facebook
rss
twitter
  • About
    • Contact
    • Elementary & Secondary Education Department
    • Social Concerns Department
  • Legislative Review
  • Issues
    • Catholic Education
    • Faith and Politics
    • Health Care
    • Life and Dignity
    • Marriage and Family
    • Religious Liberty
    • Social Justice
  • Bishops’ Statements
    • En Español
  • Resources
    • Bulletin Inserts
    • Church Documents
    • PA Catholic Statistics
    • Related Sites
    • Send A Letter to The Editor
  • Subscribe
    • RSS Feeds
    • Via E-mail
  • Contact
  • Podcast

Prayers, Action for Peace in Middle East, Ukraine, Africa, Central America

July 22, 2014
by Blue
Catholic pittsburgh, Central African Republic, Central America, Christians in Iraq, Congo, Gaza, Hamas, Harrisburg Catholic, Israel, Middle East, Nigeria, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Cathlolics Network, Pennsylvania Catholic, Philadelphia Catholic, Ukraine
Comments are off

 

Archbishop Kurtz after his election. (CNS/Nancy Phelan Wiechec)

Archbishop Kurtz after his election. (CNS/Nancy Phelan Wiechec)

From Archbishop Kurtz:

On Sunday, July 20, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, prayed for peace in all situations of tension and conflict in the world. He mentioned in particular the Middle East and Ukraine, singling out the terrible crisis of Christians in Iraq with these words: “Today our brothers are persecuted. They are banished from their homes and forced to flee without even being able to take their belongings!”

Our own Conference of Bishops has called attention to numerous situations of violence that cry out for peace. There is the terrible conflict between Israel and Hamas that terrorizes Israeli civilians and has cost the lives of more than 500 Gazans, most of whom are civilians. There are the alarming conflicts in Syria and Iraq that have caused millions to flee their homes and tens of thousands to lose their lives. We are mindful of the violent conflict in Ukraine, of the thousands who are displaced, and the hundreds of innocent civilians whose lives were cut short when a passenger jet was shot down. In Africa there are the often forgotten clashes in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo that have displaced millions. Closer to home, there is the violence in Central America that is driving unaccompanied children to seek refuge in our country.

All of these tragic situations, and sadly many more, demand our prayer and action for peace. On Sunday, Pope Francis pleaded: “May the God of peace arouse in all an authentic desire for dialogue and reconciliation. Violence cannot be overcome with violence. Violence is overcome with peace!” Let us join our prayers and calls to action with his.

In the coming days and weeks I urge you to ask our Catholic people to pray for peace and to support diplomatic efforts aimed at dialogue and reconciliation. As Jesus admonishes us: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). This can be done in personal prayers and in the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass.

We should never underestimate the power of prayer; for it touches and opens us to the power of God among us. My prayer is that together we might help open our world to God’s gift of peace, a peace that the world cannot give (cf. John 14:27).

Fraternally yours in our Lord,

Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D.
Archbishop of Louisville
President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

About the Author
Social Share
  • google-share

News From Around PA

  • Bishop Gainer Announces Clergy Changes for the Diocese of Harrisburg
  • God Reveals Himself to Us as the Holy Trinity, A Perfect Relationship of Love
  • Lansdale Catholic HS Names Alumna as New President
  • June 2, 2023 Clergy Official
  • Bishop Bambera to celebrate Mass for Priest Jubilarians June 8
  • Diocese of Scranton to celebrate annual Wedding Anniversary Mass on Sunday, June 4
Click To Read More

Post Archives

Unable to load Tweets

Follow

Recent Posts

Debate in PA House on House Bill 300; Exposing Underlying Components
May 03, 2023
This Week at the PA Capitol: Debate on the “Fairness Bill”
Apr 27, 2023
PA Sen. Judy Ward Talks About Real Alternatives and Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Apr 17, 2023

All Issues

  • Catholic Education
  • Faith and Politics
  • Health Care
  • Life and Dignity
  • Marriage and Family
  • Religious Liberty
  • Social Justice

banner

Sign up to join the Catholic Advocacy Network today!

CClogo© 2021 Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Bookmark and Share Site by Halibut Blue® | Login