We know so many of our PNMNY family both living in the city and those in surrounding areas are heavy-hearted and praying to understand how such evil could come to a vibrant and beloved generational neighborhood in Buffalo.

We offer the prayer below with our best intentions, knowing our words may not be the right ones but are words from our hearts to all of our faith community nurses, your churches and parishes, family, friends, neighbors, and all who serve our community.

We offer ourselves to serve all who are affected in our community in this crisis. Those of you who know where the need is greatest, please direct our resources of donations, on-site service, support, prayers, faith, and love. The PNMNY stands ready to journey alongside wherever there is a need.

For all those who have died, and fallen victim to hatred and inhumanity,
for those loved ones who are left behind to mourn,
for the souls of those whose hearts are cold, we pray:

For the mothers and fathers who must try to explain the unexplainable, we pray:

For the redemption of souls of both victim and perpetrator,
for those who commit themselves to the forgiveness of sins, we pray:

In hope that the arc of history bends toward justice,
we lift up our prayers for racial healing, saying:

Bind us together, O God of love.
For the Church, that its prophetic voice may proclaim to
all the challenge to break the hopeless cycles of ignorance,
prejudice, and despair which degrade the sacred
dignity of humankind and perpetuate systemic racism, we pray:

For our community and country, that we might celebrate our racial diversity
and the distinctive and rich contributions of every fiber of
our cultural fabric, we pray:

For wise and decisive action on the part of local and national leaders,
and all members of our communities,
that the scandal and sin of racism may be eradicated
from our society, we pray:

For an end to the subtle racism of economic oppression
which permeates our society’s structures
and resides in many hearts, we pray:

For our faith communities, that they may not succumb
to indifference or accept the status quo, but press on
for fundamental change, we pray:

For the victims of racial discrimination, that they may be
filled with hope for a more just future, healing from wounds
received, courage to advocate for change and for peace,
and the grace to overcome hated with love, we pray:

For all who work for racial justice,
that they may be sustained in hope,
empowered with courage,
and filled with the grace to persevere in love,
we pray: Amen

“Salvetoday” & “Author Unknown,” Xavier University,
https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/prayers-for-racial-justice-and-reconciliation