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International Day of Peace 2002
Franciscans Commemorate the UN International Day of Peace on September 21 Here is a listing of some of the International Day of Peace celebrations that Franciscans planned in 2002. Please email us your plans for 2004 so they can be added to our list! If you have a prayer or rituals to share for this event, let us know and we will post those as a resource for others. Bolivia Justicia Y Paz de la Familia Dominica en Bolivia, Movimiento Franciscano Justicia y Paz Bolivia, Franciscans International – Bolivia, and Hermanos Menores Basílica San Francisco We tried to encourage widespread celebrations by sending letters encouraging others to organize celebrations and at the same time inviting all who wished to participate with us. In La Paz the groups met in the main Plaza and seat of the Government – Plaza Murillo with participation of the organizing groups and general public. The Peace Pole was the center of the celebration as well as signs and symbols of our desire for peace in the world. The 189 flags of the countries of the world were carried by young people and the simple prayer: May Peace Prevail on Earth was prayed as each flag was raised and the countries name called out. Read more! Germany Duesseldorf Franciscans Br. Frank Peters OFM Vigil in our place of worship for less than 24 hours for about a dozen people. 12pm liturgy Indonesia Jayapura, Papua Br. Theo Van Den Broek OFM United for Peace The religious leaders in Papua have responded to this appeal by the UN. On Saturday night all the leaders of the main religions in Papua –Christian, Islam, Buddha and Hindu - held a “prayer march” in Jayapura, the capital of Papua. They have succeeded as well to invite the other authorities along – regional government, leaders of army and police - to take part in the “prayer march”, ending up in a joint action for peace, which also has been joined by representatives from the student-world. Read more! Italy Rome The Inter-Franciscan Commission For Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation in Rome states: “…in order to commemorate this day, [we] commit ourselves to abstaining from one meal, to donating the corresponding saving to those peoples that suffer because of war and also to participating in the Celebration of the Word that will take place in the Basilica of Ss. XII Apostoli, Rome, on the 21st September at 7 pm.” (The Inter-Franciscan Commission of JPIC includes: Sr. Celine Monteiro – FMM; Fr. Vasco Croccoli – OFMConv; Fr. Francisco O’Conaire – OFM; Fr. Claudio Bedrinan – OFMCap; Fr. Fernando Scocca – TOR; and Sir. Attilio Galimberti – OFS) Japan FI-Japan In a message to others about Sept 21st they state: “From today, especially during the octave for peace or during the period until September 21, in order that our culture of intimidation will become a ‘culture of peace,’ let us offer our daily prayers and our Masses, our individual efforts, our sufferings, and hold vigils of prayer, for a peaceful world.” One of several ways suggested by FI-Japan to observe this day is using peace cards when sending greetings to friends during the hot summer season, and putting these cards in a place where they remind us of the need for peace can and spread the noble aims of the international day of peace. Scotland South Lanarkshire Local Fraternity of Secular Franciscan Order George Ferguson, SFO The Immaculate Conception Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order will maintain a vigil of prayer and adoration during the 21st September- a Day for Peace- in the spirit of our founder, St. Francis of Assisi. United States Watsonville, CA Secular Franciscan Order The SFOs in the area are coordinating the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 9 p.m. Saturday through 8 a.m. Sunday at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish. There will also be Prayer for Peace at each of the parish's weekend masses. Those unable to come to the church are encouraged to offer prayer, fasting and penance at home. Colorado Springs, CO Sisters of St. Francis Carmela Trujillo OSF 24-hour vigil in our place of worship by group members of our community. Promotion among all our local communities and schools. Clinton, IA Sisters of St. Francis Mel McMillan OSF 24-vigil in our place of worship by 40+ group members of our community. Public is invited. Other sisters and associates around the country will participate in the 24-hour prayer and fast. Oldenburg, IA Sisters of St. Francis Sr. Marge Wissman 24 hour vigil in our place of worship by many group members of our community. To intensify commitment at the family, school, community level to promote peace. Wilmington, NC St. Stanislaus Fraternity of the SFO We will hold a prayer service on the 21st of September. We will have a candlelight procession to the middle of the Lions Bridge at Greenfield Lake. Each participant will cry out the name of a missing or martyred person (names from Amnesty Intl) and blow out a candle. Guest speakers from Croatia, Bosnia, Latin America, German Holocaust survivor, Gay community, & African-American community will offer peace prayers. We will then scatter flower petals on the lake in memory of those who have suffered as a result of violence, discrimination, and hatred. All will then recite the Peace Prayer of St. Francis. Blessing will be given by the fraternity spiritual assistant. Paterson, NJ St. Bonaventure Church Our church, a Franciscan parish will be doing 12 hours of prayers for Peace in the church on Friday, Sept.20th from 12:30 pm - 9:30PM and on Sept. 21 scheduled hours from 6:30ppm - 9:30pm. A flier with information was put in last week's bulletin and this week a short talk after all the Masses was given to encourage the people to pray for Peace on Sept.21st and to sign up forone ofthe holy hours in church. We also gave the people the book "One world, One Heart" from Blue Mountain. We will also try to get an article in the newspaper. Brooklyn, NY Franciscan Sisters of the Poor 24 hour vigil in our place of worship by group members observing at different times. Our sisters are in Brazil, Senegal, and the USA. We will also ask our Associates, collaborators and friends to join us. Cincinnati, OH We will have a prayer service at St. Francis Seraph Church on the evening of September 20th to initiate this 24-hour observance. Pittsburgh, PA School Sisters of St. Francis Nancy Celaschi Vigil in our place of worship for less than 24 hours. 60+ people involved Ridley Park, PA Secular Franciscan Order St. Katharine Drexel Region Members of this region are being asked to participate in the following manner: 1. in honor of the five wounds of Our Lord, choose five opportunities offered to you during this day and be nonviolent and unselfish. Offer a quick "Lord make me an instrument of Your Peace." 2. in honor of the three hours Jesus hung on the cross, find 3 times during the day to recite the "Prayer for a Peaceful Spirit." 3. show your love for others who are different by participating in local ecumenical or community celebrations of this day. Arlington, VA Pace e Bene With a Peace Pole in the front yard lots of Pace e Bene and Pax Christi people will join together for a 24-hr. vigil, from noon the 21st to noon the 22nd. People will be asked to sign up to lead or join a prayer session for a particular place (Palestine, Colombia, etc.). One person has a global quilt that she's offering to wrap each prayer leader in. We hope to have a tent and we are asking that people bring their international friends and some bread from wherever they represent....we'll try to keep it simple, but who knows what will happen? It's a great idea and great ideas blossom! Manitowoc, WI We are organizing a peace prayer service for Sept. 21, hoping to include a Rabbi and Muslim speaker. Milwaukee, WI School Sisters of St. Francis and the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee A yearly interfaith vigil for peace and nonviolence. The School Srs of St Francis are having an in-house vigil (peace pilgrimage) on Friday, Sept. 20. A group of us will go from station to station on our campus (inviting others to join us as we go) praying and reflecting on peace and the significance of this time. We are doing it on the 20th to include our staffs and our campus people who are not here on Saturday. Milwaukee, WI FI-North America, Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi JPIC Committee, and the Peace and International Issues Committee of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee These groups sponsored a five-hour interfaith prayer vigil for the International Day of Peace. It was held at Perseverance Presbyterian Church, which graciously shared their labyrinth for the event. Upstairs in the prayer chapel, our “peace bell” was a Tibetan Prayer Bowl, rung every 15 minutes to signal the reading aloud of a prayer for peace from a different faith tradition. Read more! See also the celebrations in 2003 and 2004!
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