Papal visit to Lebanon: Anglican expresses hopes, concerns

(Vatican Radio) Anglican Fr. Christopher Moody of St. Alfege’s Church in Greenwich, London is expressing hope that Pope Benedict XVI’s September 14-16 visit to Lebanon will encourage unity among the Middle East’s Christians, reinforce their commitment to peace and encourage them to stay in the region.

The main purpose of Pope Benedict’s three day visit is to deliver to the bishops of the Middle East the conclusions of their 2010 synod at which many expressed distress over the exodus of Christians from the region. Fr. Moody told Tracey McClure the Anglican Communion shares these concerns.

“Yes, we are aware of it because we do have our own Christians in the Middle East but we’re also aware of Copts leaving Egypt…and it’s been going on for something like twenty years really. A lot of the communities are much smaller than they were. For instance, in eastern Turkey. So it is a concern and it’s a sadness (and) particularly devastating was the war in Iraq and the impact that had on a most ancient Christian community. It’s such a wonderful history of these communities in the Middle East that it’s sad to see it diminishing in this way and also in the Holy Land as well.”

Asked if he thinks the Pope’s universal message of peace might help stem the violence in the region, Fr. Moody added, “I think it will certainly help in Lebanon and if we can also draw together more as Christians of different denominations in the Middle East, I’m sure that the Pope can be a sign of unity and I hope it will help to protect the Christians there.”

Christians in the West, he adds, “should certainly pray for them and remember them and we should keep them in our prayers on a regular basis – and not just look after our own parochial concerns.”

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