On 9 January, 2011, the people of southern Sudan will vote in a referendum on their future. The Church in Sudan has called for 101 days of prayer for peace in the lead-up to the referendum.

This period of prayer began on  21 September, the International Day of Peace and concluded on  1 January, the World Day of Prayer for Peace. You are asked to join in this initiative as an act of solidarity with a people who have known much conflict and violence in their history. For background information and prayer resources, see  our item: Supporting 101 Days of Prayer for a Peaceful Referendum

Caritas Australia and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference have also launched an Advent prayer campaign for southern Sudan. You can find resources on the Take Action page of the Caritas site

Along with your prayers, you are encouraged to promote support for the people of southern Sudan by making contact with your local MP and Senators and major organisations such as the Red Cross, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Please pray and take action for peace in Southern Sudan!