First week of Lent, March 9-15 | |
Many of us are entering Lent this year with heavy hearts and tired souls. So much surrounds us -- the anxiety and upheaval around the new administration's actions, the ongoing violence in Gaza and Sudan and so many other locations, the fears around economic injustice and military escalation. Once again, this Lent isn't a journey toward the Cross; we are already there, whether nailed to it or as mourning witnesses at the foot of it.
We know many of you are already engaged with your own communities to resist the animosity that seems far too pervasive. We hope you continue to find and participate in the deep compassion, bold nonviolence, and prophetic risk-taking of Jesus which we as his disciples are called to today.
As we make our way through this Lent, as people of peace, compassion and justice, we hope you will find the resources and accompaniment you need in our shared community.
As we have done in previous liturgical seasons, each week we will offer a Prayer-Study-Action (PSA), delivered by email a few days before the week begins. Below is the PSA for this first week of Lent, starting on Sunday, March 9. This week's PSA, a contribution from the Pax Christi USA Young Adult Caucus, focuses on a topic which hasn't received much attention in the US recently: the need for peaceful and sustainable change in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Thank you for walking through this Lent with us. May it lead us to a renewed world and a resurrected life.
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In peace,
Judy Coode
Communications Director
Pax Christi USA
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“History will one day have its say, but it will not be the history that Brussels, Paris, Washington or the United Nations will teach, but that which they will teach in the countries emancipated from colonialism and its puppets. Africa will write its own history, and it will be, to the north and to the south of the Sahara, a history of glory and dignity.”
Patrice Emery Lumumba, DRC's first prime minister, assassinated in 1961
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Last autumn, the Pax Christi USA Young Adult Caucus (PCYAC) invited Friends of the Congo (FOTC) to present at our monthly online gathering. Some of what we heard was familiar, and some was surprising, and all of it moved us with desire to act immediately. This crisis intersects with so many issues that are close to our hearts in PCYAC and in Pax Christi as a whole.
Heavy metals are essential for modern technology, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) contains rich veins of such elements. Corporate greed and foreign colonialism fuel internal conflict while people toil in deadly mines. People in the Congo are dying every day so that each of us has a cell phone, a computer, or a television.
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FOTC was established in 2004 to work in partnership with Congolese to bring about peaceful and lasting change in the DRC. As they state in their mission statement: “Raise the consciousness of the world community on the challenge of the Congo and support Congolese institutions in bringing about a peaceful and lasting change.”
We invite you to join us in prayer, study and action to support the people of the Congo!
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We pray for the Church that we may demonstrate to the world a living, vibrant faith, which seeks to include and share, and speaks out against the scandal of exploitation.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for world leaders, that they may listen to the voices of those who live in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and begin to use their power generously for the good of all.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for ourselves, that through our choices, actions and words we may live out our faith in our everyday lives, growing more compassionate and generous each day.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the work of Congo advocates around the world that we may work to improve the quality of life of the many, and together seek the common good.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
From the Friends of the Congo Liturgy Resource.
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>> Join us throughout Lent every Monday for a short Lenten prayer service with the Pax Christi USA national community over Zoom. Service lasts 30 minutes and includes reflection, readings, prayers of the faithful, music, and more. First prayer service is this Monday, March 10 at 8:30pm ET. Click here to register.
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In January 2025, Pax Christi International released an urgent call to the UN to address the humanitarian crisis and to confront global indifference towards the DRC:
"The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a test of global responsibility and cannot remain an overlooked tragedy. Refugees in overcrowded camps, families torn apart by violence, and the collapse of basic services demand urgent attention. Pax Christi International stands in solidarity with the Congolese people and calls on the United Nations to prioritise peace, justice, and the dignity of those affected. It is a moral imperative for the international community to act decisively. Peace is possible, but it requires urgent and collective action. ..."
In its statement, Pax Christi International listed three critical actions:
- An immediate cessation of hostilities
- Protection of civilians and human rights, and
- Support for African-led peace processes
Use this link to read the entire Pax Christi International statement.
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HELP BUILD THE PEACE OF CHRIST!
If you can make a contribution to support our
work for peace with justice, we'd be so grateful! Just click on the donation button to the right to give securely and quickly online. Thanks!
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Pax Christi USA
202-635-2741 | 415 Michigan Ave NE, Suite 340, Washington, DC 20017
www.paxchristiusa.org
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