As American policymakers
debated military intervention in Syria, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl joined
Pope Francis and Catholics around the world in calling for peace and a
just solution to the violence that has wracked the country and other
parts of the world. "Today we pray for those who are a part of our human
family and who endure terrible acts of violence. We also invoke God's
blessings on those who strive to contain violence around the world,"
Cardinal Wuerl said during a special Mass September 7 at the Basilica of the
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. "We ask God to give all
of us the strength to walk in the light of God's love and that we might
be true agents of human solidarity, justice and true peace." The Mass
was one of dozens of liturgies and prayer services across the U.S. in
response to Pope Francis' call for a day of prayer and fasting for peace
in Syria, the Middle East and throughout the world. "As an expression
of solidarity with all the victims who suffer, especially the children,
particularly in Syria but throughout the Middle East, we raise our
voices in supplication for peace and reconciliation," Cardinal Wuerl
said during his homily.
Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
