Taylor Stuart said she considered the prayer vigil for peace held Saturday at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg a grassroots movement that could rally people toward change.
“The Pope can’t tell each and every one of us what to do,” she said. “It’s important for me to hear it in my own little community. I hope everyone is encouraged to get to work.”
Greensburg Diocese Bishop Larry J. Kulick welcomed people to attend the vigil in response to the U.S. military attacks in Iran and other global tension.
Kulick joined a worldwide call for prayer from Pope Leo XIV, who held services at the same time in Rome.
That was enough to prompt Barbara Piasecky and her son, Reid, of Hempfield, to attend.
“It’s a nice thing, thinking about everyone across the world doing this at the same time,” Reid said.
Barbara added, “It’s good to be with other believers and offer up a prayer for peace.”
The vigil began with the Sacrament of Reconciliation, followed by a service that lasted just less than an hour.
Kulick didn’t specifically discuss war, inflation, gas prices or other specific struggles, other than to offer prayer for the strife in the Middle East.
Instead, he urged people to find strength in trying times and reclaim hope.
He likened today’s challenges to that of the Apostles and asked the church-goers to imagine how fearful and demoralized Jesus’ disciples were.
“Like the Resurrection, which changed everyone’s perspective, we have to accept the Holy Spirit in order to fortify ourselves,” Kulick said.
“Once we accept that gift of peace, we can all be agents of change.”
The first step, Kulick said, is to be at peace with ourselves and our community.
“In a world so polarized, we need to be careful that we don’t think we can manipulate peace,” he said. “We have to work at it. It is a fallacy that strength is the way to gain peace.
“It is actually conversion of hearts and minds through examples of love and sacrifice.”
Ray Honeychuck of South Greensburg said the message was welcome in light of what’s happening in the world.
“The Holy Father asked us to pray for peace and I wanted to be part of that,” he said.
Stuart, who works at the nonprofit Grassroots Westmoreland, said Kulick’s vigil aligned with her work for justice.
The advocacy group works to empower people and create inclusion, she said.
“These are things we’re already trying to build in the community,” she said. “I was encouraged to hear the bishop’s directive to act with kindness and less polarization.”
Kulick said that because the world is marked by division and uncertainty, it is time to act with renewed urgency.
“The way to peace is not with bullets and bombs,” he said, “but with kindness, love and conviction.”