Vatican City, 6 December 2014 (VIS) – Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon, France, will transmit a video message from Pope Francis to the Christians and the population as a whole in Iraq, to be screened this afternoon in the city of Erbil. The twinning of the diocese with Mosul, which began last summer, has given rise to several initiatives to support the Iraqi population. The full text of the Pope’s message is published below: “ I would like to greet each and every one of you, along with Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, who once again brings you the concern and the love of the entire Church. I too would like to be there with you, but since I am unable to travel, I will do this instead … but I am very close to you in these difficult moments. I said, during my return journey from Turkey: Christians are being driven out of the Middle East, with suffering. I thank you for the witness you give; and there is a great deal of suffering in your witness. Thank you! Many thanks. “ It would seem that there they do not want there to be any Christians, but you bear witness to Christ. I think of the wounds, of the pain of women with their children, the elderly and the displaced, the wounds of those who are victims of every type of violence. “ As I mentioned in Ankara, particular concern is caused by the fact that above all, due to an extremist and fundamentalist group, entire communities, especially, – but not only – Christians and Yazidi, have suffered and continue to suffer inhuman violence because of their religious and ethnic identity. Christians and Yazidis have been forced out of their homes, they have had to abandon everything to save their lives, but they have not denied their faith. Even holy buildings, monuments, religious symbols and cultural heritage have been affected by the violence, almost as if to cancel every trace, every memory of the other. “ As religious leaders, we are obliged to denounce all violations of the dignity and rights of humanity. “ Today I wish to draw closer those of you who tolerate this suffering, and to be close to you … And I think of St. Therese of the Baby Jesus, who said that she and the Church were like a rod: when the wind rises and the storm comes, the rod bends but it does not break. At the moment, you are like this rod: you bend painfully, but you have the strength to carry forth your faith, which is a testimony to us. You are God’s rod today! The rods that bend under this ferocious wind, but then rise up again. “ I wish to thank you again. I pray that the Spirit, Who makes all things new, will give each of you strength and resistance. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. And I strongly urge, as I did in Turkey, greater international collaboration to resolve the conflicts that cause blood to be shed in your lands of origin, to combat the other causes that lead people to leave their homelands and to promote suitable conditions for them to remain or return. I hope that you will return, that you will be able to return. “ Dear brothers and sisters, you are in my heart and my prayers, and in the hearts and prayers of all Christian communities, whom I will ask to pray in a special way for you on 8 December, to pray to Our Lady to protect you: she is our mother and will protect you. “ Brothers and sisters, your resistance is martyrdom, it is dew that brings fruitfulness. Please, I ask you to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and Our Lady protect you. May God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, bless you”….
Vatican City, 6 December 2014 (VIS) – Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon, France, will transmit a video message from Pope Francis to the Christians and the population as a whole in Iraq, to be screened this afternoon in the city of Erbil. The twinning of the diocese with Mosul, which began last summer, has…
Read more
Vatican City, 6 December 2014 (VIS) – Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon, France, will transmit a video message from Pope Francis to the Christians and the population as a whole in Iraq, to be screened this afternoon in the city of Erbil. The twinning of the diocese with Mosul, which began last summer, has…
Read more
(Vatican Radio) The members of the III Christian-Muslim Summit of Religious Leaders and Scholars released a statement after their 3-day meeting this week in Rome. The theme was “Christians and Muslims: Believers in Society”.
The statement said the meeting was “characterised by mutual respect, opening and listening to each other; this constitutes a message of reconciliation, peace and fraternity of which our world is in great need.”
The full text of the statement is below
Press Release of the Christian-Muslim Summit of Religious Leaders and Scholars (Rome, 2-4 December 2014)
The Christian-Muslim Summit is a gathering of Christian (Catholics and Anglican Episcopal) and Muslim (Sunni and Shia) Religious Leaders and Scholars from around the world who come together for purposes of fostering interreligious and intercultural relationships and to address issues of conflict, in particular between the followers of both religions.
The III Summit was held in Rome from Tuesday 2 to Thursday 4 December 2014. The Catholic delegation was headed by His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue; the Sunni delegation was led by HRH Prince El Hasan bin Talal of Jordan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (Amman, Jordan); the Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, Eighth Bishop of the Anglican Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and Senior Advisor on Interreligious Dialogue to Washington National Cathedral, headed the Anglican Episcopal Delegation; Ayatollah Sayyed Prof. Mustafa Mohaghegh Damad, Director of Islamic Studies, Iran Academy of Sciences, led the Shia Delegation. Guests of Honour were invited; among them was His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The theme chosen for reflection and discussion by the participants is “Christians and Muslims: Believers in Society”. The four Principals and their respective delegations, along with the guests of honour from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, from Judaism, along with others, are aware of this dramatic time in our world, especially in the Middle East and in some African countries, with an un-preceded and unhuman violence. The Principals and the other participants were pleased to be received in a Private Audience by His Holiness Pope Francis, who expressed his joy for receiving them and for their meeting.
A public Session took place at the end of the Seminar, to which Diplomats accredited to the Holy See, persons involved in interreligious dialogue and media operators were invited. The “Call for Action of the Summit” was read, followed by questions and answers. The meeting was characterised by mutual respect, opening and listening to each other; this constitutes a message of reconciliation, peace and fraternity of which our world is in great need.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Fr. Federico Lombardi SJ, offered a clarification on Friday in response to journalists’ questions regarding statements made by the Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, Cardinal George Pell, in connection with the ongoing financial review and reform efforts in the Vatican. In…
Read more