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When the Church and world was in turmoil, St. Paul VI turned to Mary. He wrote a brief encyclical letter, Mense Maio, urging bishops and faithful everywhere to pray for peace, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
He ended the encyclical with a beautiful prayer, one that focuses on the internal struggle that needs to be resolved before outward conflicts can be at peace.
May she who experienced the cares and hardships of earthly life, the weariness of daily toil, the hardships and trials of poverty, and the sorrows of Calvary, come to aid the needs of the Church and the human race.
May she graciously lend an ear to the devout pleas of those all over the world who beg her for peace.
May she enlighten the minds of those who rule nations.
And finally, may she prevail on God, who rules the winds and storms, to calm the tempests in men’s warring hearts and grant us peace in our day. What we seek is true peace grounded on the sturdy foundations of justice and love—on a justice which recognizes the legitimate rights of the weak as well as those of the strong; on a love which keeps men from falling into error through excessive concern for their own interests. Thus each person’s rights may be safeguarded without the rights of others being forgotten or violated.
And today we celebrate...