Bishop Nolan’s letter is the primary resource for the day. A copy has been posted to every parish in Scotland and is available to
download here from 2 January. Please try to ensure that it is read out in your parish. It represents the Scottish contribution to the universal Church’s message. Resources are available for use in the parish
The theme of Pope Francis own ‘ Message for the Day of Prayer for Peace this year is Overcome Indifference and Win Peace The text can be found
here
There is an excellent and wide ranging set of resources available from
Pax Christi UK. Some of the resources are geared for the English celebration on 17 January. But much of the supporting material is appropriate to be copied and pasted into newsletters or service sheets.
These incorporate options for Bidding prayers, initiatives for young people as well as graphic material and reflections that a J&P group might find useful for any time.
As Bishop Nolan points out in his
letter, ‘This year we pray for peace during the Year of Mercy. We need God’s mercy to touch our hearts and the hearts of our fellow human beings. We need God’s mercy to heal the rifts and divisions that fracture our relationships.’
Pope Francis in
Misericordiae Vultus, the announcement of the Year of Mercy, expands on this to give a comprehensive picture suitable for reflection:
We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness. (para 2)