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This Insights eNewsletter was sent to subscribers on September 3, 2013.

eNewsletter Subject: Prayers for Syria

Hopefully you already know that Pope Francis has called upon all Catholics to fast and pray this Saturday for peace in Syria: Pope declares September 7 a day of worldwide prayer for peace in Syria.

The Pope has also summoned all diplomats accredited to the Holy See to be briefed on this initiative.

Meanwhile, one Christian leader in Syria after another has strongly expressed the opinion that intervention by any major power can only make things worse for Christians there. Christian leaders outside the country concur. See, for example:

• Vatican official fears Syrian conflict could explode into world war
• Patriarchs are ‘opposed to any foreign armed intervention in Syria’
• Coptic Catholic Church: military intervention in Middle East cannot be justified
• Syrian prelate prays: no foreign intervention
• Seminary rector rues US intervention in Iraq, says Syrian rebels have little interest in democracy
• Syrian rebels plan destruction of Christianity: Russian Orthodox prelate

Meanwhile, some interesting questions have come up concerning my recent essay on how dissident women religious have tried to use their concern for the poor as a wedge against Vatican efforts at reform (“Marginalization Gamesmanship” and Catholic Love)—including my suggestion that this represents a failure of faith....

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