Intervention of Mons. Salim SAYEGH, Patriarcal Vicar of Jerusalem of the Latins for Jordan (JERUSALEM)

Among the problems facing the Church in the Middle East, we have to mention that of the sects, which causes great doctrinal confusion. Our era is full of their theological fancies/nonsense. In Jordan, by way of an example, there are about fifty sects, five of which have more active pastors than all the Catholic and Orthodox churches put together. What can be done to safeguard the treasury of the faith and to limit their growing influence?
Visit families. Priests and pastors of souls are pleaded with, insistently, to visit families and to assume their responsibility in explaining, defending, disseminating, living and helping to live the Catholic faith.
Demonstrate serious concern for the Christian formation of adults. Many of our practicing faithful are only vaguely moralized and sacramentalized. They are not evangelized. They provide a resource for sects.
Sensitize Catholic schools to their Catholic mission. Often, those in charge of the schools do not give the same importance to catechetical instruction as they do to other material. Only rarely do they prepare catechists. Too often they choose them without any discernment, to simply fill the gaps.
Have the courage to revise catechism texts so that they might clearly express the faith and doctrine of the Catholic church, testifying to and shedding light on Sacred Scripture, Apostolic tradition, and the ecclesial Magisterium.
In conclusion: beyond ritual differences and political quarrels, protect the treasury of the faith, such is the fundamental mission of the pastors of the Catholic church.
[00039-02.02] [IN017] [Original text: French]