Pope raises prayer for Africa

[dArKeR]

Vatican City - Pope John Paul II called on the faithful gathered here on Sunday to pray for the peoples of Africa and the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and the Holy Land, who are suffering from "unacceptable acts of violence and terrorism".

During Lent - the 40-day period of sacrifice that precedes Easter, "I did not forget the painful situation in some countries of Africa, in the Middle East, particularly in the Holy Land and in Iraq."

http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1494711,00.html

I wish I could ask Robertson, Falwell, or even Bush: 'What direct effect did the Popes prayer have/do for Africa, the Middle East and Iraq? Have these prayers being said for the last 30 years actually made anything better for these people?'

[Malva Zebrina]

1. It makes the person doing the praying feel better and less

hopeless and for that reason, people are urged to pray by leaders or others, many times. It gets people past hard times as a way of coping also.

I doubt very much it accomplishes any end results for those they pray for or the things they pray for.

[w4rma]

3. It gets folks thinking about the situation.

Folks who would probably otherwise not be thinking about it at all.

[twilight]

2. prayers in the Church

They have been asking all members of the Catholic Church to pray for the people and for peace in the Middle East and in Africa. No more "God Bless President Bush" is being heard.

I can now go back.

I praise the Pope John Paul II for his direction to the Catholics of the world during these horrific times.

Give the pope a break, for he is human too. I happen to have a lot of respect for him and it hurts me to see people bashing him.

He is the one that deserves the Nobel Peace prize and no one else IMO for he had it in him to go to * and tell him the reality, even though * didn't listen. Just shows Pope John Paul was right. I knew it myself and I have been praying per his directions, fasting during lent, etc.

What is wrong with praying for peace in the Middle East and for the people in Africa that are suffering so much? Not one thing that I can think of ... not one.

:dem: :kick:

[Malva Zebrina]

5. I can remember when I was a believer being urged so many times

to pray, in my paraochial school classroom, for the "conversion of Russia" And I did so with great fervor.

Now that I look back upon that, I have to laugh. What does a child know of Russia and it's conversion? LOL
I was a good little child and did what I was told to do and so I prayed for the conversion of Russia, even though I had no idea what that meant.

and as far as I know, Russia has not been converted at all. It collapsed, economically. It has simple reverted back to it's orthodox Christian roots and established those roots as it's official state religion. It does persecute others who wish to proselytize in that country, such as the Jehovah Witness also.

[SoCalDem]

4. The Pope should open his pursestrings and send some

money, in the form of aid to the poor.. If the missionaries were as interested in feeding the belly as they were the soul, things would be better ..