Caritas Lebanon: the Pope has brought us hope

One major theme of Pope Benedict XVIth's apostolic journey to Lebanon, is the plight of peoples whose lives are disrupted by conflict and violence. And throughout his visit he reiterated his closeness to the people of Syria, many tens of thousands of whom are crossing the border in search of refuge.

Caritas Lebanon, founded 36 years ago, is part of the far reaching family of Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican aid agency with a mission to bring help and support to millions of people in need across the world.

Father Simon Faddoul is the President of Caritas Lebanon. Speaking to Vatican Radio's Tracey McClure he expresses his feelings regarding the Pope's visit to his country...

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From the very first moment, even when the Papal plane landed, fr. Faddoul says, "we felt like the climate had changed, the climate among the people of this land: we felt more united, much closer".

I think, he continues, that with this visit the Pope is able to unite the whole country.

Fr. Faddoul points out that throughut the functions people from all religions and from every walk of life were present. In itself, he says, "this is a great accomplishment".

He says that with his words, the Pope has planted even stronger hope in our hearts and minds. Especially in the hearts and minds of the young people.

Fr. Faddoul speaks especially of the meeting with young people on Saturday at Bkerké: "the heaven was open - I personally felt so".

Fr. Faddoul says the view of that gathering was sublime, thousands of young people shouting "Benedictus" and "Blessed is the one who is coming". There were Christians and Muslims alike, and people from all over. "I felt it was like Pentecoste".

He says that the message the young people themselves addressed to the Pope was a message of great hope, and the message of the Pope to the young people was a strong one, one in which he reiterated Pope John Paul II's call to open up their hearts and not be afraid.

Father Faddoul speaks of his work as President of Caritas Lebanon and of the difficulties faced over the past 16 months as floods of refugees have been coming into the country from Syria.

He says initiatlly they were mostly in the North, and now in Beirut and in the South and all over the country. This is because there is no main camp for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and so they come to relatives or aquaintances in the country whereever they may be.

"They come and they have to find a shelter for themselves".

As Caritas - he says - in the past 8 months they have been able to help over 20.000 people, providing them with food parcels, hygene products, mattresses. "our mobile clinic was touring with preventive medicine and basic medicines with specialised doctors and nurses.

So they have been trying to reach out with out as much as we could within our means - and it takes a lot of means.

There have been some American and European partners who have helped, but Father Faddoul expresses his hope that his message will get out and the response for Caritas's second appeal will be much greater.

Father Faddoul explains that the reason there is no tent city for the Syrian refugees due to a political decision of the Government.

He says their fear derives from the fact that in 1948 Palestinian camps were set up and they are still here now. they are afraid to give the people the idea that the camps will be around for longer than they are supposed to - or even become permanent.

What is the solution? The UNHCR us negotiating with the Government over this specific issue. And if the Government gives the go-ahead the UN will set a camp up.

Meanwhile, he says, the refugees are arranging themselves with friends and relatives, and people are opening their homes despite their poverty.

Here - he says - "we are studying possibility of creating the basic infrustructures for them so that they can hopefully have a bit of a normal life... "