During these high holy days celebrated by our Jewish brothers and sisters, our Holy Father has called upon all Catholics to pray and, if possible, to fast on October 7, 2024, the first anniversary of the terrorist attack on Israel. Days of fasting and prayer for warzones have been a constant throughout the pontificate of Pope Francis. “On October 7,” the Holy Father pleaded, “I ask everyone to live a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the world. … There is a need for this, especially in this dramatic hour of our history, while the winds of war and the fires of violence continue to disrupt entire peoples and nations.”
PRAYER FOR OCTOBER 7th FIRST ANNIVERSARY
Heavenly Father, you are a God of mercy and peace. On this first anniversary of the brutal terrorist attack on Israel, we turn to you in prayer for the victims who have lost their lives and their families, for the hostages who remain in captivity and their families, for all the citizens of the Middle East and the Holy Land who live each day in fear of escalating war, conflict and destruction. The psalmist prays, “May the Lord bless his people with peace (Ps. 29:11).” May that be our prayer in these troubled times so that “He who makes peace in the heavens — may bring peace to us and all the people of Israel. Let us say ‘Amen.’ (The Kaddish).”