The stain glass window in the choir loft at Our Lady of Victories, Basilica in Camberwell depicts the scene from the battle of Lepanto in 1571 when the Christian armies of Pope Pius V defeated the invading Turks of the Ottoman Empire.  The defeat was, in part, attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Victories.  The commemoration of that feast is still listed in the Churches annual feasts and memorials.  It is celebrated on the 7 October under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary.  This is the Feast day of Our Lady of Victories.

Christians have often turned to Mary, praying the rosary, in order to find comfort, solace and (as is the case with the battle of Lepanto) to ask her intercession that God may be on our side.  Modern Christian sensitivities baulk at the idea that God may take sides in war.  Surely we believe in a God who has nothing to do with violence, war and terror.  These things belong to human beings not to God.  So the idea of turning to Mary to intercede for us that God may obliterate our enemy is unthinkable.

Fortunately, that is not what Pope Francis is calling on the Christian community and people of good to do this week.  Instead he is inviting us to join him in turning to Mary, the first disciple, to lead us to the prince of peace and for humanity to come to its senses and lay down its arms wherever violence and war reign, specifically at this moment in Ukraine and Russia.

Pope Francis will pray for peace in St Peter’s Square on Friday afternoon at 5.00 pm (3.00 am on Saturday morning, here in Melbourne).  The full text of his address is in this:

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

We will pray a prayer of peace from this text at all our Masses over this coming weekend.

In the meantime, here is a further prayer invoked by Pope Francis at his General Audience in Rome last Wednesday, 16 March.

Forgive us for war, O Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners!

Lord Jesus, born in the shadows of bombs falling on Kyiv, have mercy on us!

Lord Jesus, who died in a mother’s arms in a bunker in Kharkiv, have mercy on us!

Lord Jesus, a 20-year-old sent to the frontlines, have mercy on us!

Lord Jesus, who still behold armed hands in the shadow of your Cross, have mercy on us!

Forgive us, O Lord.

Forgive us, if we are not satisfied with the nails with which we crucified Your hands, as we continue to slate our thirst with the blood of those mauled by weapons.

Forgive us, if these hands which You created to tend have been transformed into instruments of death.

Forgive us, O Lord, if we continue to kill our brother.

Forgive us, if we continue like Cain to pick up the stones of our fields to kill Abel.

Forgive us, if we continue to justify cruelty with our labours, if we legitimize the brutality of our actions with our pain.

Forgive us for war, O Lord. Forgive us for war, O Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, we implore You! Hold fast the hand of Cain!

Illumine our consciences.

May our will not be done. Abandon us not to our own actions!

Stop us, O Lord, stop us!

And when you have held back the hand of Cain, care also for him. He is our brother.

O Lord, put a halt to the violence!  Stop us, O Lord!

By Fr Brendan Reed