Sixteen parishioners from St Mary’s Whanganui gathered at 5 a.m. on Sunday 31 May 2026 to pray the rosary for peace in their parish church, joining Pope Leo who was praying at the same time (7 p.m., Saturday 30 May in Vatican time) at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens.
The rosary spanned both time and space between Rome and Whanganui, 18,537 kilometres away.
During his Pentecost Sunday homily, Pope Leo called the world’s 1.422 billion Catholics to join with him to pray for peace.
“Dear brothers and sisters, a very warm fraternal greeting to all of you here to respond to this invitation to unite with our voices, hearts and lives to pray for peace,” said Parish Priest Fr Craig Butler, reading from a statement from Pope Leo. “We ask for the intercession of our Mother Mary. We wish to tell the whole world that it is possible to build peace, a new peace.”
Praying the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary, the first decade focused on victims of war, especially the most vulnerable.
The second was for those who bring words of hope and the comfort of faith to populations affected by war.
The third brought to mind the medical personnel and volunteers who bring humanitarian aid.
The fourth intention was for those who suffer the violence of war, for prisoners, and for those who endure humiliations that violate human dignity.
The final decade was dedicated to praying for an end to war and the establishment of lasting peace in the world.
Spontaneous prayers for peace were then offered, and the gathering concluded with a blessing in the name of the Father, the Son and God’s Holy Spirit.
Words and photo by Sue Seconi
At the Vatican, Pope Leo prayed the Joyful Mysteries at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens, remembering in a special way all those living amid war and violence. In his reflection afterwards, he said peace is not a dream or a theory, but a daily commitment rooted in justice, love and listening to the cries of those who suffer most — children, parents, prisoners, refugees and all whose lives have been torn apart by conflict.
He reminded the faithful that peace is always possible because it is God’s gift in Jesus Christ, and he urged everyone to do their part, beginning with small acts of gentleness and reconciliation in daily life. More than 200 Marian shrines around the world joined the rosary, with Gospel readings for the decades offered by voices from Lebanon, Nicaragua, Ukraine, Tanzania and Syria — a powerful sign that the prayer for peace reached far beyond the Vatican Gardens.
Source: Vatican News.