THE Catholic Church will hold special prayers nationwide this week as a thanksgiving for a peaceful election.

The Malaysian Bishops’ Conference have asked Catholics to pray for “peace and reconciliation” and to be thankful for a “relatively peaceful GE14 without much incidents”.

“We are grateful and thankful for a mature electorate which has come of age,” it said in a statement.

“To all the Election Commission officials, the polling and counter agents (PACAs), the thousands of volunteers and responsible citizens assisting in the background, ‘Syabas’ for an almost incident-free election.”

The Bishops’ Conference also thanked those who “came out of their comfort zones”.

“Everyone is enable to live in peace and harmony without suspicion of one another as fellow citizens – a New Malaysia has emerged! Many people have expressed sentiments of joy. This is indeed God’s grace given freely to all.”

Catholic churches were advised to hold a mass of thanksgiving in the nine days of Novena before Pentecost on Sunday.

Catholics can also offer a prayer for peace or make a personal commitment to be an “instrument of peace and unity”, it said. – May 16, 2018.