May 3, 2014: Pope Francis on Saturday encouraged the Catholic Church of Sri Lanka
in its effort towards national reconciliation, saying that even though the nearly
26-year old war ended in 2009, much needs to be done towards reconciliation, respect
for human rights and true peace. The Pope’s exhortation came in his message to the
bishops of Sri Lanka who met him in a group in the Vatican. The bishops of Sri Lanka’s
11 dioceses are in Rome on the so-called ‘ad limina’ visit, which heads of dioceses
are required to make every 5 years or so to report on the state of their jurisdiction.
The Pope expressed appreciation for the bishops’ pastoral letter entitled, Towards
Reconciliation and Rebuilding of our Nation, and said, “Though the war has ended,
you rightly note that much work needs to be done to promote reconciliation, to respect
the human rights of all the people and to overcome the ethnic tensions that remain.”
The Holy Father said he would like to join the bishops in “offering a particular word
of consolation to all those who lost loved ones during the war and remain uncertain
as to their fate.” He encouraged the Christian communities to “remain close to those
who still mourn and suffer the lasting effects of war.” Appreciating the charitable
work done through caritas he said that it shows forth the merciful face of Christ.
He also appreciated the efforts of the clergy to minister to the family and said
that in their efforts in support of the family, assists not only the Church, but
aids Sri Lankan society as a whole, especially in its efforts for reconciliation and
unity.
Read below the full text of Pope Francis' address: Dear
Brother Bishops, It is a great joy for me to welcome you here on your visit ad
Limina Apostolorum, which serves to renew your communion with the Successor of Peter
and provides an opportunity to reflect on the life of the Church in Sri Lanka. I thank
Cardinal Ranjith for his warm words of greeting from you and from all the faithful
of your local Churches. I ask you to convey my greeting and love to them, and to express
my solidarity and care. I recall with affection my recent meeting in Saint Peter’s
Basilica with members of the Sri Lankan community during the pilgrimage to Rome to
mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the consecration of your country to the Blessed
Mother. It is my hope for you, dear Brothers, that these days of reflection and prayer
may confirm you in the faith and in knowledge of the many gifts that you, the priests,
consecrated men and women, and lay faithful have received in Christ. He also commented
on the recent pastoral letter towards reconciliation and rebuilding of the Nation. I
wish now to share some reflections with you on this treasure, which is at the heart
of our life in the Church and our mission to society, the beauty and richness of which
we saw so clearly in the Year of Faith. Our faith and the gifts we have received cannot
be stored away, but are meant to be freely shared and to find expression in our daily
lives. For our vocation is to be a “leaven in the midst of humanity … proclaiming
and bringing God’s salvation into our world, which often goes astray and needs to
be encouraged, given hope, and strengthened on the way” (Evangelii Gaudium, 114).
Sri Lanka particularly needs this leaven. After many years of fighting and bloodshed,
the war in your country has finally ended. Indeed, a new dawn of hope has arisen as
people now look to rebuild their lives and their communities. In response to this,
through your recent Pastoral Letter Towards Reconciliation and Rebuilding of our Nation,
you sought to reach out to all Sri Lankans with a prophetic message inspired by the
Gospel that seeks to accompany them in their trials. Though the war has ended, you
rightly note that much work needs to be done to promote reconciliation, to respect
the human rights of all the people and to overcome the ethnic tensions that remain.
I would like to join you in offering a particular word of consolation to all those
who lost loved ones during the war and remain uncertain as to their fate. Mindful
of Saint Paul’s appeal to bear one another’s burdens (cf. Gal 6:2), may your communities,
steadfast in the faith, remain close to those who still mourn and suffer the lasting
effects of war. As you have expressed, the Catholics of Sri Lanka wish to contribute,
together with the various elements of society, to the work of reconciliation and rebuilding.
One such contribution is the promotion of unity. Indeed, as the country seeks to come
together and heal, the Church is uniquely positioned to provide a living image of
unity in the faith as she is blessed to count both Sinhalese and Tamil among her number.
In parishes and schools, in social programmes and other institutions of the Church,
Sinhalese and Tamil find opportunities to live, study, work and worship together.
