Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, is asking the faithful of the Archdiocese to pray for peace in violence-torn East Timor. "I ask that all the faithful take a moment to pray for peace to be restored in East Timor," said Cardinal Bevilacqua. "The situation in East Timor is escalating out of control quickly and we must all pray that a peaceful and constructive climate can be established."

East Timor is part of the chain of islands that make up Indonesia. On August 30, 1999, the people of East Timor voted overwhelmingly for independence from Indonesia. Since then, anti- independence militias have gone on a rampage that has left hundreds of people dead and forced thousands more to flee East Timor. Roman Catholic Bishop Carlos Belo, a Nobel laureate, was among those fleeing East Timor after rebels burned down his house.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has been monitoring the situation in East Timor. Archdiocesan officials have met with members of the East Timor Action League of Philadelphia.

"I pray that the Indonesian government will respect the wishes of the East Timorese people and allow them to freely pursue independence," said Cardinal Bevilacqua. "The human rights of the East Timorese cannot be ignored. The intimidation and violence must stop."

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