The Day of Prayer for Survivors and Victims of Abuse will fall on 16 February 2024, the first Friday of Lent.
The Day of Prayer is an initiative of the Holy Father Pope Francis in 2017, and since then dioceses have marked this prayerful event with candles being lit in cathedrals and churches across the country as a reminder of the need for atonement and to symbolise repentance; light in the darkness and hope.
Resources
Blessing and Dedication of the Candle of Atonement for the Cathedrals and Churches of Ireland
Candle of Atonement Prayer
Prayers of the Faithful 2024
Towards Peace Spiritual Support Service
Towards Peace is an independent organization that provides a spiritual support and professional service for survivors of physical, emotional, sexual and spiritual abuse who suffered in an institutional, clerical or religious setting in Ireland. Funded by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Association of Missionary and Religious in Ireland, the vision of Towards Peace is to provide a safe supportive space for people and their families, whose spiritual life has been damaged by abuse. Through spiritual accompaniment with a qualified spiritual director, Towards Peace endeavours to accompany people as they seek their own experience of spiritual peace, one step at a time. Towards Peace is also a response to the continually growing understanding of the spiritual impact of the trauma of abuse and seeks to raise awareness about this within the Church. The Towards Peace Spiritual Support Service is free of charge and for more please see https://towardspeace.ie/
Towards Healing is an independent organisation
providing free professional support
for people who have experienced institutional,
clerical or religious abuse in Ireland.
Their helpline is Open:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
from 11am to 8pm
and Friday from 11am to 6pm
Freephone 1800 303416 (Rep of Ireland)
Freephone 0800 0963315 (Northern Ireland and UK)
Hearing impaired Text Line Number: 085-8022859