By Antonella Palermo
An appeal for wars to end and for peace to be built. The Pope renewed this appeal following the recitation of the Angelus prayer he led from the window of the Apostolic Palace. As he did during his recent visit to Lourdes, France, he again urged everyone to pray the Rosary for peace and unity in the world, standing in solidarity with children who have already begun doing so through the initiative of the Aid to the Church in Need Foundation, “One Million Children Praying the Holy Rosary.”
“I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world. Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war. In particular, let us pray for the Holy Land and for the innocent victims of violence.”
The campaign began at the start of October with the Pope in the Vatican Gardens and will continue until October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This allows dioceses, parishes, schools, communities, and families on different continents to choose the day that is most suitable for dedicating to this particular intention.
Pope Leo then announced that, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis’s post-synodal apostolic exhortation, a week-long gathering will begin next Wednesday, October 7.
It will be held in his presence in the Paul VI Hall, with the heads of the Eastern Churches and the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences, to take stock of the situation of families today. The gathering will include testimonies from bishops and married couples from the five continents.
It will be an opportunity to listen to the voice of the Church at a time of profound change and to find ways to renew and strengthen the choice of marriage, which in various contexts has experienced dramatic declines over the decades. The Pontiff described it this way:
“It will be a time of synodal discernment for identifying the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel today among families and the younger generations. I entrust this task to your prayers and, above all, the families who, with God’s help, are a sign of hope and an inestimable treasure for the Church and for society.”
The Pope then once again held up Saint Francis as a model, as he had done during the catechesis, on the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis. He expressed his happiness at the many commemorative initiatives, particularly those held in Assisi with the participation of Italy’s highest state authorities. He also offered a special greeting:
“I also greet the amateur radio operators of Assisi and Foligno who spread Saint Francis’ message of peace.”
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