Preparing for Peace Sunday

Peace Sunday 2016 will be celebrated on 17 January. The theme from Pope Francis is 'Overcome indifference and win peace'.

Resources for this Sunday are prepared annually by Pax Christi, with the support of the International Division of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of England and Wales. There are various resources available. These include a Liturgy booklet (with ideas for bidding prayers, homilies and hymns to be used at Masses on that day), a prayer card and an on-line Assembly resource for secondary schools.

The theme suggests that Peace is to be worked at; it is not something that one gains without efforts, without conversion of mind and heart, without a sense of creativity and positive engagement in discussion.

In his letter to parishes for Peace Sunday, Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, the national president of Pax Christi British Section, says: "In his World Peace Day message this year Pope Francis invites us to reflect on how we can hope for peace without working to challenge the causes of violence and injustice in our world today. Time and again Pope Francis has spoken of our 'throw-away culture' which dehumanises and destroys the human person, whether through war and conflict or economic injustice. On Peace Sunday, which we celebrate in England and Wales on Sunday 17 January, we have an opportunity to learn from this message and put our faith into action.

In Pax Christi we know that peace is to be worked at, and we are greatly heartened by the outpouring of empathy and action that surrounds the current crisis we face of refugees fleeing war and conflict. But unless we combine this with work to stop the causes of war - the global arms trade and our part within it; the billions spent annually on war and war preparations - we will not win peace. Our Peace Sunday booklet explores this theme through liturgy, story and action. These and other resources, including the full World Peace Day message, will also be available on our website."

He urges parishes to organise a collection for Pax Christi's work on the day.

For more information see: http://paxchristi.org.uk/news-and-events/peace-sunday/