(Vatican Radio) The leader of the Catholic church in Libya is calling for dialogue and understanding in his violence wrought country.
Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, has vowed to stay in Libya with the few remaining Christians, witnesses of Jesus’s message of love.
Listen to the report by Linda Bordoni :
Speaking in Italian to Vatican radio as the last foreign nationals scramble to flee Libya, Bishop Martinelli says he is not leaving his church and the few Christians left in Tripoli, “we are ready – he says – to bear witness to whom whom we are and to what we do according to the words of Christ”
Confirming that Jihadi militants are currently in Tripoli and that at any moment he and his parishioners could be taken by terrorists, Martinelli denounces a lack of dialogue that goes back a long time and says that the International Community should take it upon itself to launch talks with this divided nation that needs – first of all – to find internal unity.
And referring to the West he says: “we have helped ourselves to oil, we have guarded our own interests, we have put dialogue and a sincere human exchange between parts to the side”.
Describing a situation of chaos and suffering for the entire civilian population in Libya, Martinelli reiterates there is no way to turn back. But he appeals to persons of goodwill to come forward and set the table for fraternal dialogue between different cultures and religions.
Not only – he says – is the situation terrible for Christians, but for all the people of Libya who want to live normally. Martinelli calls for a concerted effort that includes Muslims and Arab countries to start addressing the void, the selfishness and the economic interests that have led to the deep and tragic fractures within the Libyan nation.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Moderator of the Church of Scotland on Monday invited Pope Francis to visit the country which, he says, has overcome sectarian strife to become a place where ecumenical relations “have never been more cordial and productive”.
During a meeting with the Right Reverend John Chalmers, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Pope said all Christians are called to seek ever more effective ways of overcoming old prejudices and to find new forms of understanding and cooperation.
Speaking in Italian, Pope Francis said our Churches “are presently confronted by such great challenges that only by working together will we be able effectively to serve the human family and enable the light of Christ to reach every dark corner of our hearts and of our world”.
The Kirk, as it’s is known, is the national Church of Scotland, founded in the wake of the Scottish Reformation of 1560. Over the centuries since then, the country has been plagued by bitter sectarian divisions between Catholics and Protestants. But as Philippa Hitchen discovered when she spoke to Rev John Chalmers, those conflicts have been replaced by a common Christian witness at the service of those most in need ….
Listen:
Below please find the English translation of Pope Francis’ words to the Right Reverend John Chalmers, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Dear Moderator,
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am happy to have this opportunity to meet this delegation from the Church of Scotland, and to reaffirm our common commitment to the Gospel and to the cause of Christian unity.
Scotland’s rich cultural and historical traditions have been shaped by outstanding saintly witnesses to Christ from various confessions. The present state of ecumenical relations in Scotland clearly shows that what we, as Christians, hold in common is greater than all that divides us. On this basis the Lord is calling us to seek ever more effective ways to overcome old prejudices and to find new forms of understanding and cooperation.
It is heartening for me to see that the good relations between the Church of Scotland and the Catholic Church have borne fruit in shared reflection on the challenges posed by contemporary society, and that in many cases we are able to speak with one voice on issues which deeply affect the lives of all Christians. In our globalized and often confused world, a common Christian witness is a necessary requisite for the effectiveness of our efforts to evangelize.
We are pilgrims and we journey alongside one another. We need to learn to have “sincere trust in our fellow pilgrims, putting aside all suspicion or mistrust, and turn our gaze to what we are all seeking: the radiant peace of God’s face” (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 244).
Faith and Christian witness are presently confronted by such great challenges that only by working together will we be able effectively to serve the human family and enable the light of Christ to reach every dark corner of our hearts and of our world. May the journey of reconciliation and peace between our communities continue to draw us closer, so that, prompted by the Holy Spirit, we may bring life to all, and bring it in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10).
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Moderator of the Church of Scotland on Monday invited Pope Francis to visit the country which, he says, has overcome sectarian strife to become a place where ecumenical relations “have never been more cordial and productive”. During a meeting with the Right Reverend John Chalmers, Moderator of the General Assembly of the…
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“The blood of our
Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out”. Pope Francis
recalled the barbaric killing of a group of Egyptian Coptic Christians by
jihadists in Sirte. The Pope spoke about the situation – improvising a few
phrases in Spanish – in his address to the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, whom he received
on Monday morning, 16 February. Today, the Pontiff
said, “I read about the execution of those twenty-one or twenty-two Coptic
Christians. Their only words were: ‘Jesus, help me!’. They were killed simply
for the fact that they were Christians. You, my brother, in your words referred
to what is happening in the land of Jesus. The blood of our Christian brothers
and sisters is a testimony which cries out to be heard. It makes no difference
whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or Protestants. They are Christians!
Their blood is one and the same. Their blood confesses Christ. As we recall
these brothers and sisters who died only because they confessed Christ, I ask
that we encourage each another to go forward with this ecumenism which is
giving us strength, the ecumenism of blood. The martyrs belong to all
Christians”. The full text of the Holy Father’s address…
“The blood of our Christian brothers and sisters is a testimony which cries out”. Pope Francis recalled the barbaric killing of a group of Egyptian Coptic Christians by jihadists in Sirte. The Pope spoke about the situation – improvising a few phrases in Spanish – in his address to the Moderator of the Church of…
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