Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Says Christians Are Exploited in Syrian Conflict

DAMASCUS, Syria, OCT. 24, 2012 (Zenit.org).- On Monday, two Christians were kidnapped and killed when a car bomb exploded in Damascus, reports the Fides news agency. While travelling south from Qusair to Damascus, the two faithful were stopped by an armed group, seized and a ransom of $30,000 was asked of their family. Two hours later, the kidnappers announced their killing. They were the brother and cousin of a local pastor of a Greek-Catholic Church in Damascus.

Later on in the evening, Jaramana, a south-eastern suburb of Damascus, was the scene of rebel bombings again this year. A source close to Fides News Agency reported a violent explosion occurred near the Greek-Catholic church of St. Abraham, damaging the surrounding buildings. It is unclear if there were any casualties and whether the two events were connected.

Jaramana, a prevalently Christian and Druze neighborhood, has doubled its population in recent years due to the many Iraqi refugees fleeing the war of 2003. Since the beginning of the rebellion in March of last year, it has remained loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. In the last week of August, two explosions killed more than 27 people in this neighborhood. It is believed that rebels have regrouped in the area after they were scattered by July’s military offensive.

"Christians are used as objects in a challenge to the government. There is no persecution, they are not killed for their faith, but they are vulnerable and are manipulated in order to achieve other goals," said Melkite Greek-Catholic Patriarch Gregory III Laham in an interview with Fides. The prelate is currently in Rome for the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization.

Patriarch Laham recalled as well the kidnapping of the brother of the Rector of his seminary in Lebanon, who has not been seen or heard of since his abduction in July.
"These events create great anxiety among the faithful," he said.

Latin Patriarch: The New Evangelization Must Start from Jerusalem

"The New Evangelization Must Start from Jerusalem"

 VATICAN CITY, OCT. 15, 2012 (Zenit.org).- The following is the text of the intervention of His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Patriarch of Jerusalem of Latins and President of the Conference of Latin Bishops in the Arabic regionsat the Synod of Bishops on Saturday.

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The pilgrimage to the Holy Places and to the “living stones” is an excellent method of reviving our faith and that of the Pilgrim, and knowing better the cultural, historic and geographic context in which the mysteries in which we believe were born, an occasion for a personal and incarnate encounter with the person of Jesus.
The Christians of the Holy Land are the direct descendants of the very first Christian community and “the collective living memory of the history of Jesus”. The visit to the Holy Places, duly prepared and guided by reading the Word of God, and the encounter with the community can strengthen believers of little faith and enable the rebirth of the faith in those in whom it has died.

In this time, in which the Holy Places are at times offended and assaulted, the presence of pilgrims is a true testimony to faith and communion with our Church of the Calvary. We need you, your prayers and your solidarity! There, where the Apostles called to Jesus, “Increase our faith” (Lk 17:5), come, you too, dear brother Bishops, with your priests, seminarians and communities, and ask the Lord for the faith and the peace that is missing.I consider it an urgent necessity that our faith be a lifestyle that brings us closer to others. We must change a certain negative mentality that regards faith as belonging to a sociological faction leading to militance and violence. True faith helps us to feel more like the sons of God and therefore to be brothers to others, even at the cost of the cross and of bloodshed.

The new evangelization, in order to be modern and effective, must start from Jerusalem: it must begin from the first Christian community anchored to the person of Christ, having a cause for which it is willing to face any sacrifice and to give the gift of life itself.

Our community lives as a minority among believers of other faiths. Circumstances have pushed these to close in on themselves, to defend themselves, sensitive to their own rights and attentive to their locations and their rites. Introverted and fearful communities. For many the faith is a hereditary and social fact, when instead it should be more personal and committed. It is not about survival, but about breaking through and communicating.

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Addresses Synod of Bishops

Arab Prelate Says It's Time to Break Through and Communicate

By Pietro Gennarini

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 15, 2012 (Zenit.org).-"The new evangelization, in order to be modern and effective, must start from Jerusalem,” stated his His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and President of the Conference of Latin Bishops in the Arabic Regions (CELRA) as he addressed the Synod of Bishops on Saturday at the Vatican.

Patriarch Twal, who was ordained in Rome, was the first Arab to serve as bishop of an African country, Tunisia. He was named Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.
In his intervention, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem stated that it is through reviving the faith that the place which has been the cauldron of so many wars may turn into a melting pot. While faith has erected the wall separating people for so long, it must now become the channel through which they may meet.

