Decked in white scarves embroidered with doves and prayers, more than 1,000 Christian children, parents, and teachers gathered on Jerusalem’s Via Cruicis to walk “The Way of Peace” on February 23. The procession, which drew participation from local Christian schools of Jerusalem, traveled the City’s storied streets as the children prayed for peace in the Read More…

All of us face daily challenges in our lives – be they medical in nature, spiritual, financial … Some must face the horror of war, others suffer from abuse or indifference, still others from wounds that are self-inflicted. None of us can escape suffering. And even when things are going well, there are moments when Read More…

Pope Francis identified “three flaws in the human spirit” that destroy human fraternity: “a lack of understanding of others, a failure to listen, and a lack of intellectual flexibility.” He warned of these three issues in a message published on February 4, 2024, and addressed to the participants of the 4th International Congress of PLURIEL, Read More…

God became a little child to save humankind and bring them peace. How can we make this peace our own throughout the year? According to St. Seraphim of Sarov, obtaining and keeping peace of heart is the primary objective of our Christian life.  There are many reasons for losing peace, but none of them are Read More…

The Korean Peninsula Peace-Sharing Forum, an annual gathering of leading academics and practitioners to discuss tensions between North and South Korea, met in November. This 8th annual meeting drew more than 100 religious leaders, diplomats, clergy, activists, and laypeople for conversations on the topic of “Ways Leading to Reconciliation and Peace on the Korean Peninsula.” Read More…

Pope Francis will meet the families of hostages held in Gaza during his general audience on Wednesday November 22, 2023, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, confirmed on the evening of November 17. The Pope will meet separately with relatives of Palestinians suffering from the conflict in Gaza.  Pope Francis, who Read More…

The escalation of violence unleashed in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, urges us to pray for countries involved in armed conflicts and to try to welcome God’s peace into our own lives and radiate it around us. To this end, we invite you to pray this prayer with us, full of faith and Read More…

Pope Francis has called for a worldwide Day of Prayer, Fasting and Penance for an end to the war in the Holy Land. The pope will conduct a prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Square on Friday, October 27 at 6pm. Indeed, Israel’s war against Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that conducted a deadly assault on Read More…

Today, October 27, Catholics and Christians around the world are observing a World Day of Prayer initiated by Pope Francis for the intention of a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Holy Land, as well as to the many wars continuing throughout the world. The Pope called the faithful to participate in the day Read More…

The Church frequently encourages the custom of fasting and the Pope has designated specific days of fasting a number of times, such as days of fasting for peace in the world. However, when this topic comes up, we might wonder, “How is it possible that my fasting will stop a war? What does what I Read More…

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to cause turmoil in the Holy Land, and so many other wars and conflicts continue to rage on, Catholics have the unique opportunity to participate in the pursuit of peace. Pope Francis has called on Catholics the world over to fast, pray, and do penance for the Read More…

“What am I doing here at the Synod?” At the briefing on October 12, 2023, Focolare president Margaret Karam, an Arab Catholic born in Israel, admitted asking herself this question as she follows the war ravaging her country “with a torn heart.” But for her, the “lifestyle of the Church” that she is experiencing at Read More…