More than 100 parishioners, chancery staff and students from the Cathedral School of St. Thomas More joined Bishop Michael F. Burbidge Feb. 5 for a Holy Hour for Peace at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington.
“We are united this morning, with parishes throughout our diocese, with archdioceses and dioceses throughout our country, as we come together to make this holy hour and pray for peace throughout our nation,” Bishop Burbidge said.
He encouraged all to pray for U.S. leaders, “to grant them the wisdom they need to bring us together and to remove all violence and injustice from our midst.”
But bringing world peace is not a responsibility solely for world leaders, Bishop Burbidge said. He referenced a quote from St. Teresa of Kolkata: “Don’t wait for world leaders to make peace — you do. One by one, go out together.
“ ‘Do your part,’ she would say,” Bishop Burbidge continued, “at home, at school, in the workplace, wherever the Lord sends you to be an instrument of peace.”
“Make some promises,” he challenged the faithful. “Promise to love and respect all people, without exception. Promise to remove from your life all harshness and bitterness. Promise to forgive others, even those who have offended you, and promise to bring compassion to so many people in our world who are overwhelmed by the lack of unity.”
