AMERICA - Latin America joins the Pope’s initiative for peace in the Middle East "we must pray intensely for peace, a gift of God to be continually invoked":

Saturday, 22 July 2006

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Catholic Bishops all over Latin America responded readily to the call launched by Pope Benedict XVI for a day, Sunday 23 July, of special prayers and acts of penance to obtain from God the gift of peace in the Middle East. Here are some of the local initiatives.
In Argentina Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio Archbishop of Buenos Aires called on parish priests and headmasters of Catholic schools to join the initiative. Suggesting the use of the Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation. Special prayers for peace to be said in communion with the Pope and the whole Church on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July were requested by Archbishop Luis Héctor Villalba of Tucumán and Archbishop José Luis Mollaghan of Rosario who will preside a special Mass in the local St George’s Melchite Catholic Church. "We must all work hard to help everyone realise the truth about peace and to intensify prayer because peace is first of all a gift of God to be invoked continually" the Archbishop said.
In Chile the Bishops encouraged Catholics to answer the Pope’s call to join him in prayers for peace at all Masses this weekend, saying “May the Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of Peace intercede that God may grant the fundamental gift harmony to illuminate the nations that reason may prevail and dialogue and agreement may be possible”.
In Venezuela Cardinal Jorge L. Urosa Savino, Archbishop of Caracas welcomed the Pope’s call and said: "Let us pray and work for peace and justice. As Christians, believers in the God of peace, we take on the arduous and exciting task of becoming men and women capable of gestures of solidarity, peace and love for life with respect for all. We are the builders of a new humanity where men and women all over the world, members of the one human family, can live at last in peace! "
In Ecuador the local Church responded immediately to the Pope’s call. On 16 July the Bishops issued a message informing the people of the Pope’s call (that morning) to believers of the world to pray for peace in the Middle East. "In response to the Pope’s call- says the statement, signed by Bishop Néstor Herrera Heredia of the diocese of Machala and president of the Bishops’ conference - aware of the peaceful nature of the people of Ecuador always against war and conflict, I call on all Catholics to pray this Sunday, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for peace in the Holy Land and the whole of the Middle East".
In Peru Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, Archbishop Lima called for special prayers on Sunday 23 July. At a meeting with Dr. Walid S.Y Abdel-Rahim ambassador of the Palestinian Mission in Peru on Friday 21 July, the Cardinal expressed concern and solidarity and said he had invited delegation of Palestinians resident in Lime to attend the special Mass for peace he was to preside on Sunday 23 July at Lima Cathedral.
In Uruguay the Standing Committee of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference published the Pope’s request and urged the nation’s Catholics to join the initiative "in fervent prayer on Sunday that the Lord may inspire those responsible to find the way to stop the suffering of so many innocent people ". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 22/7/2006; righe 48, parole 695)


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