Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has renewed his appeal for an end to wars and urged Catholics and other faithful to pray for peace, with a particular call to remember the Holy Land and people who have lost their lives or suffered because of violence.
The Pope made the appeal after leading the Angelus in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, October 4. He encouraged people to follow the example of children around the world who are taking part in the A Million Children Praying the Rosary initiative promoted by Aid to the Church in Need.
“Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war,” Pope Leo said. He added a particular request for prayers for the Holy Land and innocent victims of violence.
The appeal followed the Pope’s visit to Lourdes in France in September. During his visit there, he invited people to pray the Rosary throughout October with the special intention that wars would end and peace would be established among peoples affected by conflict.
The worldwide children’s Rosary initiative is continuing until October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Pope Leo joined children and others in prayer at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens on October 1. About 1,200 people took part, including around 700 children from schools and parishes in Rome.
The Pope also used his Angelus remarks to draw attention to an important Vatican meeting on the family that will begin this week.
The meeting will take place from October 7 to October 14 in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican and will mark ten years since Pope Francis issued Amoris Laetitia, his post synodal apostolic exhortation on love in the family.
Pope Leo has invited the heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the presidents of Episcopal Conferences from around the world to take part. The Vatican has said that around 248 bishops will attend, together with families and experts.
The meeting will focus on the situation of families today and on ways the Church can proclaim the Gospel with and among families and younger generations. Participants will discuss issues including the challenges facing families, young people's understanding of marriage, the early years of married life, support for families experiencing difficulties and the role of Christian families in the mission of the Church.
The Vatican has described the gathering as a period of mutual listening, dialogue and synodal discernment. However, officials have stressed that it is not a Synod. Instead, it will use methods developed through the Church’s recent synodal experience to listen to bishops, families and experts and identify possible steps for the future.
The meeting is not intended to replace Amoris Laetitia with a new document. According to the Vatican, the discussions will lead to a summary report reflecting what participants have heard and discerned during the gathering.
Pope Leo said the meeting would be a time to identify the steps needed to proclaim the Gospel among families and younger generations. He also asked for prayers for families, describing them as a sign of hope and an invaluable treasure for the Church and society.
The Pope's Angelus message also highlighted the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. He expressed his appreciation for the many initiatives marking the anniversary, particularly those held in Assisi with the participation of Italy's highest state authorities.
Pope Leo presented Saint Francis as an example of faith, prayer, charity and reconciliation. In his Angelus reflection, he said the saint's witness continued to bear fruit after eight centuries and linked the Franciscan legacy with the Church's continuing call to build harmony among peoples.
The Pope's message brought together three themes that have featured prominently in his recent public ministry: prayer for peace, concern for people affected by war and violence, and renewed attention to the family and its role in the life of the Church.
With the Rosary initiative continuing until October 7 and the Vatican family meeting beginning on the same day, the coming week is expected to place both peace and the family prominently in the Church's public attention.