From the Pastor's Desk

On March 21st, Pope Francis issued the following letter to the bishops of Roman Catholic Church. I am quoting several of the paragraphs to help everyone understand what/why he asked the Church to pray the Act of Consecration of Humanity, for Russia and Ukraine. “Nearly a month has passed since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine that is daily inflicting immense suffering upon its sorely tried people and threatening world peace. At this dark hour, the Church is urgently called to intercede before the Prince of Peace and to demonstrate her closeness to those directly affected by the conflict. I am grateful to the many people who have responded with great generosity to my appeals for prayer, fasting and charity.” “Now, also in response to numerous requests by the People of God, I wish in a special way to entrust the nations at war to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I intend to carry out a solemn Act of Consecration of humanity, for Russia and Ukraine in particular, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” “This Act of Consecration is meant to be a gesture of the universal Church, which in this dramatic moment lifts up to God, through his Mother and ours, the cry of pain of all those who suffer and implore an end to the violence, and to entrust the future of our human family to the Queen of Peace. I ask you to join in this Act by inviting the priests, religious and faithful to assemble in their churches and places of prayer on 25 March, so that God’s Holy People may raise a heartfelt and choral plea to Mary our Mother. I am sending you the text of the prayer of consecration, so that all of us can recite it throughout that day, in fraternal union.” At 10 am on March 25th, St. Agnes Cathedral was filled with over 400 people joining Bishop Leibrecht as we joined the church throughout the world in this prayer of Consecration