Day of Fasting and Prayer for Syria

In his Angelus message on Sunday, Pope Francis proclaimed September 7 as a day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East and throughout the world.  He has invited everyone to participate in whatever way they can on September 7, the vigil of the birth of Mary, Queen of Peace:  "Let us ask Mary to help us to respond to violence, to conflict and to war with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love.  She is our mother:  may she help us to find peace; all of us are her children.  Help us, Mary, to overcome this most difficult moment and to dedicate ourselves each day to building in every situation an authentic culture of encounter and peace."