ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Catholic Communities Pray for Peace in Israel and Palestine

Tuesday, 10 October 2023 prayer peace wars

Archdiocese Manila

PHILIPPINES

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Manila (Fides News Agency) - Peace is the greatest good and a wound to peace, in the "body" that is humanity, causes pain and apprehension not only at the local level, but in the whole body, in the entire international community: this is why it is necessary to pray and invoke the gift of peace from God, so that He may heal the wounds of hatred. This is how the Catholic communities in the Philippines express their attachment and solidarity and pray for peace in Israel and Palestine, as news of death and destruction due to the new conflict in the Middle East continues to dominate the international headlines.
"Prayer is more urgent and necessary than ever," wrote the Commission for Migrant and Itinerant Workers (ECMI) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines in a message to the faithful, recalling that many Filipino immigrants work in the Holy Land. This call was answered by many Catholic communities, groups, parishes and associations in the Philippines, inviting to prayer meetings and moments of Eucharistic adoration to pray for peace in the Middle East.
"We pray for moderation and good will to prevail in the hearts and minds of all people," emphasizes Bishop Ruperto Santos, vice president of the commission, adding, "We turn to God to change hearts, to convert people, to renounce violence and give peace a chance. Conflicts are resolved through dialogue. Violence only begets violence."
The bishop also expressed concern for Filipino immigrants in the Middle East and urged them to "seek safety and follow the government's instructions."
The Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported the disappearance of at least six Filipinos in the ongoing conflict, whose fate is still unclear: they may be among Hamas hostages or they may be in hiding and unreachable, while so far, the ministry reported, there is no confirmation of Filipino casualties.
(PA) (Fides News Agency 10/10/2023)