Honor lives lost in Gaza with the Children’s Shroud

All are invited to host the Children’s Shroud, a global movement of remembrance, solidarity and action in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. This initiative responds to a recent call from the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor who, in light of the war in the Middle East, urged all Franciscans to “be builders of peace, workers of justice, capable of denouncing evil wherever it comes from.” 

Get involved today by contacting Br. Jacek Orzechowski, OFM, at jorzechowski@friars.us.  

(Photo caption: Br. Jay Woods, OFM, signs the Shroud of Remembrance in St. Louis, MO, on July 14, 2026. Photo by Teresa Peterson) 

What is the Children's Shroud?   

The Children’s Shroud is a large white cloth that will display the names of more than 18,000 children who are known to have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. Over the past several months, Christians, Muslims, Jews and other people of goodwill have invited their communities to inscribe the names of the children as a way of affirming their lives and dignity. Inspired by a similar project organized by Priests Against Genocide, the Franciscan Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe began this interfaith project in May. Franciscan parishes in Maryland and North Carolina, and a local fraternity at a Franciscan university are among the groups that have participated. 

Why is this important?  

A recent, dire report from the United Nations depicts the horrific reality faced by the Palestinians, especially children.  Br. Jacek Orzechowski, OFM, who is organizing the province’s involvement with the project, says the report highlights the moral urgency to end this tragedy. He adds: “I hope that as we celebrate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ Transitus, we can continue his prophetic legacy and help end the United States’ complicity in the horrible suffering of the Palestinian people in the Holy Land. The goal of this initiative is to wake up the moral conscience of our nation and do our part as people of faith to help end the ongoing genocide. We cannot remain on the sidelines.”   

How does the Shroud make a difference?  

As thousands of people across the country write a child’s name on the cloth, they participate in an act of prayer, remembrance and moral witness. The Shroud is a way of lifting up the dignity of the oppressed Palestinian people and responding to the prophetic call of the Christian churches in the Holy Land. It invites a diverse group of people in the United States to come together, appealing to the conscience of our nation and encouraging us to respond to the cries of the oppressed with charity and restorative justice.    

What happens to the shroud after all the names are added?   

On Wednesday, September 16, the shroud will be displayed at the UN Church Center in New York City, where various non-governmental organizations and ambassadors will have an opportunity to inscribe some of the remaining names onto the shroud. In October, the Shroud will travel to Washington, D.C., before continuing to other cities.   

How can I get involved?  

To bring a section of the Shroud to your community, contact Br. Jacek Orzechowski, OFM (jorzechowski@friars.us). 

What other ways are Franciscans promoting peace and reconciliation in Gaza?  

From the time of St. Francis of Assisi and the early friars, with their simple greeting of “Pace e Bene” (“Peace and All Good”), Franciscans have been heralds of peace. 800 years ago, the Church entrusted the guardianship of the Christian religion in the Holy Land to the Order of St. Francis. Franciscan friars continue to care for Christians and all peoples in the land of Jesus today. 

In response to the ongoing war, the Provincial Council of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe has called for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate delivery of humanitarian assistance, a limitation on the U.S. Government’s arms sales to Israel, and steps of reconciliation to transform the current trajectory of death into a long-term and sustainable peace. Recently, 12 Franciscan Provincial Ministers in the United States sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to help stop increased attacks against Christians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. 

Through our partnerships with organizations like Churches for Middle East Peace, the province supports educational series about the history of the conflict in the Holy Land and ongoing joint advocacy efforts for peace in the United States. The soon-to-be released book titled “Palestine, Israel, and Catholic Social Teaching” provides a great opportunity for Franciscan-hearted people to learn and be empowered as instruments of God’s peace in the Holy Land.