EUROPE/ITALIA - “Shed for you and for all”: March 24, 16th annual Day of Prayer and Fasting in memory of missionaries killed for the cause of the Gospel.

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - The Day of Fasting and Prayer is held March 24, as it is the date when Archbishop Oscar A. Romero of San Salvador was assassinated in 1980. The initiative was started in Italy by the Youth Movement of the Pontifical Mission Societies in 1993 and in recent years has spread to other countries. It recalls the many missionaries who have been killed throughout the world, for announcing the Gospel. Many dioceses and religious institutes have also begun initiatives for remembering their own missionary martyrs, and with them, all those who have shed their blood for the Gospel.
This year, March 24 is Easter Monday and the theme coincides with the Paschal readings: “Shed for you and for all.” As the material for the day, prepared by the Youth Movement, says, the theme is comprised of “simple words, of a singular meaning, and is packed with profound meaning. They are the liturgical version of the words Jesus said in the Last Supper, in the offering of the chalice, the offering that we perpetuate every day on the altar, in obedience to His command. The theme for the 16th Day of Prayer and Fasting in memory of the missionary martyrs invites us to reflect on the mystery that these words hold and on the connection between Jesus’ words and the martyrdom of so many of His disciples, sent to the world to bring His Gospel.”
Among the guidelines for the celebration of the Day, the Youth Movement says that, “prayer and fasting, in the Christian tradition, are works of love and communion with God and with the Church; on this day, fasting and prayer mean praying to God that He may strengthen the missionaries and Christian communities that still today continue to suffer discrimination and persecution.”
Therefore, an invitation goes out to all Parish Communities, religious communities, seminaries, and novitiate houses, to: use the Vigil, Stations of the Cross, and Eucharistic Adoration prayers organized for this event, not only on March 24, but also on the days before and afterwards; set apart a corner of the Church for Martyrs, using a cross, a red cloth (that could also be on the front door as well), and an olive branch with the names of missionaries who have been killed; ring the bells at 3:00pm on March 24, inviting the people to meditate on Christ’s sacrifice and on the many men and women who have offered their lives; and plant a tree in memory of those who have given everything for love. Families can place lit candles in their windows or place a red cloth on display, as a visible sign of the commemoration; take part in an act of reconciliation: between the husband and wife, between children and parents, and between siblings or between neighbors, or members of the extended family; and offer a donation from fasting, in support of the help project proposed for this year.
The sick are encouraged to offer their suffering in memory of the missionary martyrs and for the spread of the Gospel, and to sustain missionaries and to ask the Lord for the gift of new holy missionary vocations. The young people are encouraged to hold a “Pasquetta” (Easter Monday celebration), sharing their food with those who on this day, are alone and suffering: in the hospital, rest homes, prisons, and the sick and elderly living alone in their houses.
This year, the suggested help project is the reconstruction and implementation of Pastoral Care Centers for children and young people in Iraq, where the Church is in a constant situation of difficulty and suffering. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 5/3/2008; righe 45, parole, 600)