On March 28, 2015, the entire Teresian family of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, nuns, friars and secular members, in union with the whole Church, will celebrate the 500th birthday of St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and reformer of Carmel.
To mark this significant anniversary and as a birthday gift to St. Teresa, the Superior General of our Order, Fr. Saverio Cannistrá has called all communities of Carmelite nuns, friars, and Secular Order members throughout the world to offer a world hour of prayer for peace on Thursday, March 26, 2015. Our Holy Father Pope Francis has looked kindly on this initiative and will himself lead it with an hour of prayer on that day, making this
initiative an ecclesial event.
We have been asked to make this initiative public and to invite bishops, priests, religious communities, lay groups and families to take part in this world hour of prayer for peace on March 26, 2015. This invitation is also extended to all the Christian faithful of other denominations and to our brothers and sisters of other religions. It is not necessary for that hour to coincide everywhere; the purpose of this invitation is to fill the hours of that day with our supplication for peace. It has been suggested that a lighted candle, placed in a prominent place, serve as a symbol of this prayer.
“The world is all in flames
PRAYER
Lord our God, who by your Spirit raised up Saint Teresa of Jesus to show your Church the way to perfection, grant that we may live by her doctrine and be set aflame with a longing for true holiness, whose fruit is reconciliation that leads to peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
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