Crowd gathers at Baltimore vigil to pray for end of crisis in Sudan

Published: 2004-09-24

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- About 300 people attended a Sept. 21 interfaith candlelight vigil in Baltimore to pray for the crisis in Sudan. The vigil was sponsored by Catholic Relief Services and held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore. Cardinal William H. Keeler of Baltimore, who hosted the vigil, brought together religious leaders representing Christians, Jews, Muslims and Ethiopian Orthodox and the heads of major international relief agencies. Participants offered their prayers and witness for the people of Darfur and committed themselves to "do whatever it takes," to relieve the suffering and bring peace to the profoundly troubled nation. Since fighting broke out in the western region of Sudan in February 2003, people have been forced to flee their villages in the face of attacks by a Sudanese government-backed militia, known as the Janjaweed. Ken Hackett, president of Catholic Relief Services, told vigil participants that Sudanese refugees tell stories of burying their family members in mass graves outside their villages. About 200,000 people have crossed into Chad, while at least 1.2 million remain displaced in Darfur, he said.

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