Prayers for Peace, a weekly event in St. Rita’s Hall, has returned for the 2024-2025 academic year.
“Prayers for Peace is a weekly opportunity for members of the Villanova community to pray together for all the situations in our lives and our world in need of healing, justice and peace, with a particular focus on those experiencing war and conflict,” Brian McCabe, Director of Spirituality and Outreach at the Office for Mission and Ministry, said.
The event takes place every Thursday in the St. Rita Hall Multifaith Prayer Room from 1 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. During the 15-minute period, participants engage in their own prayers and intentions. They have the option to pray in silence or verbalize their thoughts.
“We offer this space with the recognition that, as situations of crisis and conflict arise, it’s good to have a regular time to gather to hold these situations in prayerful concern,” McCabe said.
These days, keeping up with the news can feel depressing. There is no shortage of tragic images, videos and articles describing international conflicts. Because of Prayers for Peace, Villanovans have an opportunity to express their emotions surrounding these events. They can also find comfort and hope within their spiritual practices.
The Office for Mission and Ministry was inspired to create Prayers for Peace in the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year.
“During the Fall Semester, in the wake of the Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war and devastation for the people of Gaza, our campus responded in many ways, [such as] with opportunities for learning through teach-ins, for community-building and for advocacy and activism,” McCabe said. “The Office for Mission and Ministry, together with its Interfaith Advisory Council, sought also to add and support opportunities for vigil, lament and prayer. Prayers for Peace began as part of this effort, and we continue to hold the Israel/Gaza turmoil with special concern.”
Villanova, an Augustinian university, strives to embody St. Augustine’s values of truth, unity and love. McCabe discussed how Prayers for Peace exemplifies these values.
“Villanova’s Catholic Augustinian heritage calls us to be a community that honors the dignity of all people, and to work and pray for justice and wholeness for all the human community, and indeed, for creation itself,” he said. “By making a space in our weekly routine to pray, especially for those whose lives are devastated by war and injustice, we embody our commitments to truth, unity and love not just here at Villanova, but for the wider world of which we are a part.”
The Office of Mission and Ministry works to create a welcoming environment for all faith practices. Therefore, Prayers for Peace is open to Villanovans of any religious background. In fact, each gathering opens with a prayer inspired by a mix of faith traditions.
“We host [Prayers for Peace] as part of a range of options in Mission and Ministry including the Human Library, Multifaith Contemplative Practices Series and all of the opportunities offered by the Center for Peace and Justice and Center for the Common Good,” McCabe said. “We hope all Villanovans can continue to connect their inner lives with the needs of those around them.”
Conflict is stressful, whether it occurs in one’s personal life or in a foreign country. Because of Prayers for Peace, Villanovans have a calming space to process this stress through their faith. If Villanovans would like more information regarding this gathering, they can contact Rev. Julie Sheetz, Mission and Ministry’s Director of Multifaith Ministry. If they would like more information about the Office of Mission and Ministry itself, they can visit their page on Villanova’s website or follow @novamissionandministry on Instagram.
