The Latin Catholic patriarch of Jerusalem has called for a day of prayer and fasting on October 17, 2023, and Catholics are being urged to organize times of prayer with Eucharistic adoration and recitation of the rosary to deliver to God the Father their thirst for peace, justice, and reconciliation.

We encourage all parishioners to participate in this day of prayer and fasting. We would like to share with you the letter written by the Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem about this day, which can be found below.

The Rosary prayer that was already planned for the evening of the 17th will be for peace in the Middle East. We hope that you will join us in prayer for this important cause.

Prayer for Peace in the Middle East

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God of mercy and compassion,

God and Father of our Lord, Jesus, Christ, God of grace and reconciliation,

pour your power upon all your children in Israel and Palestine:

Jews, Muslims and Christians, Palestinians, and Israelis.

Make the violence cease.

Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope, oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation.

May the peoples of the Holy Lands beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, so that nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

May violent encounters be replaced by loving embraces, and peace and justice be experienced by all.

We pray for all those who have died in this senseless war, and for those who mourn their loss.

We pray for all those held hostage and for their families.

Guide the nations in their pursuit of justice and the common good.

Direct us as we walk in the shadow of Jesus: the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

AMEN.

Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB
October 7, 2023