James Condon, a Commissioner with the Salvation Army, and the head of Strategic Church Relations for the National Day of Prayer & Fasting said, “Support for this historic initiative by the Catholic Church is gathering momentum. Key Aboriginal Christian leaders are also supporting this call for prayer and fasting to protect marriage from redefinition. In fact, three Indigenous leaders will feature in the digital devotions that will be released daily, during the month of October. Marriage between a man and a woman is sacred in Indigenous culture.” For more information regarding the Indigenous perspective on the sacredness of marriage go to: www.ulurubarkpetition.com

Ps Peter Walker, an Indigenous leader from the Uluru Bark Petition said, “I congratulate the Catholic Church, together with all these leaders, for showing leadership and taking the initiative to launch a call for a Month of Prayer and Fasting for Marriage and Families. In our indigenous culture, which has continued for thousands of years, marriage and family are paramount. Marriage is between one man and one woman.”

Warwick Marsh, spokesman for the Canberra Declaration and a coordinator of the National Day of Prayer & Fasting said, “For this period of prayer and fasting we ask that you only fast as you are able. See our Promo Video Here. To inspire you in your prayers the team at the Canberra Declaration, in collaboration with Christian leaders from all over Australia, will provide a daily email devotion. The National Day of Prayer & Fasting is also going to help get the word out. To get the free daily devotional delivered to your inbox throughout the month of October click here.” (Photo Credit: Warwick Marshall/ National Day of Prayer & Fasting)

Marsh continued, “We also invite those in other countries to join with us, if they are able, on our National Zoom Prayer Conference Call three times a day. The hourly sessions will occur at 7AM, 1PM and 8PM Eastern Australian Daylight time. (NSW Time) These video prayer calls will go daily for the full 31 days of October.

To register and get log in details for the Zoom conference call go to www.prayercall.com.au

David Rowsome, prayer coordinator and co-writer for the Canberra Declaration said, “We as believers must approach these issues with great humility as marriage has been greatly damaged under our watch. Collectively, we as nation must ask God for forgiveness for our failure and truly repent. At the same time, we need to pray for God’s grace to be shown to marriages and families in distress. The good news is that we all gain great hope from the Scriptural promise found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Canberra Declaration – National Day of Prayer