I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the holy Rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established ...
Pope Leo is again this year urging the faithful to focus on the month of October, traditionally dedicated to the Rosary, to praying for peace.
Pope Leo grew up seeing his parents pray the Rosary together every evening. Last October, his first Month of the Rosary as pope, he asked everyone to pray the Rosary every day for world peace.
Now, he has repeated that appeal.
At the end of the Mass he celebrated this morning in Lourdes, before praying the midday Angelus, he said the following:
~
Dear brothers and sisters,
I greet with affection all of you who have taken part in this Eucharistic celebration. Thank you for being here. I also extend my greeting to those who are following the celebration from afar, especially the sick.
We will now pray the Angelus together, that simple and beautiful prayer which helps us each day to live in faithful obedience to God’s will, following the example of the Virgin Mary.
Before we do so, I would like to make an appeal that is particularly close to my heart, here in this place. It was here that the Immaculate Virgin appeared to Saint Bernadette with the rosary and, as it were, guided her in prayer. For this reason, today I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the holy Rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict. Let us accompany this prayer with concrete acts of penance and mercy, committing ourselves always to fostering dialogue and reconciliation.
May our most holy Mother intercede for us!
The organization founded by Fr. Peyton -- the priest of "the family that prays together stays together" -- is inviting the entire world to join for this intention on the feast of John Paul II, October 22.
Find out more:
And Pope Leo himself will join the traditional online initiative of a million children praying for peace, by gathering with children at the Vatican grottoes on October 1 to pray the Rosary.
