Drew Mariani was all in on the call from Pope Francis for October 7th to be a day of prayer and fasting. Guess what? He’s encouraging you to join in, too. This call comes as we hit the grim one-year anniversary of the war in Gaza, with no end in sight. The Holy Father is asking for a day of penance and prayer for peace in the Middle East, and this is our chance to help out spiritually.

Fast the way the Church would normally call you to: (one meal paired with two smaller meals). The point is, we’re making a sacrifice to soften hearts, bring peace, and break through the spiritual darkness. Drew reminded us of what St. Paul said about fighting not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces. Prayer and fasting are powerful tools to deal with the mess the world is in.

It’s all happening on a special day: Our Lady of the Rosary (Our Lady of Victory; she’s got that title for a reason). On top of that, it’s also the day the war broke out last year with that awful attack by Hamas. So, the timing? Not a coincidence. Pope Francis is telling us to turn to Mary and ask for her intercession to bring peace.

Fr. Dave Heney joined Drew to talk about why it's so important for you to join in on this day of prayer and fasting. Having been to the Holy Land 19 times, Fr. Dave talked about the reality on the ground. It’s intense, but here’s something you may not know: the holy places, like Bethlehem and Nazareth, are surprisingly safe, probably because they’re home to many Palestinians. Getting there is tricky because the airports and Israeli cities are targeted.

Father and Drew both agreed: October 7th is about solidarity. It’s about standing spiritually with the people in the Middle East who are suffering. We live out what Pope Francis says about the importance of accompaniment. So, let’s fast, pray, and ask God for His mercy.