Given the recent hardships, where the holy sites have been desecrated or assaulted, the Patriarch stressed the need for the local faithful to put aside the “negative mentality that regards faith as belonging to a sociological faction leading to militancy and violence”. He also stressed visits to holy sites on the trail of the Bible by pilgrims, allows them to become a “true testimony of faith and communion with our Church of the Calvary”.  By encountering the person of Jesus Christ, the believers of weak faith may be strengthened and those in whom faith has died may experience its rebirth.

The Arab prelate stated that such pilgrimages will be an enormous help to the community of the Holy Land, who has closed in on itself in fear so as to defend its rights and reduced faith to a “hereditary fact”, instead of a personal and committed one.

“It is not about survival, but about breaking through and communicating” said the bishop.
The Latin Patriarch strongly invited his brothers in the episcopate along with their flocks to visit the Holy Land and asked for their prayers and solidarity.

Pope Benedict and Patriarch Twal on Justice and Peace

by Father Rick Van De Water

After the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, H.B. Fouad Twal, visited the Archdiocese of L.A. on September 22-26, he continued on his way to speak at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Lieutenancy [of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher] in Indianapolis.

His talk in Indianapolis included an important message of peace. In particular, Patriarch Twal encouraged the knights and ladies to be advocates for peace in the Holy Land because, he said, America “has the key to peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

“You have a great responsibility toward the implementation of peace,” he said. “It is important, though, to realize that working hard for true peace is to everyone’s advantage. In our region, peace is either for all the inhabitants of the Holy Land or for no one.”

Patriarch Twal also asked his listeners to pray for peace in Syria, still engulfed in a bloody civil war. He also expressed concern that various countries, including the United States, have been involved in fomenting that war with the goal of regime change in Syria.

Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, has accused the U.S. of fueling the violence there by financing the supply of weapons to the militants of the opposition. Arab allies of the U.S. have also been accused of sending mercenaries to fight against the Syrian government.

On July 17, Melkite Patriarch Gregoire III Laham of Damascus echoed that charge that there has been "interference from foreign elements -- Arab and Western -- who bring weapons, money and one-sided information" into the country, inflaming passions on all sides and "weakening the voice of moderation.”

The mainstream media in the U.S. have been criticized for portraying the conflict as an attempt by the Syrian people to oust an oppressive regime. According to Father Andrew Halemba, the Middle East projects coordinator for Aid to the Church in Need, news agencies have misrepresented the situation, and their reports about the country should be treated critically and with great caution.“The situation is much more complex and difficult to assess than the media in the West make it out to be,” he said. “They seem to be ignoring that there are also internal power struggles and religious tensions between the different Muslim groups. Tribal feuds and acts of vengeance are a daily occurrence, and crime is rising in the country due to the unstable situation.”

“Syria needs reforms, I am sure,” Patriarch Twal said in Indianapolis, “but I’m asking if this violence is the way to have reform in Syria. We don’t want to have Syria as another Iraq. We wait. We pray. We are against any kind of violence.” Patriarch Twal also voiced the fear of the Christian community there that new rulers might not be so favorable to them as the current government headed by Bashar al-Assad. For years, Christians, who make up around 20% of Syria’s population, have fared well under the Assad government.

During his flight en route to Lebanon in September, Pope Benedict asserted that those countries who are supplying arms to fuel the conflict in Syria are committing a “grave sin.”

"[T]here must be an end to the import of arms: without weapons, war could not continue. Instead of importing weapons, which is a grave sin, we should import ideas, peace and creativity. We should accept others in their diversity and make visible the mutual respect of religions, the respect for man as God’s creation and love of neighbor as a fundamental element of all religions. We must promote all possible actions, including material ones, to support the end of war and violence so that all can contribute to the rebuilding of the country,” he said.

Following the lead of Pope Benedict and Patriarch Twal, members of the Order can do a great service to our country by voicing support for a foreign policy that promotes justice and peace in the Middle East, rather than weapons and war.

Secretary for the Holy Sees Relations with States Helps Combat Crimes against Diplomats

Holy See Joins United Nation in Efforts to Combat Global Violence

NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 (Zenit.org).- The Holy See declared its intention on Wednesday to contribute further to global efforts to prevent and combat crimes against diplomats, in an act which comes just weeks after United States Ambassador to Libya was killed by protestors during a raid on the US consulate in Benghazi.

This news was announced in a communiqué released by the Holy See, which stated: "On the afternoon of 26 September 2012, H.E. Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for the Holy See’s Relations with States, deposited the instrument of accession to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents, to the Secretary of the United Nations."

