This is a litany produced for Prison’s Week and used by churches around the country every year, in November.
A Prison Litany
For the ministry that God has called us to among prisoners and members of staff, let us pray to the Lord.
God the Father
have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
have mercy on us.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity whose unity draws us together,
have mercy on us.
From all evil and mischief; from pride, vanity and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred and malice, and from all evil intent,
good Lord deliver us.
From laziness, worldliness and love of money; from hardness of heart and contempt for your word and laws,
good Lord deliver us.
From the sins of body and mind; from all the deceits of the world, the flesh and the devil, and from anger and violence in word and deed,
good Lord deliver us.
THE NEEDS OF THOSE INSIDE
For those in prison for the first time and for the families and friends from whom they are separated. Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
For those made hard and cynical by life in prison; for those who feel no sorrow for what they have done, and for those who are thinking of further crime. Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
For those who break the good order and discipline of prison life; for those in the segregation unit; and for those seeking protection. Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
For those who create anxiety and fear; for the weak who are abused by the strong; for those who desperately long to be accepted; for the unloved and the unwanted who receive neither letter or visit; Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
For those whose faith in Christ is mocked; for those who are taunted for going to Chapel, for reading the Bible and praying. For those who by their false and evil beliefs lead the simple away from the truth in Christ. Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
For those who stand firm in the faith and witness to Christ in word and in deed. Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer.
THE NEEDS OF THOSE OUTSIDE
For those who depend on alcohol to give them courage or to drown their misery, and for those whose lives and families have been destroyed through alcohol abuse. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
For those who are addicted to drugs, and for those who sell them. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
For those contemplating crime today; for those arrested and taken to the cells for the first time in their lives. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
For those who advise the innocent to plead guilty; for those who have abandoned hope of a fair trial, and for those who are victims of rough justice, Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
For the partners and families of prisoners as they suffer the ‘second sentence’, the loneliness of separation and the difficulties of visiting. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
For those who are worried about the lack of money and the debts they have incurred. For those who deprive themselves for the benefit of their children and their partner in prison. Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
For those who through word and deed bring true humanity to relationships and show compassion to the needs of others; let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
For those whose thoughts turn into prayer and whose prayer turns into action; let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
For those who show forth the gifts of the Spirit in love, joy, peace; for those who are patient, good, gentle, self-controlled and faithful; let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
For those whose love bears all things, hopes all things, endures all things, who se love never ends; let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let us give your love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is sadness, joy.
Where there is darkness, light.
For in giving we receive,
in pardoning we are pardoned,
and in dying we are born into eternal life.