Editorial

Some people in the Diocese of Madison remember Archbishop Oscar H. Lipscomb, the archbishop of Mobile, Ala., who spoke in Madison for the St. Thérèse of Lisieux Lecture Series.

Archbishop Lipscomb is also chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy. In this role, he recently sent out a reflection with materials to observe the National Day of Prayer for Peace on Jan. 1, 2002.

Pope prays to Mary. The archbishop noted that the day after the horrors of Sept. 11, 2001, Pope John Paul II responded with a prayer to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of Mercy, to "fill the hearts of all with wise thoughts and peaceful intentions."

Such a first reaction is expected, said Archbishop Lipscomb, in the Holy Father, who has repeatedly urged us to seek the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of "Queen of Peace."

Seven years ago, on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the Holy Father urged all who would be peacemakers to look to the example of the Blessed Virgin:

"Mary, Queen of peace, is close to the women of our day because of her motherhood, her example of openness to others' needs and her witness of suffering. Mary lived with a deep sense of responsibility the plan which God willed to carry out in her for the salvation of all humanity," said the pope.

He continued: "I implore the most holy Virgin Mary to sustain those men and women who, in the service of life, have committed themselves to building peace. With her help, may they bear witness before all people, especially those who live in darkness and suffering and who hunger and thirst for justice, to the loving presence of the God of peace!"

Implore Mary's intercession. It is therefore appropriate that the feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, celebrated on Jan. 1, is designated a National Day of Prayer for Peace.

All people in the United States are urged to join with the bishops to implore the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, patroness of the United States of America. We are urged to ask her to intercede to end the fear, the violence, and the hate we see in the world today.

Materials sent out by the U.S. Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy include suggestions for prayer services and a Rosary for Peace with meditations on the Glorious Mysteries. These materials were sent to parishes in the Diocese of Madison.

Diocese of Madison plans. Bishop William H. Bullock has encouraged parishes in the Diocese of Madison to observe the National Day of Prayer for Peace either on the vigil of Dec. 31 or the feast of Jan. 1. The bishop will preside at a Mass at St. Raphael Cathedral in Madison at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31. All people in the diocese are invited to attend.

Bishop Bullock has also asked people to spend some of New Year's Day praying for peace with their families in their homes. "We know that prayer is powerful, and it is clear that our world is in great need of peace and justice," he said.

Let's all join with our bishops and Holy Father in asking Mary, Queen of Peace, to intercede for us to God to bring justice and peace to our nation and our world.

Mary C. Uhler, editor