By Linda Bordoni
From Ash Wednesday and during the whole Lenten season, the Church in Europe will remain gathered around the Eucharistic table to pray for peace.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) explained that the initiative involves all Council members.
Peace for Ukraine and the Holy Land
It said it has been structured in such a way that each member is “committed to organising and celebrating at least one Holy Mass with the intention to pray for the victims of war and to invoke from the Lord “a just and sustainable peace, especially in the Ukraine and the Holy Land”.
Pope Francis’ health
The CCEE added that the ‘Eucharistic Chain’ aims to provide “an experience of communion and a visible sign of hope for the entire European Continent.”
The Lenten season it continued, is “a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving ‘to better recognise that we are all brothers and sisters and to implore from God the end of war”.
The statement concluded with an appeal: “In these days of suffering and illness, we renew our appeal to pray for the health of Pope Francis.”
The CCEE
The CCEE was established in 1971 after the Presidents of 13 Bishops’ Conferences in Europe decided to collaborate among themselves. Today, the Council is made up of 39 members; together, they represent the Catholic Church in 45 countries in the European continent.
The Council is committed to the New Evangelisation and offers its support to all structures of the Church involved in this mission.
It encourages initiatives aimed at witnessing the faith and truth of the Gospel throughout the continent in order to embrace the people and communities present in Europe. Together with other International and European Institutions, the CCEE actively participates in debates in the various social and ecclesial fields to promote respect for human rights according to the Christian perspective, which recognises the dignity of every person created in the image and likeness of God. – Vatican News
