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| Pope Francis: Prayer Vigil for Peace Photo: Vatican News |
For Catholics yesterday was a day of fasting
and prayer. Earlier this week Pope Francis had asked Catholics to devote the day to
prayer for peace in Syria.
Yesterday evening I turned on the television
to see if there was any news about the day of prayer. There was,
unsurprisingly, nothing being reported on the mainstream news channels like Sky
News and CNN. I then switched to EWTN, hoping that they would have some news.
EWTN was in fact showing, live, the Vigil
and Eucharistic Adoration taking place in St Peter's Square with Pope Francis. I
should have known that I could rely on EWTN.
There were an incredible number of people at
the Vigil for Peace in St Peter's Square. Initially EWTN reported there was in
excess of 70,000 people. That number was then
later updated. Fr. Lombardi reported that the official number was in fact in excess
of 100,000 people. Incredible!
Is it only me that finds it concerning that
the mainstream media, like CNN, Sky News, etc., would choose to largely ignore
an event that is related directly to what must be the most news worthy topic in
the world at the moment - Syria.
An event that attracts in excess of 100,000
people, all seeking a peaceful solution to Syria, not more military action, must
surely send a clear message to world leaders and therefore be widely reported.
Consider the turnout at the Vigil along
with other events, like the recent UK parliament vote against any military
intervention in Syria.
The majority of people in the world seem to
be sending a very clear message that they do not want any kind of military
intervention in Syria.
People just do not want another war. Instead
it seems they want their leaders to put their heads together and come up with a
peaceful solution to the Syrian problem.
It is high time that world leaders start
listening to their people! This may of course be a novel idea for some of them, especially considering
Obama’s words during the G20 press conference in Russia.
It is also time that media networks, like
CNN, drop the reporting of only propaganda and begin reporting the facts?
People have a right to be told that they are not alone in their opposition to
military action.
Furthermore it may well be that world leaders will begin
paying attention to their people when the media starts reporting what it is
that their people actually have to say.
