ROANOKE — While for many in our country the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan seem political, in this community of 2,000 they’re personal.

Nine soldiers from Roanoke and neighboring small towns including Benson are either deployed in those conflict areas or about to head there.

On Sunday at St. Joseph’s Church in Roanoke, parishioners and community members pledged to “pray them home.”

“I wanted our community of faith to see the faces and the families,” said
Barb Daraban, a member of St. Joseph’s who — with Msgr. Charles Beebe, pastor — helped plan a special Votive Mass in Time of War that filled the church for Sunday’s 10 a.m. liturgy.

During the Mass, Daraban read the “Blue Star Mother’s Prayer” and introduced 11 area service men and women and families who were in attendance.

On the list was her son, Pfc. Greg Churchill, who is deploying overseas
next month with the Army National Guard.

“We must pray our way to peace and justice,” said Msgr. Beebe in his
homily. “Prayer changes things . . . We must pray them home.”

The Mass featured many emotional moments as the soldiers stood and later received flowers with prayer cards from CCD children, who had opened the Mass by singing “God Bless America” as a prelude.

After his homily, Msgr. Beebe introduced and embraced Donald and
Robyn Pannier, whose son — Pfc. Phillip Pannier of the 101st Airborne
Division — was killed in Iraq in January. Msgr. Beebe presented the Panniers with a small statue of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

A Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus Honor Guard took part in the entrance processon, carrying both the American and the papal flags as the assembly sang “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace.” As a Communion meditation, Tom Dermody, editor of The Catholic Post, sang his original composition, “I’ll Pray You Home.”

The Mass concluded with prayers for those in service, including the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel to “defend us in battle.” Msgr. Beebe
said the parish will recite that prayer at every Sunday Mass.

In his homily, Msgr. Beebe called “peace and justice” the pearl of great
price we should prayerfully seek during these times of conflict and division. In a time of political spin, he added, one constant truth is Christ’s teaching that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons and daughters of God.”