Pope to Syrian Christians: Do not lose light of hope
This morning the Holy Father received participants in the annual general meeting of
the Reunion of Organisations for Aid to the Oriental Churches (ROACO). In his remarks
to the group Benedict XVI mentioned the social and economic crisis which, "due to
the global dimension it has taken on, does not spare the more economically developed
parts of the world and, even more worryingly, also affects the most disadvantaged
areas". Above all in the East, "homeland to ancient Christian traditions", this process
"generates insecurity and instability also at the ecclesial level, and in the ecumenical
and inter-religious fields. These factors nourish endemic wounds of history and make
dialogue, peace, coexistence among peoples and authentic respect for human rights
even more fragile, especially the right to religious freedom for individuals and communities". In
this year's meeting, representatives form the Holy Land were joined by prelates from
the Syro-Malabar Church in India, the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine, the apostolic
nuncio to Syria and the president of Caritas in Syria. "This", the Holy Father
said, "is an occasion to reaffirm my closeness to the great suffering of our brothers
and sister in Syria, in particular the young innocents and those most defenceless.
May our prayers, our commitment and our concrete fraternity in Christ ... help them
not to lose the light of hope at this moment of darkness; and may God give wisdom
of heart to those in positions of responsibility, that all violence and bloodshed
may cease". In closing Benedict XVI called on the members of ROACO to be "eloquent
signs of the charity that pours from Christ’s heart" and to "present the Church to
the world in her most authentic identity and mission". He concluded by expressing
the hope that the Virgin would give them hope and watch over his own forthcoming trip
to Lebanon.
Full text of Pope Benedict XVI's speech to ROACO Dear
Cardinals, Your Beatitudes, Venerable Brother Bishops and Priests, Dear Members
and friends of ROACO,
I am very happy to welcome and greet you in this regular
gathering. I extend greetings to the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern
Churches and President of ROACO and I thank him for the kind words that he addressed
to me. I also thank the Archbishop Secretary, the Under-Secretary, the other officials
and all those present. I renew my gratitude to the institutions represented here,
to the Churches from Europe and America that support them and to the many benefactors.
I assure you of my prayers to the Lord, in the consoling certainty that he “loves
a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7).
Above all it is my hope that you will persevere
in “that movement of charity which, by Papal mandate, the Congregation oversees, so
that the Holy Land and other Eastern regions may receive material and spiritual support
in an ordered and just way so as to meet the demands of their ordinary ecclesial life
and other special needs” (Address to the Congregation for Eastern Churches, 9 June
2007). In these words I expressed myself five years ago while visiting the Dicastery
for Eastern Churches and I now wish to reiterate firmly that same exhortation so as
to underline the urgent needs of the present moment.
The present economic and
social situation, all the more sensitive on account of its global dimensions, continues
to create problems in economically developed areas of the world, and, more seriously,
spills over into less affluent regions, seriously compromising their present and their
future. The East, the motherland of ancient Christian traditions, is especially affected
by this process, which engenders uncertainty and instability that also has an impact
on the Church and in the ecumenical and interreligious fields. These factors tend
to reopen the endemic wounds of history and they have a damaging effect on dialogue
and peaceful cohabitation among peoples. They also weaken authentic respect for human
rights, especially the right to personal and community religious freedom. This right
should be guaranteed in its public profession, not only in terms of worship, but also
in relation to the pastoral, educational, charitable and social activities that are
indispensable for its effective exercise. The representatives of the Holy Land,
including the Apostolic Delegate Archbishop Antonio Franco, the Vicar of the Latin
Patriarch of Jerusalem and Father Custodian, all regular participants in ROACO, are
joined this year by the two Major Archbishops, His Beatitude Cardinal George Alencherry
of the SyroMalabar Church of India and His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Greek
Catholic Church of Ukraine. Also present are the Apostolic Nuncio to Syria, Archbishop
Mario Zenari, and the Bishop President of Caritas Syria. This gives me the opportunity
to open up the gaze of the Church of Rome to the universal dimension that is so deeply
rooted and constitutes one of the essential marks of the mystery of the Church. It
also gives me the opportunity to reaffirm my closeness to the sufferings of our brothers
and sisters in Syria, especially innocent children and the defenceless. May our prayer,
our commitment and our active brotherhood in Christ, as an oil of consolation, help
them not to lose sight of the light of hope in this moment of darkness, and obtain
from God wisdom of heart for all in positions of responsibility so that bloodshed
and violence, that only bring pain and death, may cease and give way to reconciliation,
harmony and peace. Every effort should be made, including by the international community,
to bring Syria out of the present situation of violence and crisis, which has already
lasted a long time and risks becoming a wider conflict that would have highly negative
consequences for the country and the whole region. I also issue an urgent and heartfelt
appeal, in view of the extreme need of the population, that the necessary humanitarian
assistance be guaranteed, and extended to the many persons who have been forced to
leave their homes, some of them becoming refugees in neighbouring countries. The
precious gift of human life must always be defended. Dear friends of ROACO, the
Year of Faith, which I have instituted to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the inauguration
of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, will offer fruitful suggestions to Aid
to the Eastern Churches, that are a providential witness to what we read in the Word
of God: that faith without works withers and dies (cf. Jas 2:17). May you always
be eloquent signs of the charity that flows from the heart of Christ and presents
the Church to the world in her true mission and identity by placing her at the service
of God who is Love. Today in the Latin Rite we celebrate Saint Aloysius Gonzaga,
whom I ask to sustain our thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit and to pray with us so that
the Lord may also raise up in our days exemplary agents of charity towards others.
May the intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God always accompany the Eastern Churches
in their homeland and in the diaspora, bringing them encouragement and hope for a
renewed service to the Gospel. May she also watch over the coming journey which –
God willing – I will make to Lebanon for the solemn closing of the Special Assembly
for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops. I look forward to offering the Lebanese
Church and Nation my paternal and fraternal embrace. In the meantime I am pleased
to impart to your Organizations, to all present, to your dear ones, and to the communities
entrusted to your care, my affectionate Apostolic Blessing.