Pope Benedict XVI Address to participants at the meeting of the Works for the Aid
to Oriental Churches (ROACO)
(June 20, 2008) By living humbly and fraternally with other Christian Churches and by generously serving the poor, these Catholic communities, small though they are, can express in a very practical manner the communion of love proper to the universal Catholic Church said Pope Benedict XVI. He was addressing the Participants of the Meeting of Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches ROACO, in Rome on Thursday, 19th of June. The "Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches" is a committee which unites funding agencies from various countries around the world for the sake of providing assistance in different areas of life from worship buildings to scholarships, from houses of study and formation to social and health care facilities which works under the direction of the Congregation of the Oriental Churches. The Holy Father said that the Congregation and ROACO are appropriately interpreters of spiritual and material solidarity of all Catholics, because the Community can live fully the mystery of the one Church of Christ in fidelity to their spiritual traditions. The Pope expressed that their ordinary life and their particular mission, especially in ecumenical and inter religious movement has been appreciated by the Catholic Church. He observed that in these days their attention has turned towards the Catholic Communities in Armenia and in Georgia, which were among the first to receive the light of Christ. Further Pope Benedict XVI said he is grateful and relieved that the situation in Lebanon has returned to the path of dialogue. He then added that he has “immense hope” in “some signs of peace” that are visible in the Holy Land, which he hopes to visit, and much hope that Lebanon may once again be a “sign” of peaceful coexistence. He also appealed to leaders of nations “to give the Middle East, especially the Land of Jesus, Lebanon and Iraq their much-longed-for peace and social stability, fully respecting the fundamental rights of the person, including that of real religious freedom.” The Pope affirmed this on Thursday 19th of June when he received in audience participants from the Vatican agency that coordinates funding to Eastern Catholic Churches which is under the Congregation for Eastern Churches. He then went on to mention Fr Jacques Ghazir Haddad who will be beatified next Sunday in Beirut, speaking of his hope that the example of the new blessed “may touch the hearts of young Lebanese, showing them the sweetness of an evangelical life at the service of the poor and the weak, and bringing them to become faithful witnesses of the Catholic faith in the Arab world.” The Holy Father appealed "to leaders of nations to offer the Middle East, and in particular the Holy Land, Lebanon and Iraq, the much yearned for peace and social stability in respect of the fundamental rights of the person, including a true religious liberty," he said. "Peace is the only way to address as well the grave problem of refugees and to halt emigration, in particular, that of Christians, which profoundly wounds the Eastern Churches."
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