Since I was a small child, prayer has been at the heart of how I was raised. We learn so much from the environment of the homes and families who raise us, and faith and prayer were a part of that heritage for me. Central to that spirituality in our home was a strong devotion to Our Lady under the title, Mary, Queen of Peace.
As the readership of this blog knows, I’ve maintained that devotion to Our Lady throughout my life, and perhaps more importantly, Mary has accompanied me in a very personal way in my vocation as a priest and now as a bishop. It seems like the next chapter of this relationship is unfolding today as I embark upon a Pilgrimage of Peace to Japan to mark the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!
Part of my preparation for this trip has been to read again the 11th Chapter of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church, which addresses the topic of peace. There we learn that Peace is an attribute of God. Peace is a human project with divine inspiration, founded in righteousness. Peace grows from our relationship with God and our peaceful relationships with all our brothers and sisters. That, seems to sum up well our goals for this Pilgrimage of Peace to Japan.
Please join us in prayer, accompany us in these coming days with your own intercession to Mary, Queen of Peace. You can find out more about our schedule as well as the intentions for each day along with the NOVENA here.
Perhaps the best way to accompany us is to live in peace this day and grow in peaceful relationships each day with the God who created us, and with each member of our human family.
Mary, Queen of Peace, Pray for us.
Amen.
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