Pope asks Catholics to fast and pray for peace on Friday 14 December 2001

10 Dec 2001

Pope asks Catholics to fast and pray for peace on Friday 14 December 2001

At his Sunday Angelus on November 18th 2001, Pope John Paul II announced two important initiatives in response to the “..new and unsettling challenges of the present moment”.

He asked Catholics to make Friday the 14th December 2001 a day of fasting and prayer to grant peace to the world and make it possible to find adequate solutions to the many conflicts that trouble the world. The Pope has chosen December 14th as the day of prayer and fasting to coincide with the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.

The Pope said that he hopes “that the common attitude of religious penance will increase reciprocal understanding between Christians and Muslims called more than ever at the present time to be, together, builders of justice and peace”.

The Pope also announced his intention to invite the representatives of the world religions to come to Assisi, Italy on 24 January 2002, to pray for the overcoming of opposition and the promotion of authentic peace. The Pope said that “in particular we wish to bring Christians and Muslims together to proclaim to the world that religion must never be a reason for conflict, hatred and violence”.

ENDS

10 December 2001

Further information:
Fr Martin Clarke 087 220 8044
Ms Brenda Drumm 087 233 7797