Echoing Pope’s call for Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace

BISHOP DAVID M. O’CONNELL, C.M., HAS SHARED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE.

Our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics throughout the world to join him in a day of prayer and fasting for peace tomorrow, August 22, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. Established as a Marian feast to follow the Solemn Feast of the Assumption by Pope Pius XII in 1954, Pope Leo explained,

While our world continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine and In many other regions of the world, I ask all the faithful to spend August 22 in fasting and prayer, asking the Lord to grant us peace and justice and to dry the tears of those who suffer because of the armed conflicts underway.

As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, I encourage all the faithful as far as possible to try to attend Mass or spend some special time in prayer, especially the rosary, and to offer some intentional fast or sacrifice for peace.

May Mary, queen of peace, intercede so that people would find the path of peace.
Bishop O’Connell

Read Pope Leo’s message HERE.