Scottish Catholic Observer

by Amanda Connelly

The call comes in light of recent conflict taking place across the world, with Supreme Knight Charlie McCluskey asking members of the Order, their families and those in their communities to take part in reciting the Rosary from Saturday August 6 until the feast of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven on August 15, either individual or in groups, to pray for an end to global conflict.

“Over these last few months I have been shocked by the events unfolding throughout our world,”Mr  McCluskey said. “The murder of 110 people in Baghdad in May followed by the attack in Nice and only this morning on a family in Germany show that evil truly exists in our world today. In America it appears that there is a breakdown in society, culminating in the recent spate in shootings on police officers.”

“Here in our own country there is an underlying feeling of division after the European referendum,” noted Mr McCluskey. “Therefore I am calling on all members of the Knights of St Columnba to join me in praying the rosary for peace, reconciliation and harmony in our world during the nine days from Saturday August 6 till the feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary on August 15. I also ask that you invite members of your families, communities and parishes to join with you in this period. This can be done in church as a group or individually throughout the nine days.”

Mr McCluskey has also been in touch with the International Alliance of Catholic Knights (IACK) in order for other Orders to join those in Scotland in praying for these petitions with many others, including the Knights of da Gama in South Africa, pledging to join in praying the Rosary across the nine-day period.

“At Fatima Our Lady asked us to recite the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of war,” Mr McCluskey added. “Perhaps by using the powerful weapon of prayer we can help answer her request at this time.”