"We invite the whole People of God to a National Day of Prayer for Peace, during which every believing community will be asked to pray and to make a public gesture (a pilgrimage, a community celebration, or others), offering our prayers to the Lord of life and to the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Peace. Prayers are meant to encourage the Lord and the Virgin Mary to guide our steps on the paths to reconciliation, common good, dignity and liberty". The bishops of Bolivia promoted the initiative today, September 19th, to face the critical situation of the country. In all parishes of Bolivia, from 12 to 1 p.m., prayers will be accompanied by the ringing of bells full peal. The main celebration, however, will be in Santa Cruz, where Card. Julio Terrazas will preside over the holy Mass in the hall of the cathedral. The parishes and the different communities of the centre will make a pilgrimage until the main square, carrying torches. Latin American and Caribbean Caritas declared also to be close to the Bolivian people, and expressed them solidarity in a letter addressed to Msgr. Luis Morgan Casey, president of the Bishops Commission for the social Pastoral and Caritas Bolivia.
