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Cathedral Lenten Fast and Prayer A Statement and Invitation by the Franz Jagerstatter CommitteeChristmas 2007 -- Towards Breaking the Silence Background: Inspired by the witness of Blessed Franz Jagerstatter; angered by the invasion and occupation of Iraq by the U.S. government and the subsequent acts of terror and atrocities committed against the Iraqi people; mourning U.S. casualties, both loss of life and physical and mental injuries; we admit our own complicity by our failure to raise our voices more forcefully. Holding Blessed Franz, his life, words and witness before us, as a church alive in action and in word, beginning another holy season of Lent/Easter we are challenged by the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Would that today you might fast so as to make your voice heard on high." Our Christian faith tradition teaches us that the grace of prayer and fasting can conquer greed and the lust for power that lead to war. Our Purpose is fourfold: First, to purify our own hearts. Second, to ask for forgiveness for participating in the violence of war by our silence; Third, to educate Catholics, especially our young, on the nonviolent teachings and life of Jesus Himself to enable everyone to form a conscience founded on Holy Scripture and Church tradition, Fourth, we hope to engage the faithful in all United States and United Kingdom Cathedrals to fast and pray for the duration of the Lenten season. Invitation: Moved by faith and conscience, we struggle to respond to the gospel of Jesus, which challenges the church to answer this call to conversion: To change our hearts of hardness, indifference, and complicity to hearts of compassion, solidarity and justice. To fast and pray, in our Cathedral Church, in a spirit of REPENTANCE of the sins of war, terrorism and torture, in a spirit of MOURNING for all the dead, wounded and the millions of displaced peoples of Iraq, as we take up alms to assist them, in a spirit that MOVES us from silence to be heralds of the Easter Gospel of Nonviolence and Peace, in a spirit of HOPE to be a people of faith alive in the Risen Christ with New Life and a New Vision. We petition our Bishops in all Dioceses to enable us to pray at our Cathedrals, the centers of our church; and we further petition our Bishops to support, pray and fast with us to help us cleanse our souls of the immorality of war, the immorality of torture, and the immorality of occupation. We invite and welcome the participation of all peoples of conscience in our efforts for peace in our world. Together we can fulfill our responsibility to our youth to educate them about forming a conscience consistent with the way and teaching of Jesus. ### For More Information Contact: |
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