Through these same entities, especially through parishes and missions, you also know
intimately the concerns and fears of the people, particularly how they can be marginalized
and distrust one another. The faithful, knowledgeable of the issues that cause tensions
between the Sinhalese and Tamil, can provide an atmosphere of dialogue that seeks
to construct a more just and equitable society. Another important contribution
of the Church to redevelopment is her charitable work, which shows forth the merciful
face of Christ. Caritas Sri Lanka is to be commended for its outreach following the
2004 tsunami and for its efforts on behalf of post-war reconciliation and rebuilding,
especially in the most affected regions. The Church in Sri Lanka also gives generous
service in the areas of education, healthcare and outreach to the poor. While the
country has enjoyed increased economic development, this prophetic witness of service
and compassion becomes even more important: it shows that the poor must not be forgotten
nor inequality permitted to grow. Rather, your ministry and outreach must work for
the inclusion of all in society, because “until exclusion and inequality in society
and between peoples is reversed, it will be impossible to eliminate violence” (Evangelii
Gaudium, 59). Sri Lanka is a country not only of rich ethnic diversity, but also
of various religious traditions; this highlights the importance of interreligious
and ecumenical dialogue for fostering mutual knowledge and enrichment. Your efforts
in this regard are commendable and bearing fruit. They allow the Church to collaborate
more easily with others in securing a lasting peace, and ensure the Church’s freedom
in pursuing her proper ends, especially in educating young people in the faith and
in witnessing freely to Christian life. Sri Lanka has also seen, however, the rise
of religious extremists who, in promoting a false sense of national unity based on
a single religious identity, have created tensions through various acts of intimidation
and violence. Though these tensions may threaten interreligious and ecumenical relations,
the Church in Sri Lanka must remain steadfast in seeking partners in peace and interlocutors
in dialogue. Acts of intimidation also affect the Catholic community, and so it is
ever more necessary to confirm the people in their faith. The Church’s initiatives
in developing small communities centred on the Word of God and in fostering popular
piety are exemplary ways of assuring the faithful of the closeness of Christ and his
Church to them. In the important task of transmitting the faith and of promoting
reconciliation and dialogue, you are aided in the first place by your priests. I join
you in thanking God for the many priestly vocations he has raised up among the faithful
of Sri Lanka. Indeed, the many local priests who serve the People of God are a great
blessing and a direct fruit of the missionary seeds planted long ago. So that your
priests may give worthy service and be true shepherds, I urge you to be attentive
to their human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral formation, not only in their
years of seminary training, but also throughout their lives of generous service. Be
true fathers to them, attentive to their needs and present in their lives, recognizing
that they often minister in difficult situations and with limited resources. With
you, I thank them for their fidelity and witness, as I call them to ever greater holiness
through prayer and daily conversion. I also join you in giving thanks to Almighty
God for the ministry and witness of the consecrated men and women and all the laity
who support and serve the apostolates of the Church and who faithfully live out their
Christian lives. Together with the clergy, and in communion with you as the Pastors
of the local Churches, they show forth the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, who
transforms the Church and makes us all a leaven to the world. Their vocation is crucial
to the spread of the Gospel and is increasingly important, especially in the vast
rural communities and in the field of education, where trained catechists are often
lacking. Since the ministry of the Bishop is never carried out in isolation, but always
in concert with all the baptized, I encourage you continue to assist the faithful
in recognizing their gifts and in placing them at the service of the Church. Lastly,
I appreciate your efforts to minister to the family, that “fundamental cell of society
where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one another,
…where parents pass on the faith to their children” (Evangelii Gaudium, 66). The forthcoming
Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will discuss the family and seek ever new
and creative ways in which the Church can support these domestic churches. In Sri
Lanka, the war has left many families displaced and grieving the death of those closest
to them. Many have lost their employment and so families have been separated as spouses
leave their homes to find work. There is also the great challenge and increasing reality
of mixed marriages, which require greater attention to preparation and assistance
to couples in providing for the faith formation of their children. When we are attentive
to our families and their needs, when we understand their difficulties and hopes,
we strengthen the Church’s witness and proclamation of the Gospel. Particularly by
supporting marital love and fidelity, we help the faithful to live their vocation
freely and joyfully, and we open new generations to the life of Christ and his Church.
Your efforts in support of the family assist not only the Church, but aid Sri Lankan
society as a whole, especially in its efforts for reconciliation and unity. I urge
you, therefore, to be ever vigilant and to work with governmental authorities and
other religious leaders to ensure that the dignity and primacy of the family is upheld.
With these sentiments, my dear Brothers, I entrust you to the intercession of
Our Lady of Lanka, as I willingly extend my Apostolic Blessing to you and to all the
beloved priests, consecrated men and women, and lay people of Sri Lanka.