On 1 January, Pope Benedict XVI called for an event to commemorate the first day of Prayer for Peace in October 1986, hosted by Pope John Paul II. The event, which stands under the motto of “pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace”, and will see Benedict XVI sharing journeys with leaders of other religions, is due to take place on 27 October 2011.
Archbishop Kevin McDonald has issued the following call to prayer:
“On 27 October 2011, religious leaders will gather, once again, in Assisi, to mark the 25th anniversary of the first such meeting in 1986, and to pledge, again, a shared commitment to peace and justice. Pope Benedict XVI has put this meeting under the motto of ‘pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace’, which recalls the search for truth and goodness that all human beings share.
“As the Pope has asked all Catholics to support this event with their prayer, it would be appropriate to mark this day, either on the day or on the following Sunday, with a moment of silence, and a prayer, such as the following one: ‘God of Peace, as religious leaders gather in Assisi on their pilgrimage for peace, we ask you to make this meeting a blessed and fruitful one, and to grant all your children the will and the ability to live with each other in peace. We also pray for ourselves, that we may become messengers of this peace, in cooperation and solidarity with all our brothers and sisters in our own religion and others, of all beliefs and none. In a moment of silence, we pray for the gift of peace.’”
All Catholics are encouraged to support this day and its intentions by adding their own prayer for peace.
