Trinity Sunday: Prayers for peace in Mozambique

The Church in Mozambique is this Sunday praying for peace. The country is grappling with real fears of renewed civil war. Mistrust and accusations have been growing between the ruling Frelimo government and the opposition Renamo.

The Episcopal Conference of Mozambique has decided to set aside Sunday 22 May, the celebration of the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity as a particular day of national prayers for peace. The Bishops want all donations made on this day to be given to Caritas Mozambique for its humanitarian apostolate. The announcement for the special peace prayers was made recently at the end of a plenary meeting held by the Bishops. 

More concretely, the Mozambican Bishops want Frelimo and Renamo to put a definitive end to Mozambique’s long-running political and military unrest. They have called on the two rivals to return to the discussion table and involve civil society in the country’s quest for a  “path to peace.”

Declaring the day for prayers, the Bishops called upon the Frelimo government and the opposition, Renamo to put in place “concrete steps to end the hostilities and allow the country return to a sense of normalcy.”  The Bishops further want the two rival parties to work towards the full implementation of the 1992 Rome peace agreement. The Rome accord ended Mozambique’s post-independence civil war that lasted from 1977 to 1992.

 As it is, the Bishops say that Mozambique is in a state of “semi-paralysis” because of recent events that have seriously raised tension levels in the country and eroded peace prospects. 

“In the last war, over one million people lost their lives. Never again should this happen!” the Bishops emphasise. “In the name of God, let us work for peace,” they plead. The Bishops have entrusted the nation and the people of Mozambique to the care and protection of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace. 

In a sign of solidarity, Portugal's Catholic organisation, Church in Need, (Fundação Ajuda à Igreja que Sofre/Portugal) has joined the people of Mozambique by also dedicating Trinity Sunday in Lisbon as a day of prayers for peace. The Church of St. Thomas Aquinas in Lisbon is hosting special rosary recitations and the celebration of the Eucharist in solidarity with the peace prayers in Mozambique. 

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees reports that there are over 11,500 Mozambican refugees who have fled into neighbouring Malawi as refugees for fear of renewed fightiting.

(Fr. Paul Samasumo, Radio Vatican9

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