Today: Pope Benedict a Pilgrim for Peace and Justice in Assisi - SAINTE CATHERINE DE SIENNE

On January 1^st, Pope Benedict XVI called for an event to commemorate the first day of Prayer for Peace in October 1986, hosted by Blessed Pope John Paul II. The event which will see Benedict XVI sharing in a pilgrim journey with leaders of other religions, is due to take place today, October 27th, 2011.

Religious leaders will gather in Assisi, to mark the 25^th anniversary of the first such meeting in 1986, and to pledge, again, a shared commitment to peace and justice.

Pope Benedict XVI has put this meeting under the motto of ‘pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace’, which recalls the search for truth and goodness that all human beings share.

As the Pope has asked all Catholics to support this event with their prayer, it would be appropriate to mark this day ourselves with a moment of silence, and a prayer, such as the following one:

‘God of Peace, as religious leaders gather in Assisi on their pilgrimage for peace, we ask you to make this meeting a blessed and fruitful one, and to grant all your children the will and the ability to live with each other in peace. We also pray for ourselves, that we may become messengers of this peace, in cooperation and solidarity with all our brothers and sisters in our own religion and others, of all beliefs and none. In a moment of silence, we pray for the gift of peace.’

All Catholics are encouraged to support this day and its intentions by adding their own prayer for peace.

A second gathering hosted by Pope John Paul II in Assisi in January 2002

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Pour marquer le 550e anniversaire de sa canonisation et le 40e anniversaire de sa nomination comme docteur de l’Église, un  congrès international sur Sainte Catherine de Sienne, Docteur de l'Église et co-patronne de l'Italie se tiendra à Rome et Sienne du 27 au 29 octobre et abordera la vie, l'oeuvre et l'influence de Catherine, et en particulier ses écrits, généralement dictés étant donné qu'elle était pratiquement analphabète.

Pourtant les écrits de Catherine contiennent des formules et des images vives et audacieuses dans la communication de la vérité qu'est le Christ.Catherine de Sienne s'adressait en effet, de son temps, aux grands de la terre et aux responsables de l'Église comme aux simples gens, en toute liberté, sans hésiter à fustiger les péchés de tous, laïcs, prêtres ou prélats, afin d'offrir à tous l'espérance en l'infinité miséricorde de Dieu.