I join with Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh, in calling for Sunday 24th August to be a day of prayer and reflection for the suffering people of Gaza and for all who are the innocent victims of this terrifying and protracted war.

Over the summer many people have become increasingly troubled by the news reports of a deteriorating situation, with hunger emerging amidst the death and destruction. There is also the terrible plight of the hostages and their distraught families. Pope Leo XIV has called for "a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and full respect for international humanitarian law."

The Irish Bishops' statement of June of this year was clear that the deaths of tens of thousands of non-combatants, many of them women and children, "... is unconscionable and disproportionate. It is immoral for world leaders to stand by inactively in the face of this outrageous tragedy for humanity."

I encourage you to show solidarity, in any way you can, for the plight of the people of Gaza and in the land of the Lord's birth, by supporting humanitarian aid, and by praying for peace, a ceasefire, justice and a return of all hostages.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, commented "Christ is not absent from Gaza. He is there crucified in the wounded, buried under the rubble and yet present in every act of mercy, every candle in the darkness, every hand extended to the suffering."

Please join people all over Ireland, on Sunday 24th August, praying for peace. Pray at Mass, at adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, pray at home for peace and for the necessary humanitarian aid to reach those who are in need. May our prayer be a light in the darkness for those who suffer, and may Our Lady, Queen of Peace, intercede for all who long for lasting peace.

Prayer for Gaza

Almighty God of mercy and healing, we lift up the people of Gaza who suffer beneath the weight of war, fear, grief, and hunger. May Your light shine through the darkness of destruction and guide all hearts toward compassion, protection and justice. We pray for an immediate ceasefire that stops the killing, opens corridors for aid, and allows the wounded to receive care, the hungry to be fed, the grieving to begin to mend their lives and the hostages returned.

We pray for courageous leadership that chooses peace instead of power, dialogue instead of dominance, and restraint instead of retaliation. May weapons be laid down so that families can return to their homes to rebuild what war has destroyed and to restore dignity to every life affected by this conflict. May relief be allowed to arrive swiftly and may the medical teams be unimpeded in their work.

We pray for the return of all hostages to their loved ones. May the power of mercy, dissolve anger into reconciliation and fear into trust. May communities harmed by violence be given the space to grieve, to hope and to heal.

And at this time, may all who suffer feel Your steadfast presence. “Christ is not absent from Gaza. He is there in the wounded, buried under the rubble and yet present in every act of mercy, every candle in the darkness, every hand extended to the suffering.”  (Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzzaballa) May Your presence awaken courage in the strong and comfort in the weak, until peace is restored to all.

Amen.