Statement
World Day of Peace 2020 Handout
The World Day of Peace 2020 handout emphasizes Pope Francis’ message for January 1, 2020, continuing the tradition of papal calls for peace that began with St. Paul VI in 1967.
Key Themes
- Building Peace: The Holy Father invites all people to reflect on the urgent work of creating peace in communities and globally.
- Faithful Citizenship: Understanding political and social issues that lead to poverty and conflict is essential for promoting justice and peace.
- Active Engagement: Catholics are called to pray, learn, and act to transform structures that perpetuate violence and inequality.
Practical Steps
- Pray: Use resources like Nine Ways to Pray at WeAreSaltAndLight.org to intercede for peace locally and globally.
- Learn: Explore issues that threaten lives worldwide and read stories of hope at USCCB Justice, Peace, and Human Development.
- Act: Advocate for policies promoting justice and peace through CRS Lead the Way and participate in events like the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering.
Pope Francis’ Prayer for Peace
- A heartfelt plea for God’s guidance to overcome hostility and division.
- Calls for courage to reject war, embrace dialogue, and foster reconciliation.
- Invites believers to renew hearts and minds so that “brother” becomes the word that unites humanity.