Canadian Bishops' Conference welcomes Pope's appeal for peace in Syria
(Vatican Radio) In a statement issued on Friday, 6 September, the Bishops of Canada
welcomed Pope Francis’s appeal for peace in Syria, and voiced their support.
The
statement quotes the President of the Canadian Conference Catholic Bishops, Archbishop
Richard Smith, who urged Catholics across the country “to be united with the Holy
Father and all their Bishops in praying for peace in Syria, in Middle East, and in
all the world.”
The Canadian Bishops also noted their own initiative, set for
the following Saturday. “Many Canadian Catholics will be participating in a special
day of prayer and fasting for the people of Syria and the Middle East which their
local dioceses and parishes are organizing on September 14.”
They encouraged
Catholics to be charitable and generous in making financial contributions “to help
relieve the sufferings of the people of Syria, several million of whom are now living
as refugees in the surrounding countries.”
Below, please find the complete
text of the statement of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB):
The
Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) welcomes and fully supports the appeal
of the Holy Father for peace in Syria and the Middle East. Already three times this
week, Pope Francis has made this appeal.
Yesterday, September 5, the Holy See
released a letter from Pope Francis to President Vladimir Putin, President of the
Russian Federation, who is hosting the G20 St. Petersburg Summit. The Pope urged the
leaders to “find ways to overcome the conflicting positions and to lay aside the futile
pursuit of a military solution” in Syria. “Let there be a renewed commitment to seek…
a peaceful solution through dialogue and negotiation of the parties”, Pope Francis
wrote. “Moreover, all governments have the moral duty to do everything possible to
ensure humanitarian assistance to those suffering because of the conflict, both within
and beyond the country’s borders.”
This past Wednesday, during his General
Audience, Pope Francis said, “I renew the invitation to the whole Church…, and even
now I express gratitude to the other Christian brethren, to the brethren of other
religions and to the men and women of good will who desire to join in this initiative,
in places and ways of their own …to ask the Lord for the great gift of peace. May
a powerful cry for peace go up from every land!”
Last Sunday, during the Angelus,
the Holy Father said his “heart is deeply wounded in particular by what is happening
in Syria, and anguished by the dramatic developments which are looming.” He exhorted
the international community “to make every effort to promote clear proposals for peace
in that country without further delay, a peace based on dialogue and negotiation,
for the good of the entire Syrian people.” The Pope again reminded us of the moral
duty to ensure humanitarian assistance.
Bishops across Canada are organizing
activities over the coming days in their dioceses to encourage the faithful to pray
and fast for the people of Syria and the Middle East. Catholics throughout the world
are invited to join the Holy Father this September 7 in praying and fasting for peace.
In addition, many Canadian Catholics will be participating in a special day of prayer
and fasting for the people of Syria and the Middle East which their local dioceses
and parishes are organizing on September 14.
President of the Canadian Conference
Catholic Bishops, the Most Reverend Richard Smith, urges Catholics across our country
to be united with the Holy Father and all their Bishops in praying for peace in Syria,
in Middle East, and in all the world. Canadian Catholics are also encouraged to make
a financial contribution to the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and
Peace, which is cooperating with Caritas Internationalis to help relieve the sufferings
of the people of Syria, several million of whom are now living as refugees in the
surrounding countries.
In the words of Pope Francis, “All men and women of
good will are bound by the task of pursuing peace. I make a forceful and urgent call
to the entire Catholic Church, and also to every Christian of other confessions, as
well as to followers of every religion and to those brothers and sisters who do not
believe: peace is a good which overcomes every barrier, because it belongs to all
of humanity!”