Pope John Paul II's Blessing

October 1, 2001

To the Organizing Entities and Participants

of

The International Week of Prayer and Fasting

particularly to be observed this Year of Our Lord 2001 for the 9th time at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. from the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7 - Respect for Life Sunday, through October 16 - 23rd Anniversary of my election to the See of Peter, and dedicated to

Our Lord Jesus - The Divine Mercy,

whose message "in a sense forms the image of this Pontificate," as I stated at the tomb of His "Secretary" and "Apostle," St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, through whom this message and the devotions flowing from it were revealed to the Church and the world, and whom I had the honor of inscribing on the List of Saints as the First Fruit of the Jubilee Year 2000 - and to

The Most Blessed Virgin - Our Lady of Guadalupe,

who on Tepayac Hill declared: "Am I not your merciful Mother?" and who is invoked as "Patroness of the Unborn,"

I, hereby, wholeheartedly commend your noble initiative and purpose

to offer your times of The Eucharistic Sacrifice and Eucharistic Adoration, Holy Hours, Vigils, Rosaries, Fasting, and in particular the frequen offering of the Divine Mercy Chaplet for world peace, the conversion of hearts and for the end of the scourge of abortion and of the culture of death in the world and

As a pledge of an abundance of Divine Blessings upon You and Yours,

I paternally impart to You

My Most heartfelt apostolic Blessing!