In midst of Israel-Hamas war, prayers for peace go up in Archdiocese of Baltimore

Lynne Elkes made a point of wearing a Star of David around her neck during an interfaith prayer gathering outside Alumni Memorial Chapel at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore Oct. 11.

Standing beside a white “peace pole” inscribed with “May peace prevail on earth” in multiple languages, the teaching assistant professor of economics was among more than 50 administrators, faculty members and students who prayed for peace four days after Hamas invaded Israel.

As of Oct. 12, militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took many hostages. Retaliatory action by Israel has claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people in Gaza. Many others have been injured on both sides.

“I think I have a duty to be honest both with myself and with everyone that I encounter on this lovely campus that I am here representing my people and the calamity that has befallen them and the world,” Elkes told the Catholic Review following a service that included Christian, Jewish and Muslim prayers.

Elkes’ boyfriend shares her Jewish faith and is an Israeli citizen with family in the war-torn nation. He was recently in the country, she said, returning just before the recent bloodshed. Elkes pointed out that the attack happened on Simchat Torah, a Jewish celebration that marks the end of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. 

“It was supposed to be a very happy holiday, whether you were observing it by yourself or with family,” she said. “So the shock of knowing that this happened took all that happiness away.”

Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore are praying for an end to the conflict in Israel and Palestine. Prayers have been offered during the general intercessions at Mass in many parishes and some faith communities have posted messages on social media calling for peace.

In an Oct. 10 statement, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori said fervent prayers must be offered for peace.

“Pray for peace for the lives lost, the families devastated and the communities thrust into instability, where children, women and men must cope with the depths of grief and terror,” he said. “Pray for peace in the Holy Land, where our Lord knew his home on earth. Along with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, my brother priests and bishops and the faithful the world over, join with me in this urgent cry for an end to this violence in Israel and Palestine.”

In an Oct. 8 statement, the Baltimore Jewish Council and The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore called the attacks horrifying.

“Our hearts are utterly broken as we watch the news and worry about the safety of family and friends in our sister city of Ashkelon and across Israel,” the statement said.

“We stand in firm support of Israel as it defends itself against this terrorist assault and provides security for its citizens,” the statement continued, “and we are grateful for the strong commitments to Israel made by our national, state and local leadership. We also appreciate our law enforcement partners who have stepped up their monitoring and protection of our institutions and communities.”

During the Loyola prayer service, participants placed prayer petitions in a wicker basket. The somber gathering ended with people leaving in silence.

“My hope is that this opens people’s eyes to how inhumane humans can be and that there has to be a stop to it,” said Elkes, academic director of the Jesuit university’s Sellinger Scholars Business Honors Program. “We say ‘never forget’ and ‘never again,’ and yet, in the world at large, it continues to happen. How can we make humans love each other a little bit more and set their differences aside and make room in our hearts for letting people just live?”

Elkes added that she hopes people around the world – including Baltimore – have a “greater respect for life.”

Milton Javier Bravo, vice president for mission and identity at Loyola, said the prayer gathering was an opportunity for the community to come together and “hold one another.”

“We have members of our community who feel personally impacted either by having extended family in the region or loved ones or friends in the region,” Bravo said. “It was important to acknowledge everything that we’re holding – to pray for an end to violence, to pray for peace and to acknowledge that any loss of life anywhere affects all of us as we are one human family, one human community.”

Kevin J. Parks contributed to this story.

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

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