Pilgrims of peace

     Today in the town of Assisi in central Italy, the birthplace of Saints Francis and Clare, a pilgrimage is taking place.  Over 300 representatives of the worlds major religions, as well as some who profess non belief, are gathering to be "Pilgrims of Truth, Pilgrims of Peace" and bear witness to humanity's need for and longing for peace in this world of ours.  Cardinal Peter Turkson of the Vatican, who is coordinating this pilgrimage, said the following: "The threats of peace are many and multi-faceted and peace is not only threatened by one human experience or manifestation - when I'm sick, I'm not at peace, when there's war, I'm not at peace, when I don't see how I can feed my family at the end of the day, I'm not at peace, when I'm going to lose my job tomorrow, I'm also not at peace - so also the ways of dealing with it must be many and multi-faceted ... "

      These representatives - Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Zoroastrians, Taoists, indigenous peoples and others - led by Pope Benedict XVI, will travel from Rome by train to Assisi to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first such gathering convened by Pope John Paul II in October of 1986.  This meeting will have these leaders gather in a place of peace, at the tomb of an apostle of peace, to witness to their desire for and to pray in their own ways with a unified sense of purpose, for peace.  It is not just a "day long thing", but there will be a recommitment to praying and working for peace in the world made by representatives of the world's religious traditions in a very public way.

     Please keep this historic gathering, and the cause of world peace, in your prayers and thoughts ... and may we always desire and work for peace at every level of existence.  I believe that EWTN is broadcasting the trip today.