"In taking this step," the communiqué continues, "both in its own name and on behalf of Vatican City State, the Holy See has declared that it intends to contribute further to the global efforts to prevent and combat crimes against diplomats."

Established in 1973, the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents requires that State parties make it illegal to attack foreign diplomats, obliging them to extradite or prosecute offenders.

"The instrument of accession," the communiqué goes on to say, "also recalls that the promotion of brotherhood, justice and peace among individuals and peoples is particularly dear to the heart of the Holy See, and that such promotion requires the observance of the rule of law, as well as respect for human rights."
With this act, the Holy See demonstrates not only its "desire to cooperate in protecting adequately the diplomatic personnel (in primis its own and that accredited to it), but it also contributes to the international community’s efforts to protect itself against the risks of terrorism."

"Finally, this initiative is in line with the well-known process, that began some time ago, which aims at adapting the Vatican legal system to the highest international standards related to the fight against this serious scourge."

Source: http://www.zenit.org/article-35617?l=english

Muslims and Christians Are Committed in Spreading Pope's Fraternal Message in Lebanon

Inter-Religious Meeting Held to Gather First Fruits of Historic Visit

By Robert Cheaib

BKERKE, Lebanon, SEPT. 26, 2012 (Zenit.org).- An inter-religious meeting was held on Monday at the patriarchal headquarters of the Maronite Church in Lebanon. The gathering gathered various religious realities of the country to discuss the effect, fruits and challenges stemming from Benedict XVI’s visit, which took place earlier this month.

Attending the meeting organized by the Maronite Patriarch, Mar Bechara Boutros El-Rai, were the heads of the major religious communities, Muslim and Christian, present in Lebanon.

Participating on the Muslim side were: the Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Muhammad Rachid Qabbani as representative of the Sunnis; the vice-president of the Supreme Shiite Islamic Council Imam Abd el-Amir Qabalan, as representative of the Shiites; Sheikh Naim Hassan, spiritual head of the Druses, and the president of the Alawita Islamic Council, Sheikh Assad Assi.

Participating on the Catholic side were The Catholicos of the Armenian Orthodox, His Beatitude Aram I Chechechyan; the Patriarch of the Syro-Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Mar Ignatius Youseff III Younan; the president of the Evangelical community in Lebanon and Syria, the pastor Dr. Salim Sahyouny, as well as other bishops representing the various Christian communities of Lebanon.

The participants focused their attention at the meeting on the “historic visit” of Pope Benedict XVI to Lebanon. Those present agreed on the opportuneness of the visit which brought immediate positive fruits to the Lebanese scene and highlighted the quality of the Lebanese nation as a country “secure and open to all cultures and religions, and as the best place to sign the Apostolic Exhortation “The Church in the Middle East.”

In the final communique, the Christian and Muslim participants expressed their approval of the contents of the Exhortation, given that the Holy Father’s insistence on the necessary coexistence between cultures and religions is “an expression of renewed confidence in Lebanon’s mission, already confirmed by Blessed John Paul II” in his apostolic visit to the country in 1997.

According to Lebanon’s various religious representatives, the principal message that the Pope wished to give was to confirm Lebanon as a land of dialogue and peaceful interaction among the different cultures that live “the richness of diversity.”

The communique confirmed the willingness of the various religious heads to commit themselves to “spread the fraternal message” of the Holy Father and to “reflect further on its content in families, in schools and in society” and to transmit the message to religious heads in the other Arab countries.

In tune with the Pope’s appeal to young people not to yield to the temptation to taste “the bitter honey of emigration,” the prelates exhorted the Lebanese to stay in their land and not allow themselves to be drawn by the “wave of emigration that impoverishes the East and deprives it of its best children and dynamic forces and weakens the Lebanese national fabric, putting at risk the Republic’s identity.”

Condemnation of the “Innocence of Islam”

The participants condemned unanimously the controversial film shown on the Internet, which “offends Islam and its prophet and messenger Muhammad,” and stated that “any offense to any religion is a sacrilege against all religions.”

The communique also condemned the violent reactions that caused the death of innocent victims and desecrated places of Christian worship far from being responsible for the film.

A Successful Visit

Benedict XVI’s visit to the Lebanon was long prepared by the country’s Christians. A few days before the visit, the Maronite bishops hoped that the visit would be “a real and proper Arab Spring” marked by peace and peaceful coexistence and respectful of otherness.

