Peace vigil offers prayers for Hiroshima, Nagasaki
August 6, 2009 by Sarah Jenkins

Sister Regina Ann Brummel stands next to the Peace Pole near the main entrance of the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse in Concordia as she leads the prayer vigil Thursday afternoon. The ceremony marked the 64th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan.

Father Jack Schlaf, left, and Sister Janet Lander share their thoughts during a reflection time that was part of Thursday's prayer vigil.
Six days after the detonation over Nagasaki, on Aug. 15, Japan announced its surrender to the Allied Powers, signing the Instrument of Surrender on Sept. 2, officially ending the Pacific War and therefore World War II.
In Thursday’s vigil, Sister Regina Ann Brummel asked those attending to pray for the victims of the two nuclear bombs, and for an end to continued worldwide nuclear proliferation.
Salina musicians and peace activists Janie Stein and Marty Bates performed as a part of the ceremony. Also in attendance were sisters from the Justice and Peace Center in Salina, which is a ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia.

Salina musicians and peace activists Janie Stein, left, and Marty Bates perform during Thursday's prayer vigil at the Motherhouse in Concordia.
Friends,
Mineko and I could not make the vigil but we knew of this and were with you all in spirit. So good to see the photos and to sense what we missed in physical presence.
Peace to each of you and to all,
Gerald Gillespie
Thanks, Regina Ann for getting the Prayer Vigil planned, and Sarah, you once again, captured the moment so well with your story and the pictures!
Thanks for this piece……….
Knowing our community and others gathered around the peace pole on the 6th for prayer and remembering is so good.
We all pray that one day we will have a planet without nuclear weapons/ war and so much violence.
Thank you for the formal and public remembrance of Hiroshima.
The history provided in this article is SO important for persons too young to know the story. The sharing of those who remember with those who were not yet born is also so very crucial.
Loretta Jasper,csj