Colombia unites in Our Father for peace

Mar 7, 2008 / 18:15 pm

The Archbishop of Bogota, Cardinal Pedro Rubiano Saenz, threw his support behind President Alvaro Uribe in the crisis with Ecuador and Venezuela and called on the country to pray the Our Father at noon on March 7.

“We must ask God to help us so that we can all live in peace.  At 12 noon let us stand up and pray the Our Father for Colombia,” the cardinal said.

Regarding the military action carried out by Colombia in Ecuadoran territory and the alleged death of the number two leader of the FARC, Raul Reyes, the cardinal said the incident has “unmasked many things that were hidden,” such as the fact that the rebel group is functioning “with the assistance of two sister countries,” Ecuador and Venezuela.

“If this had not been done, none of this unfortunate and diabolical plot would have been discovered,” the cardinal continued, adding that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez should slow down and reflect on what he is doing.  “He should think about what has been uncovered, because when errors are committed, they must be corrected,” the cardinal said.

Bishop Fabio Suescun Mutis of the Military Diocese of Colombia joined in the prayers for peace, and the military’s 173 chaplains were on hand for the noon-day prayer.

“The Our Father is the prayer we use when we have a particular need.   Therefore we call on all Colombians to unite in this prayer, to pray for a common cause which is peace, unity, brotherly coexistence with our sister countries,” Bishop Suescun said during a radio interview.