United Kingdom: the appeals of the bishops” “” “

British Catholics have also expressed their readiness to participate in the day of fasting appealed for by the Pope on 14 December. To present the initiative to the faithful, a flyer has been distributed in the parishes of England and Wales each Sunday, and the Day of Fasting has also been announced in the diocesan press. Scotland: solidarity with the population of Afghanistan. The Pope’s appeal for fasting and prayer was referred to a few days ago by the Scottish Episcopal Conference in a pastoral letter which speaks of the difficult international situation characterized by war and terrorism at the present time. “The Pope – says the letter – asks us to raise our invocations to God in this holy season of Advent, as we prepare for Christmas, the day on which the Prince of Peace was born”. “The Holy Father – write the Scottish bishops – has suggested that the 14 December be lived as a day of fasting and fervent prayer to God, to give a lasting peace to the world”. The Scottish bishops repeat this appeal and urge Catholics to remember that, although the celebration of the birth of Jesus is a moment of happiness and abundance in our country, “we must not forget the grave sufferings that have afflicted and continue to afflict our brothers and sisters throughout the world”. Recalling that, in accordance with what is written in the Old Testament, “prayer acquires greater strength when it is accompanied by fasting and almsgiving”, the Scottish bishops also invite the faithful to make an offering to the collection for Afghanistan organized by the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, the aid agency founded by the Catholic Church in Scotland to help the poor in the Third World. England: “everyone has a need for our prayers”. In English dioceses the day of fasting has been announced in the various pastoral letters published for Advent. “Uppermost in my mind at this moment is a prayer for peace”, writes the bishop of Nottingham Malcolm McMahon in his pastoral letter published for Christmas. “The seasons of Advent and Christmas – writes the bishop – speak to us of peace. Our prayer has become more than ever urgent now that war has broken out once again in our world. In response to the recent international events I am sure that you, as I, feel impotent. What can we do to prevent things from getting worse? What must we do to remove the threat of terrorism?”. Bishop McMahon points out that prayer is the way indicated by the Holy Father. “He himself – he adds – will pray for peace with the representatives of the other faiths at Assisi on 24 January. On that day we must unite ourselves with him in prayer”. The bishop also repeats to his diocese the invitation made by the Holy Father to all Catholics in the world to fast for peace on 14 December and adds: “This is the last Friday of the sacred Moslem month of Ramadan. We must also recall in our prayers the victims of 11 September, the innocent people who have died in Afghanistan and the members of our own armed forces. All of them, in different ways, have a need for our prayers”. Silvia Guzzetti – London Turkey: the participation of the Armenians The Pope’s appeal for a day of fasting on 14 December has also been welcomed by the Catholic community in Turkey. The positive response is noted by the Turkish Episcopal Conference which reports, in a press release, that the text of the appeal was diffused by the Catholic review Presence, accompanied by a message from Msgr. Louis Pelâtre, vicar apostolic of Istanbul and president of the Commission for Christian-Islamic dialogue. A positive response to the Pope’s appeal has also arrived from the Armenian Patriarchate. The patriarch Mersrob Mutafyan has invited everyone to the ceremony of the “Union of hearts for peace and love” to be held in the Armenian church of “Balikpazan üç Horan” on 14 December.