| At 8:15 am on
6 August 1945, Hiroshima became the first city in
the world to suffer a nuclear attack. At 11:02 am
on 9 August Nagasaki became the second, and
hopefully last, city to be hit by an atomic bomb. The Japanese cities of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemorate the bombings
every year. They have established extensive
programs to ensure that information about the
bombings is passed on, and to work for nuclear
disarmament and world peace.
Across the
globe, and here, in the Asian region, nuclear
weapons still pose a grave threat to human life,
and to the life of the planet itself. We are
still to learn the lessons of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki.
This ACPP
Action Resource is intended to encourage
individuals and groups to commemorate the atomic
bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It provides
information about: the bombings; the effects of
nuclear weapons; Catholic Social teaching on
nuclear weapons; the peace actions of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki; Article 9 of the Japanese
Constitution; and a range of ideas for peace
actions.
We at ACPP
believe that justice and peace are intimately
linked. Where there is armed conflict, injustice
thrives, and injustice provides fertile ground
for violence. We encourage you to use the
anniversaries of the bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki as a focus for prayer, reflection and
action on behalf of peace and nuclear disarmament.
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