The Catholic Church across Yorkshire's historic West Riding since 1878

The Catholic Church across Yorkshire's historic West Riding since 1878

VJ Day 75

The 75th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan) will be recognised on Saturday 15 August 2020 commemorating the end of the Second World War.

The end of hostilities came a matter of days after the bombing of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On the seventy-fifth anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Japan, Pope Francis once again called “for prayer and commitment to a world completely free of nuclear weapons.”

As we pray for peace and the future of our world the anniversary is also a time to reflect on the past and especially all the millions of lives lost during the Second World War. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

  • Here in the Diocese of Leeds the anniversary has prompted two of our ‘resident historians’, Fr Nicholas Hird and Dr James Hagerty to create a tribute to all the priests from this diocese who served as military chaplains during the Second World War, Some of them lost their lives during the conflict.
  • PRIESTS IN UNIFORM: DIOCESAN MILITARY CHAPLAINS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR is published here for the first time and tells the stories of those Leeds priests who served in the armed forces and ministered to the Catholic servicemen and women in their care, often in dangerous circumstances and desperate conditions.
  • To read Priests in Uniform simply click on this image

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