Numerically, participation in the visit was powerful, involving several components of the Lebanese society, including representatives of the Muslim communities. And the subsequent echoes on the visit were highly positive both in the secular press as well as in the interventions of several Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim religious heads.

Source: http://www.zenit.org/article-35603?l=english

On Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Journey to Lebanon

"Concord and reconciliation must be stronger than the forces of death"

On Pope Benedict XVI’S Apostolic Journey to Lebanon

“Concord and reconciliation must be stronger than the forces of death”

VATICAN, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today in the Paul VI Hall. The Holy Father dedicated today’s audience to reflecting on his recent Apostolic Journey to Lebanon.

* * *
Dear brothers and sisters,

Today I would like briefly to return in mind and heart to the extraordinary days of my recent Apostolic Journey to Lebanon. It was a visit I greatly desired to make despite the difficult circumstances, seeing that a father should always be close to his children when they are facing serious problems. I was moved by the sincere desire to announce the peace that the Risen Lord left to his disciples, with the words: “My peace I give you - سلامي أعطيكم” (John 14:27). The principle purpose of my visit was the signing and consigning of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Medio Oriente to representatives of the Catholic Communities of the Middle East as well as the other Churches and ecclesial communities, and also to Muslim leaders.

It was a moving ecclesial event and, at the same time, a provident occasion for dialogue in a country that is complex but emblematic for the entire region, thanks to its tradition of coexistence and of fruitful cooperation between the different religious and social elements present. Confronted by the sufferings and tragedies that continue in that area of the Middle East, I expressed my heartfelt closeness to the legitimate aspirations of those dear people, bringing them a message of encouragement and peace. I am thinking particularly of the terrible conflict plaguing Syria, which in addition to thousands of deaths, is causing a stream of refugees to pour out of the region in a desperate search for security and for a future; nor can I forget the plight in Iraq.
During my visit, the people of Lebanon and the Middle East -- Catholics, representatives of the other Churches and ecclesial communities and of the various Muslim communities -- lived with enthusiasm an important moment of mutual respect, understanding and brotherhood in a relaxed and constructive atmosphere, which constitutes a powerful sign of hope for all mankind. But above all, it was the encounter with the Catholic faithful of Lebanon and the Middle East, who were present in the thousands, which aroused sentiments of deep gratitude in my soul for the zeal of their faith and their witness.

I thank the Lord for this precious gift, which offers hope for the future of the Church in those areas: young people, adults and families motivated by the tenacious desire to root their lives in Christ, to remain anchored to the Gospel and to walk together in the Church. I renew my gratitude to all those who worked tirelessly for my visit: the Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon with their staff, the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, consecrated persons and lay faithful, who have a precious and meaningful presence in Lebanese society. I was able to see firsthand that the Lebanese Catholic communities, through their two thousand year presence and their hopeful commitment, offer a significant and valued contribution to the daily lives of all of the country’s inhabitants.

A grateful and respectful thought goes to the Lebanese authorities, institutions and associations, to the volunteers and to all those who offered their prayerful support. I cannot forget the cordial welcome I received from the President of the Republic, Mr. Michael Sleiman, as well as from the various sectors of the country and from the people: it was a warm welcome, in accord with famous Lebanese hospitality. Muslims welcomed me with great respect and sincere regard: their constant and engaging presence gave me the opportunity to propose a message of dialogue and of collaboration between Christianity and Islam: it seems to me that the moment has come to join in giving a sincere and decisive testimony against divisions, against violence and against wars. The Catholics who came from neighboring countries fervently expressed their deep affection for the Successor of Peter.

After the beautiful ceremony upon my arrival at Beirut airport, the first meeting was particularly solemn: the signing of the Post-Synodal Apostlic Exhortation Ecclesia in Medio Oriente, in the Greek-Melkite Basilica of St. Paul at Harissa. On that occasion, I invited Middle Eastern Catholics to fix their gaze on Christ Crucified in order to find the strength -- even in difficult and painful contexts -- to celebrate the victory of love over hate, of forgiveness over revenge and of unity over division. I assured everyone that the universal Church is closer than ever, through the affection of prayer, to the Churches in the Middle East: though they are a “little flock” they should not fear, in the certainty that the Lord is always with them. The Pope does not forget them.
On the second day of my Apostolic Journey I met with representatives of the Institutions of the Republic and of the world of culture, the diplomatic Corps and religious leaders.  To them, among other things, I indicated a way forward to promote a future of peace and solidarity: by working to ensure that cultural, social and religious differences arrive through sincere dialogue at a new fraternity, where what unites [them] is the shared sense of the greatness and dignity of every person, whose life must always be defended and protected. On the same day, I had a meeting with the leaders of the Muslim religious communities, which took place in a spirit of dialogue and mutual goodwill. I thank God for this meeting. The world today needs clear and powerful signs of dialogue and collaboration, and in this regard Lebanon was and must continue to be an example for Arab nations and for the rest of the world.

