PRAY TO END CHILD ABUSE AND ANIMAL ABUSE! 

Date: 2004-09-08

Pope Grieves Over Sufferings of Children Inflicted by Adults

General Audience Becomes a Ceremony of Prayer

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 8, 2004 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II pleaded on behalf of all children who suffer the violence of adults, and he prayed for the victims of the terrorist school seizure in Beslan, Russia.

The suffering of the little ones "cannot, must not leave anyone indifferent," the Pope said, in a sad and tired voice, to the 8,000 people gathered today for the general audience in Paul VI Hall.

Unusually, the audience became a ceremony of prayer which had as its framework the celebration of the Nativity of Mary, the day's liturgical feast.

The Holy Father began with a meditation in which he contemplated Mary as a child, and asked: "How can one not think of the many defenseless little ones of Beslan, in Ossetia, victims of a barbarous kidnapping and tragic massacre?"

"They were inside a school, the place where one learns the values that give meaning to history, culture and peoples' civilization: reciprocal respect, solidarity, justice and peace," he said.

"Behind those walls, instead, they experienced outrage, hatred and death, evil consequences of a cruel fanaticism and an insane contempt for the human person," the Pope added.

John Paul II then referred to "all innocent children who, in every part of the world, are victims of the violence of adults."

"Children constrained to take up arms and educated to hate and kill; children induced to beg on the streets, exploited for easy earnings," he lamented.

"Children mistreated and humiliated by the arrogance and abuse of grown-ups; children abandoned to themselves, deprived of the warmth of a family and of prospects for the future," the Pope continued.

"Children who die of hunger, children killed in so many conflicts in various regions of the world," he said.

The Pontiff's traditional weekly meeting with pilgrims ended with a "prayer for justice, peace and solidarity in the world."

A papal aide began by praying for the dead in the school of Beslan, both for the children, as well as their parents and teachers, so "that in his mercy God will open wide to them the doors of his house, let us pray to the Lord."

Prayers were then raised for the wounded, and the families of the victims of the attack, so that with the help of God and the solidarity of the world "they will be able to forgive all those who have done evil to them."

There were prayers also for "all the children who, in so many parts of the world, suffer and die because of the violence and abuse of adults: that the Lord will make them feel the comfort of his love and bend the hardness of heart of those who are the cause of their sufferings."

After praying for all the kidnapped in Iraq, especially two Italian women seized Tuesday, the faithful implored for "justice and peace in the world."

May the Lord "enlighten the minds of all those who are under the deadly spell of violence and open the hearts of all to dialogue and reconciliation, to build a future of hope and peace," the Prayer of the Faithful stated.

John Paul II ended with a prayer in ordinary language, imploring God that men will understand "that every child is a richness of humanity, and that violence against others is a blind alley with no exit or future."

Source:  http://www.zenit.org/english/

"Snuggling Infant"
Copyrighted by Jean Keaton.  See Keaton Prints.
Used with permission.  "Snuggling Infant" may be
copied only with permission of Jean Keaton.
This print and others may be purchased from her website.

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Prayer to St. Germaine Cousin
Patron Saint for Victims of Child Abuse

Saint Germaine, watch over those children who suffer abuse as you did. Help us to give them the love and protection you only got from God. Give us the courage to speak out against abuse when we know of it. Help us to forgive those who abuse the way you did, without sacrificing the lives of the children who need help. Amen
(Source:  Catholic Online)

Prayer of Cardinal Newman to St Philip Neri

Philip, my glorious Advocate,
 teach me to look at all I see around me
 after thy pattern, as creatures of God.

Let me never forget
 that the same God who made me,
 made the whole world
 and all animals that are in it.

Give me the grace
 to love all God’s works for God’s sake,
 and all men fore the sake of my Lord
 and saviour who has redeemed me on the Cross.

Prayer for Animals

Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for animals that are overworked, underfed and cruelly treated; for all wistful creatures in captivity that beat their wings against bars; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put death.  We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words.  Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals, and so to share the blessings of the merciful.  (Albert Schweitzer)

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St. Francis and the Wolf

St. Francis and the Animals:
    American Catholic)

 * * *
"The Animals Savior"

I looked at the caged animals in the
shelter...the cast offs of human society.

I saw in their eyes love and hope,
 fear and dread, sadness and betrayal.
And I was angry
"God," I said "this is terrible! Why don't you
do something?"
God was silent for a moment and than
He spoke softly
"I have done something." He replied
"I created You"

(Copyright Jim Willis 1999)

ANIMAL ABUSE AND FAMILY VIOLENCE

FIRST STRIKE:
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
ANIMAL CRUELTY AND HUMAN VIOLENCE 
 

Our Lady of the Sea

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Hi!  My name is Pal.
I was abused and neglected
in my first home.
I was rescued and adopted.
Now I know love and kindness.

For information on the organization which rescued Pal, go to
 Northcentral Maltest Rescue, Inc.