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The International Union of Superiors General (UISG), which represents more than 1,900 congregations of consecrated women religious across six continents, is organising a livestreamed "moment of prayer" for peace today (Friday, March 6) at 2.30pm.

In a statement released yesterday, Sr Roxanne Schares SSND, Executive Secretary of UISG, declared that “as consecrated women religious, present in the most fragile contexts of society and close to those who suffer, we cannot remain silent in the face of a spiral of destruction that undermines human dignity and jeopardises the future of new generations.”

Repeating words of Pope Leo XIV, the UISG reiterated that “peace is a desire of all peoples, and it is the sorrowful cry of those torn apart by war” and called on all people of goodwill to “ask the Lord to touch the hearts and inspire the minds of those who govern, that the violence of weapons be replaced by the pursuit of dialogue.”

Speaking at the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Leo expressed “deep concern” over recent events in the Middle East and Iran.

“Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue. Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions. I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss!”

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