military target. St. Joseph Church at 673 Stevens Avenue in Portland will be open 6:30-7:30 PM on August 6 for a time to pray for peace.  There will be a brief opening prayer at 6:30 p.m. and closing prayers and prayers of intention just before 7:30 p.m. In between there will be time for quiet prayer for peace – on our homes, our hearts, our world. All are welcome to join. 

A Memorial service was first held in 1947.  President Obama became the first sitting President to attend in 2016. On that occasion he said “We come to mourn the dead, including over 100,000 Japanese men, women and children, thousands of Koreans, a dozen Americans held prisoner. Their souls speak to us. They ask us to look inward, to take stock of who we are and what we might become.” 

The bombing was – and remains – a controversial action. But there is little controversy about the need to turn away from war and violence as we seek a future for our world and its people. Let us choose to follow the light of Christ.