What we do
CAFOD is the official aid agency for the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
With your help, we reach out to people living in hard-to-reach places, in war zones and those who are discriminated against.
Working for your kingdom
Lord Jesus, give us the grace to hear your voice,
And the strength to continue working for your kingdom in this time of pandemic.
Do not allow us to be indifferent to those who today suffer the loss of a loved one, or who suffer from the absence of work.
But give us the courage to accompany and side with those who suffer violence or injustice. Amen.
Prayer: Javier Eduardo Martinez Rueda from Colombia. Javier is team director at Programa de Desarollo y Paz, an organisation working on peacebuilding as part of our Hands On Magdalena Medio project.
God's healing hand
To our brothers and sisters who have contracted
and are suffering due to the Coronavirus Disease,
we pray that God’s healing hand may rest upon you.
To medical doctors, nurses and the supporting staff
who are in the frontline of the fight against COVID-19,
may the Good Lord sustain you and inspire you
to render your life-saving services with due care, love and compassion.
To all those who have lost their loved ones due to the Coronavirus outbreak,
we convey our deepest sympathies.
We pray that their souls, through God’s mercy, may rest in eternal peace.
We pray that God may grant all bereaved families his consolation and strengthen their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord.
Amen.
Prayer adapted from the 2020 Easter Message of the Catholic Bishops of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe
At this time
Dear Lord,
At this time of pandemic,
Let us foster respect and solidarity with others, especially those who are weak or poor.
Let us remain calm and ignore unsubstantiated rumours.
Let us take advantage of living together as a family.
Let us attend to moments of prayer.
Let us cultivate responsibility, patience and hope.
Amen.
Prayer adapted from a radio message from Rodolfo Valenzuela Núñez, Bishop of La Verapaz, Guatemala
We lift up our voices
Merciful God,
We place into your care all the refugees and migrants, especially the Rohingya.
God who hurts with humanity, we lift up our voices and pour out our hearts to you,
in sadness and grief, for those who don't have anyone to hear their suffering and pain,
for those who don't have anyone to love and care,
for those who don't have anyone to tell their stories
and especially for those who have been suffering due to this pandemic
and struggling with coronavirus to see another day in their life.
We pray for their courage of heart and strength of mind and body.
Keep them safe from harm.
Amen.
Prayer: Inmanuel Chayan Biswas, who works for Caritas Bangladesh in Cox's Bazaar refugee camp
Prayer of a health worker
Lord, we pray for those who need ongoing medical treatment who are forced to wait at this time.
God, please watch over their health and help them to stay positive and patient.
We pray that we overcome this global crisis and that after this pandemic, we build a more just and humane world.
Amen.
Prayer: Marlene Cruz who leads a community health team at the Guarjila Health Clinic in El Salvador
We stand together
We pray for all who are suffering and bereaved.
At this time of sorrow, incomprehension and tragedy, we stand together.
In this crisis, we pray for God’s mercy and healing for the sick
and for health and strength for all who care for them.
Amen.
Prayer: Adapted from a message from Sister Bridget Tighe of Caritas Jerusalem
Protection and peace
With heavy hearts, we bring before you the plight of the Caritas frontline staff around the world.
May they know our love and feelings for all they are doing to heal and help those affected by coronavirus.
God of all consolation, may they know your protection and peace.
Bless them in these challenging days and bless their families.
Amen.
Prayer: Inmanuel Chayan Biswas, who works for Caritas Bangladesh in Cox's Bazaar refugee campnmanuel Chayan Biswas, who works for Caritas Bangladesh in Cox's Bazaar refugee camp
We cry out to you
God of all,
we cry out to you for help.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.
Protect us, Lord, and be with us
especially those of us most vulnerable
during this coronavirus crisis.
Move us to reach out in love
to our neighbours near and far.
So that the humble may be exalted,
the hungry filled with good things.
Grant us the courage
not to rush back to our old ways,
but to rebuild our world together,
creating foundations of justice,
with equality and peace for all.
Amen.
Prayer: Catherine Gorman/CAFOD
The breath of the Almighty
Lord God, loving Creator,
You fashioned us from clay,
And breathed life into us.
We are made and loved by you.
R: The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty has given me life.
Heavenly Father,
Your Spirit fills us with hope
And lights the path to fullness of life.
Hear us!
As we cry out to you, uncertain and afraid.
R: The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty has given me life.
In your mercy, Lord,
Grant us the strength to rebuild
When all seems lost.
And the courage to reach out
To those in pain.
R: The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty has given me life.
Prayer: Linda Jones/CAFOD
Prayer for the end of the virus
SECAM, the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences in Africa and Madagascar, has suggested the following prayer for all those affected by the coronavirus:
Almighty and merciful Father, who show your love to all your creation.
We come before you asking for a quick control of the Coronavirus currently ravaging our world.
Hear graciously the prayers we make for those affected by the virus in various parts of the world.
Grant healing to the sick, eternal life to the dead and consolation to the bereaved families.
We pray that an effective medicine to combat the sickness be speedily found.
We pray for the relevant governments and health authorities that they take appropriate steps for the good of the people.
Look upon us in your mercy and forgive us our failings. Amen.
“"A light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower."”
Light in the darkest times
Loving, ever-living and compassionate God,
You understand the pain of loss, the heartache of bereavement,
May we hold in our hearts all those whose families or friends have died.
You are a light that shines in the darkest times,
Guide us and heal us in our sickness and sorrow.
You comfort us in times of fear,
May we comfort each other, even as we keep apart.
You console and lead us in times of doubt and confusion,
May we follow the light of your love and spread hope.
You move our hearts to acts of generosity,
May we be led to share what we have with those in need.
God of life,
We thank you for the signs of your light in the midst of our darkness,
May we be signs of your compassion in the heart of your world.
Amen.
Prayer: Linda Jones/CAFOD
Infinite power and love
Lord God, we entrust to you the families and communities
affected by Coronavirus, wherever they may be.
We pray especially for health care workers, that you may guide and protect them.
We pray that your Spirit might inspire those researching new medicines and treatments.
And in the midst of this, keep us strong in faith, hope and love. Grant us the courage and perseverance to be good neighbours.
May the words of your Son Jesus Christ in the Our Father,
be our prayer as we entrust ourselves and all of us who are affected
to your infinite power and love.
Amen.
Adapted from an Ebola prayer by Caritas Guinea
Your loving care
Lord Jesus,
when you walked with us on earth
you spread your healing power.
We place in your loving care
all who are affected by Coronavirus.
Keep us strong in faith, hope and love.
Bring relief to our sick,
console our bereaved,
protect those who care for us.
We lift our prayer to you Lord,
and trust in your infinite mercy,
as we wait for the daybreak.
Amen.
Prayer for uncertain times
Lord Jesus Christ, light of this world, thank you for the hope you have given us.
Help us to give our worries to you and, above all, to trust in your unfailing love.
For you have promised us "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you."
Almighty God, our protector, let us trust in you to carry us through this time of uncertainty.
Jesus, hear our cries as we mourn those who've left us.
Whatever tomorrow may bring, we will praise your name.
Amen.
Prayer: Sasha Breakenridge, CAFOD volunteer
Related prayers and useful links
Weekly prayers of intercession
You are the Resurrection and the Life
Prayers during a time of illness (from the Liturgy Office of England and Wales)
Prayer resources for use during the coronavirus pandemic (from the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference)
Isolated but not alone: resources for Catholics (Tablet article)
Praying with and caring for a dying person (from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales)
Prayers with the dying (from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Books on bereavement (from Redemptorist publications)