Bishop of Limerick encourages parishes and communities to pray for Gaza

BISHOP Brendan Leahy is encouraging people to pray for Gaza after hearing an address from Pope Leo XIV in St Peter’s Square, Rome.

Addressing a packed St Peter’s Square, the Pope said: “We must cry out for peace in the world” and he then invited all the young people to join him in saying: “We want peace in the world!”

Bishop Leahy said in recent weeks, people have told him about how distressed they are in seeing the images of Gaza on TV and on social media.

"We become numb in our sense of helplessness before scenes that speak of “man’s inhumanity to man”. We feel bewildered when we see and hear about people crushed by hunger. Most upsetting of all is the horrible violence and death that children are experiencing and witnessing. “Is there anything we can do?” we ask, doubting we can do anything."

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He said Archbishop Eamon Martin has called on parishes to set aside Sunday, 24 August as a day of prayer and reflection for Gaza. 

"As Archbishop Eamon suggests, we can light a candle in our family home or local parish church; attend Mass, spend time before the Blessed Sacrament; pray the Rosary; make some small personal penance or sacrifice, and on that day “let the light of hope radiate out from the island of Ireland for peace, for Gaza and for the future of its people."