Intervention of Mr. Joseph Boutros FARAH, President of "Caritas Internationalis" for the Middle East and North Africa (M.O.N.A.) (LEBANON), auditor

In the name of Caritas, I thank you for inviting me to this Synod, and I find it a clear expression of Peter’s Successors’ trust and appreciation in the social and pastoral work of Caritas entrusted to it by the Church. We hope that Caritas, which is actively present in all Middle Eastern countries, will be able to promote, develop and activate its mission, inspired by the Church’s social teachings through interaction, coordination and solidarity between all members from the whole world and with all the Church’s institutions so that the new evangelization may take place through work, leadership and good examples in order to establish justice and peace for all countries of the regions and their peoples.
Caritas carries this commitment with responsibility and honestly and humbly sees that the reason behind Christian emigration and the decrease in numbers in the Middle Eastern countries is:
1. The prevalent situation of conflict and war in the region for the past decades, particularly in Palestine and the Holy Land, it is a situation that constantly bears religious and confessional
dissensions, thus making Christians all over the region feel threatened and become concerned for their safety, worried about their future and their belief.
2. When Christians isolate themselves from others, because they are haunted by obsessions about their personal and their community being, they retreat from producing and developing , which worsens their economic and social situation leading them to emigration.
To deal with these two reasons seems very possible through hard work on the local and international levels to achieve peace between Israeli and Palestinians and Arabs by supporting international and civil efforts towards the dialogue of different cultures and civilizations and towards reconciliation. The Universal Church can contribute to these efforts which come originally from its dogma

Parallel to the direction of peace, it is necessary to operate development on the economic and social levels, for Christian individuals and communities, through intellectual and practical harmony with the concerned civil social organizations, a development that leads the universal and local Church, through a practical, integrated and comprehensive coordination between all its educational, health, social and developmental institutions, to revive true hope in the citizen and in communities, hope in a safe and healthy present and future that can satisfy aspirations.
Caritas pledges to remain in the forefront of service, like a pastoral and social instrument for the Church, acting in love under its guidance and teachings, through thousands of workers and volunteers in the Middle Eastern region, even through tens of thousands in the whole world, in the proper manner that stems from the culture of solidarity and communion and “dialogue of deeds”, to achieve reconciliation.
To establish peace, to promote development and to make social justice prevail for all citizens especially Christians, thus the Middle Eastern region goes back to its former era of fraternity and agreement, and Christians remain in their homelands, messengers of their culture, values, civilization and beliefs.

[00130-02.05] [INUD0] [Original text: Arabic]