Catholics Leaders Urge for a Day of Prayer and Fasting in Anticipation of the Feast of Assumption, Promoting Peace

The International Union of Superiors General (UISG) has issued a "Declaration for Peace," calling for a day of prayer and fasting for world peace on August 14. This day coincides with the eve of a face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

The UISG, an organization representing the leadership of women religious worldwide, has posted a prayer invoking "Mary, Mother of Peace" and entrusting to her all peoples torn apart by hatred. The prayer is a response to ongoing conflicts in various countries, including Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Syria, Haiti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and others.

The Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) has encouraged the faithful to observe the day of prayer and fasting. The UGCC has joined in the effort, responding to the ongoing war in Ukraine. In a recent message, the Ukrainian Catholic bishops have highlighted the abduction and forced transfer of thousands of Ukrainian children as a violation of multiple international laws.

The Yale Humanitarian Research Lab and the New Lines Institute, along with the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, have also declared Russia's war in Ukraine as a genocide in their joint reports.

In their message, the Ukrainian Catholic bishops have invited the faithful throughout the world to unite in fervent supplication, to call for justice, and to engage in concrete works of charity and solidarity aimed at ending the many armed conflicts afflicting our world.

The day of prayer and fasting is not just a religious event, but also a call for engagement with civil and ecclesial authorities to open paths of reconciliation, disarmament, the defense of human rights, and the protection of victims. UISG supports concrete acts of global solidarity, such as networks of humanitarian aid, welcome, and prophetic advocacy on behalf of the most affected peoples.

Aid to the Church in Need International, a pontifical charity, has taken up the UISG call for peace and reconciliation. Regina Lynch, the executive president of Aid to the Church in Need International, commends the efforts of religious sisters who are often on the frontlines of wars, helping the innocent without regard for their own safety.

UISG believes that even in the darkest hours, a light can still shine - the light of the Gospel, of justice, and of fraternity. On Aug. 14, the faithful are urged to engage in moments of prayer and reflection on the present suffering in the world, allowing themselves to be inwardly transformed.

Gina Christian, a multimedia reporter, has reported on the call for prayers to the Virgin Mary for peace, particularly in relation to the Russia-Ukraine war. The Assumption of Mary is being recalled as a significant event, with the belief that Mary, as a woman in body and spirit, will be sympathetic to the pain and anguish that women religious are witnessing and shall intercede for an end to the conflicts.

As the world grapples with ongoing conflicts and the search for peace, the day of prayer and fasting for world peace serves as a reminder of the power of prayer and the unity of the global faith community in seeking a more peaceful world.