God’s desire for peace and God’s moment toward peace shines brilliantly through Pope Francis. This is certainly a new “peace initiative.” This morning I am very proud to be a Catholic.
Many times many voices have invited the two sides to sit down and talk or to come together to negotiate. Never have I heard anyone invite them to do this!
BETHLEHEM – 25.05.2014
Manger Square : Invitation of the Pope to Abbas and Perez
In this, the birthplace of the Prince of Peace, I wish to invite you, President Mahmoud Abbas, together with President Shimon Peres, to join me in heartfelt prayer to God for the gift of peace. I offer my home in the Vatican as a place for this encounter of prayer.
All of us want peace. Many people build it day by day through small gestures and acts; many of them are suffering, yet patiently persevere in their efforts to be peacemakers. All of us – especially those placed at the service of their respective peoples – have the duty to become instruments and artisans of peace, especially by our prayers.
Building peace is difficult, but living without peace is a constant torment. The men and women of these lands, and of the entire world, all of them, ask us to bring before God their fervent hopes for peace.
With Open Doors 
His words are truly beautiful. We need to pray that they do not fall on deaf ears!
Now is the time to RSVP, either to “accept with pleasure” or ” decline with regrets.” My HOPE is that the two of them will be scrambling to be the first to respond.
It is now being reported that within an hour BOTH presidents agreed that they will meet in the Vatican next month. Wow! That is spiritual influence at its best, Francis.
Blessed are the Peacemakers, they shall be called the Sons of God!