January 1st was the 53rd World Day of Peace in the Catholic Church. Having begun by Pope St. Paul VI in 1967, every Pope since then has continued the tradition of writing a pastoral letter on Peace on this day.
During these years there have been wars and conflicts in the following countries: Eretria, S. Korea, Malaysia, North Ireland, Italy, Philippines, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, The Falklands, Indonesia, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Yemen, Egypt, Bangladesh, India, United Arab Republic, Ethiopia, Chili, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, China, Russia, Afghanistan, Uganda, Rwanda, Libya, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia, Panama, Romania, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, Grenada, New Guinea, Senegal, Sudan, South Africa, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Panama, Mali, and Ethiopia. I am sure I have missed some. Almost every other country in the world has been involved in one or more of these conflicts.
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
April 17, 2020: 400th anniversary of the birth of Marguerite Bourgeoys
Montreal, January 3, 2020
In 2020, the Congrégation de Notre-Dame will be celebrating a very special anniversary – the 400th of the birth of Marguerite Bourgeoys, Montreal’s first teacher and the foundress of the Congregation. This celebration of the anniversary year is a way of paying tribute to this pioneer who came to North America to help establish a new society in Ville-Marie in the 17th century, and recognizing that the values she had can still be found in the social fabric of Montreal, as in the eight different countries in which the sisters of the Congregation are present. Four hundred years ago began the great adventure of a brave and compassionate woman who put herself in the service of the people to build a new society.
The beginning of a new year is often a time for renewed prayers for peace. We will need them more than ever in 2018, but as we turn the page from 2017, I invite you to rejoice in all of the peacemaking that we have been part of. The Campaign to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons was the recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize and we have a CND connection to that. Take a look at this article – Sisters from Marguerite Bourgeoys Province are also founding, and continuing, members of Antennes de paix.
https://www.devp.org/en/articles/human-rights-day-lets-meet-canadian-woman-peacebuilder