In the afternoon, at the residence of the Maronite Patriarch, I was greeted with uncontainable enthusiasm by thousands of young people from Lebanon and the surrounding countries. This gave rise to a joyful and prayerful moment that will remain indelibly impressed in so many hearts. I emphasized their good fortune in living in that part of the world where Jesus died and rose for our salvation, and where Christianity developed, and I exhorted them to be faithful to and to love for their native land, despite the difficulties caused by the lack of stability and security. In addition, I encouraged them to be steadfast in the faith, by trusting in Christ, the source of our joy, and to deepen their personal relationship with Him in prayer, and also to be open to the great ideals of life, of family, of friendship and of solidarity. As I looked upon young Christians and Muslims celebrating in great harmony, I encouraged them to build the future of Lebanon and the Middle East together, and together to oppose violence and war. Concord and reconciliation must be stronger than the forces of death.

On Sunday morning, there was the very intense and well-attended moment of the Holy Mass at Beirut’s City Center Waterfront, accompanied by the evocative songs that characterized the other celebrations as well. In the presence of numerous bishops and a great crowd of the faithful from every part of the Middle East, I wished to exhort everyone to live the faith and to bear witness to it without fear, in the knowledge that the vocation of the Christian and of the Church is to carry the Gospel to everyone without distinction, after the example of Jesus.  In a context marked by bitter conflicts, I drew attention to the necessity of serving peace and justice, by becoming instruments of reconciliation and builders of communion. At the conclusion of the Eucharistic celebration, I had the joy of consigning the Apostolic Exhortation, which gathers together the conclusions of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops dedicated to the Middle East. Through the Eastern and Latin Patriarchs and Bishops, the priests, consecrated and lay faithful, this document is intended to reach all the faithful of that dear region, in order to support them in the faith and in communion, and to spur them on to the greatly anticipated new evangelization.

In the afternoon, at the See of the Syrian Catholic Patriarchate, I then had the joy of a fraternal ecumenical meeting with the Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs and representatives of those Churches, as well as the ecclesial communities.

Dear friends, the days spent in Lebanon were a splendid manifestation of faith and religious feeling and a prophetic sign of peace. The multitude of believers from all over the Middle East had the opportunity to reflect, to converse and above all to pray together, and to renew their commitment to root their lives in Christ. I am certain that the people of Lebanon, in its varied but well amalgamated religious and social makeup, will know how to bear witness with new momentum to true peace, which comes from trust in God. I hope that the various messages of peace and esteem that I wished to give may help governments of the region to take decisive steps forward toward peace and toward a better understanding of Christian-Muslim relations. For my part, I continue to accompany those beloved peoples in prayer that they may remain faithful to the commitments they have assumed. To the maternal intercession of Mary, who is venerated at so many and such ancient Lebanese shrines, I entrust the fruits of this pastoral visit, as well as the good intentions and just aspirations of the entire Middle East. Thank you.

[Translation by Diane Montagna]

[In English, he said:]

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today I would like to reflect on my recent Apostolic Journey to Lebanon. It had as its first priority the consigning of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Medio Oriente to the representatives of the Catholic Church from Lebanon and throughout the Middle East. I also had occasion to meet representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities from the region, as well as Muslim leaders. I was able to speak from the heart, to stand before the sufferings and the dramatic events in the Middle East, and to express my prayerful encouragement for the legitimate aspirations for peace there. I was deeply moved by the faith of the local Church, and I asked the faithful to keep their gaze fixed on Christ crucified, therein finding the strength amid trying circumstances to celebrate the victory of love over hate, of forgiveness over revenge, and of unity over division. I wish also to express my gratitude to the Muslim community, whose leaders welcomed me warmly, and to whom I proposed a message of dialogue and of collaboration. Finally, my thanks go once more to all who worked to make my Visit to Lebanon so memorable, and I assure all the dear people of the Middle East of my prayers and affection.

* * *

Source: http://www.zenit.org/article-35570?l=english