My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Pope Francis has voiced his “strongest condemnation” of the “horrible attack” on a French satirical newspaper that published insulting cartoons of Islam’s Prophet Mohammed, and he urged opposition to all hatred and violence.
Joining with our Holy Father, we must all recognize that whatever may be the motivation, homicidal violence is abominable. It is never justified. The life and dignity of all must be firmly guaranteed and guarded. We must all join the prayers of the suffering and wounded, and of the families of the dead. The Pope expressed his closeness, spiritual solidarity and support for all those who “continue their constant efforts for peace, justice and law” in order to “heal in their depth the sources and causes of hate.”

The Holy Father went on to say that he “exhorts everyone to oppose, with every means, the spread of hatred and of every kind of violence, both physical and moral, which destroys human life, violates the dignity of the person, and radically undermines the strong foundation of peaceful coexistence among persons and peoples, notwithstanding differences of nationality, of religion, and of culture.
In this secular world this is our challenge as Roman Catholics. Confronted with the barrage of media opinions and expressions of hatred against others, we must embrace the words of our Saviour when he says, “stop judging”. Yes we can strongly condemn the acts of terrorist but hatred added to hatred only breeds hatred. We must be the disciples we are called to be through our Baptism and embrace the teaching of Jesus.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:44)
We must pray for an end to this hatred and violence. We must accept the Popes encouragement and his closeness, spiritual solidarity and support for all those who “continue their constant efforts for peace, justice and law” in order to “heal in their depth the sources and causes of hate.”

To that end I offer the following prayer:

God of faithfulness, we come to you in anguish
after the targeted attacks by terrorists around the world.
We are filled with anxieties and questions.
What words of supplication
can we bring before You,
what prayer, what deeds?

God, we need your grace
to center our minds and settle our hearts.
We need your hope
to sustain our passion for justice
and our will to be peacemakers.
We need your wisdom to help us recognize
your presence dwelling within us
and within every being you have made.
We need your courage
to live as children of light, hope and love,
putting away all darkness, fear and hatred.
Take from us all longing for vengeance.
Fill us with compassion for victims of violence
throughout the world.
Give us a love that is not withheld
even from our enemies.
Grant that our leaders may act justly.
Be with us in our prayer.
Help us to truly believe,
not only in Your abiding presence,
but also in the power of prayer
to move mountains.
Pull us from the grasp of violence.
Guide our steps in your way of peace.

Amen

Yours in Christ
Fr. Mick