Pray, Study, Act for End of Nuclear Weapons

Wednesday, August 6 marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, followed three days later by Nagasaki. An estimate of the bombings’ combined death toll exceeds 200,000 people.

Today, the world’s arsenal of nuclear weapons adds up to 12,512 warheads, with a total power 65,000 times greater than what was dropped on Japan. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists recently moved the hands to the Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest to midnight the clock has ever been, due to, among other things, the increased threat of nuclear disaster.

Pray

Look for a Nuclear Prayer Day event near you. If you are near Washington, DC, join us for a Nuclear Prayer Day interfaith vigil at 6pm at the United Methodist Building next to the Supreme Court, an easy walk from Union Station. Register here.

If you can’t join us in person, join Catholic sisters from across the country in a virtual prayer service on August 6 at 7pm Eastern.  Register here.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released this Prayer for End of Nuclear Weapons.

Study

Back from the Brink’s DC Nuclear Prayer Day website will launch new resources on Aug. 6, including a faith-based resource guide and videos from elected officials.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offers a resource page on nuclear weapons here. Read USCCB President Archbishop Timothy Broglio’s statement on the anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, and Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe’s powerful pastoral letter on nuclear disarmament, Living in the Light of Christ’s Peace.

Act

The New START treaty – the only remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia – will expire on February 4, 2026. The impending expiration of this treaty increases the likelihood of a renewed nuclear arms race and the risk of nuclear war.

Follow the Back from the Brink campaign and click here to contact your Members of Congress asking them to support resolutions for a comprehensive nuclear disarmament framework. These resolutions are a critical step toward halting and reversing the nuclear arms race.