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.
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