Pope
Francis: Middle East without Christians unthinkable
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis convened a Consistory of Cardinals
on Monday morning in the Vatican. Originally scheduled in order to proceed with
the causes of candidates for beatification, the Holy Father expanded the agenda
of the meeting to include discussion of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
In remarks to the gathered Cardinals at the morning session of the gathering,
the Holy Father focused on the need for constant prayer and effective advocacy
in favor of peace, and for specific attention to the plight of Christians there.
Describing the notion of a Mideast region devoid of Christians as
literally unthinkable, Pope Francis went on to mention Iraq and Syria as two
countries in which Christians – who have made their homes there since Apostolic
times – are facing unprecedented threats. “We cannot resign ourselves to
thinking about the Middle East without Christians, who for two thousand years
have confessed the name of Jesus [there].”
“Recent events,” the Pope continued, “especially in Iraq and Syria,
are very worrying. We are witnessing a phenomenon of terrorism of previously
unimaginable dimensions. Many of our brothers and sisters are being persecuted
and have [been constrained] leave their homes in a brutal way.” Saying that the situation appears to be one in
which people no longer appreciate the value of human life, Pope Francis decried
the spirit of indifference that seems to dominate, making the sacrifice of the
human person to other interests a matter of course. “This unfair situation,” he
said, “requires an adequate response by the international community, as well as
and in addition to our constant prayer.”
Pope Francis concluded, saying, “I am sure that, with the help of
the Lord, genuinely worthwhile reflection and suggestions will emerge, in order
to help our brothers and sisters who are suffering, and also to face the drama
of the reduction of the Christian presence in the land where He was born and
from which Christianity spread.”
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