The Ukrainian Catholic community joined the Philadelphia Catholics in prayer for peace

October 28, 2023

On Friday, October 27, Catholics around the globe answered Pope Francis's call and spent the day fasting and praying for peace in the world, especially in Israel and Palestine. Ukrainian Catholics of Philadelphia joined their Roman Catholic sisters and brothers for a common Mass for the Preservation of Peace and Justice at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. Metropolitan Borys Gudziak concelebrated with His Excellency Nelson Perez, Archbishop of Philadelphia. Preceding Mass, clergy and faithful jointly prayed the Holy Rosary for peace.

Many students from the local Catholic schools, among them Ukrainians, attended the prayer. Archbishop Nelson Perez started his homily by asking them to forgive adults for violence, wars, and conflicts in the world.

“Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, places in Africa, and just two days ago Maine. You look at this and say “God, what is happening? How could this be?” We humans do not learn our lesson. In the last couple of days, we have watched in horror what we have watched now over a year in Ukraine – we have watched how evil is real”, noted the Archbishop.

He assured the present that, although they might seem powerless to “change the forces of countries that invade other countries or enter the mind of a poor sick individual who kills 18 people within an hour”, they still have the power of prayer. “The Holy Eucharist is the most powerful prayer because it is not merely our prayer, but it is united through Christ with God the Father”, stated Archbishop Perez in his homily.

After the Mass Archbishop Perez invited Metropolitan Borys Gudziak to speak. In his brief address, the metropolitan stressed that peace is essentially a communion with God and other human beings. “Let us be carriers of peace. Let us go to its source. Communion with our Creator gives life and joy and truth”.

“We thank the Holy Father, Archbishop Nelson, our brother bishops and priests, all of you present and all those in the world that today, in this moment, are together, not in conflict, not in chaos, but in communion. In the communion of prayer and in communion of the Eucharist”.