Prayer for Sorry Day

Heavenly Father, creator and healer of all,
We place before you the pain and anguish of dispossession of land, language, lore, culture and family kinship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced.

May 26, the day immediately before National Reconciliation Week is National we commemorate Sorry Day.

On our pathway towards reconciliation, Sorry Day is an important moment to pause and remember the past policies
of forced child removal. Here, we reflect on the sad and painful history of the Stolen Generations and recognise moments of resilience, healing and the power of saying Sorry.

The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998, one year after the Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Parliament. The Bringing Them Home report is a result of a Government Inquiry into the past policies which caused children to be removed from their families and communities in the 20th century.

National Sorry Day is an Australia-wide observance held on May 26 each year. This day gives people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for the Stolen Generations, their families and communities. Stolen generations refer to Indigenous Australians who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, some of whom, or their families, may well be in our ministry spaces.

Prayer for Sorry Day : Lord You Are Our Hope

Almighty and loving God,
You who created ALL people in your image, lead us to seek your compassion as we listen to the stories of the violence in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories.
You gave your only Son, Jesus, who died and rose again so that sin is forgiven. We place before you the pain and anguish of dispossession of land, language, lore, culture and family kinship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced.
We live in faith that all people will rise from the depths of despair and hopelessness, and in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families who have endured the pain and loss of loved ones, through the separation of children and their families.
Touch the hearts of the broken, homeless and inflicted and heal their spirits.
In your mercy and compassion walk with us as we continue our journey of healing to create a future that is just and equitable.
Lord you are our hope.
Amen

Resources:
Prayer for Sorry Day 
Let’s Talk Sorry Day [Source Reconciliation Australia]