Focolare Movement

Together with Pope Francis for peace

Jun 6, 2014

The Focolare Movement throughout the world unites with the plea for peace called for by Pope Francis on Sunday 8 June 2014 with President Peres, President Abu Mazen and Patriarch Bartholomew 1.

20140606PapaFrancescoPope Francis’ invitation on 25 May to the presidents of the State of Palestine and the State of Israel to “raise together a heartfelt prayer to God for the gift of peace”, offering his home in the Vatican as a venue, has given hope to the world, and brought about a real leap forward in the belief that peace is something that needs to be built and needs to be prayed for. From that moment the prayers of all those who aspire to the ideal of unity of the Focolare Movement have intensified. People from different religions and cultures, who, with different words, with the redoubling of acts of peace by young and old and with a renewed commitment to the daily Timeout at midday in each time zone, offer everything for peace in the whole world. The news that the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew 1 will join Pope Francis and presidents Peres and Abu Mazen in this “plea for peace” in the Vatican on Sunday was also met with great joy. Another encouragement to quicken the pace towards the fulfilment of Jesus’ prayer “that all may be one so that the world may believe”, more than ever relevant today. The Focolare Movement, therefore, responds to the heartfelt appeal of the Pope “not to leave us alone”; and people from all the continents, especially in the places of greatest suffering, will unite with the prayer in the Vatican “that the Lord may grant us peace in that blessed Land!”          

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