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VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - N° 163
DATE 15-09-2012
Summary:
- CHRISTIANS OF THE MIDDLE EAST! HOW CAN WE FAIL TO PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR
COURAGE AND FAITH?
- SUMMARY OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION "ECCLESIA IN MEDIO
ORIENTE"
- NEW FRATERNITY BASED ON A SHARED SENSE OF THE GREATNESS OF EACH PERSON
- THE ESSENTIAL MESSAGE OF RELIGION IS AGAINST VIOLENCE
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
___________________________________________________________
CHRISTIANS OF THE MIDDLE EAST! HOW CAN WE FAIL TO PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR COURAGE
AND FAITH?
Vatican City, 15 September 2012 (VIS) - Yesterday evening in the Greek-Melkite
Basilica of St. Paul in Harissa, Lebanon, Benedict XVI signed the Post-Synodal
Apostolic Exhortation of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod
of Bishops,
"Ecclesia in Medio Oriente". The basilica forms part of a complex which
includes a major seminary and a "house for writers" who study the sacred texts
and translate documents of the Magisterium into Arabic. Since 1909 it has also
been the headquarters
of the Missionaries of St. Paul.
The Holy Father was received by His Beatitude Gregorios III Laham, Patriarch
of Antioch of the Greek-Melkites. Following the entrance chant in the
Byzantine rite, the Pope paused to venerate the icons conserved inside the
basilica. Archbishop Nikola
Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, then pronounced some
words after which the ceremony continued with the initial chants in the
Maronite rite.
Following the readings Benedict XVI delivered greetings to the patriarchs and
a group of Oriental and Latin bishops, to Orthodox, Muslim and Druze
delegations, as well as to representatives of the world of culture and civil
society, and the
Greek-Melkite community.
"The happy coexistence of Islam and Christianity, two religions that have
helped to shape great cultures", he said, "is what makes for the originality
of social, political and religious life in Lebanon. One can only rejoice in
this circumstance, which
must absolutely be encouraged. I entrust this wish to the religious leaders of
your country".
"Providentially, this event takes place on the Feast of the Exaltation of the
Holy Cross, a celebration originating in the East in 335, following the
dedication of the Basilica of the Resurrection built over Golgotha and our
Lord’s tomb by the
Emperor Constantine the Great, whom you venerate as saint. A month from now we
will celebrate the seventeen-hundredth anniversary of the appearance to
Constantine of the 'Chi-Rho', radiant in the symbolic night of his unbelief
and accompanied by the
words: 'In this sign you will conquer!'"
"There is an inseparable bond between the cross and the resurrection which
Christians must never forget. Without this bond, to exalt the cross would mean
to justify suffering and death, seeing them merely as our inevitable fate. For
Christians, to exalt
the cross means to be united to the totality of God’s unconditional love
for mankind. It means making an act of faith! To exalt the cross, against the
backdrop of the resurrection, means to desire to experience and to show the
totality of this
love. It means making an act of love! To exalt the cross means to be a
committed herald of fraternal and ecclesial communion, the source of authentic
Christian witness. It means making an act of hope!
"In examining the present situation of the Church in the Middle East, the
Synod Fathers reflected on the joys and struggles, the fears and hopes of
Christ’s disciples in these lands. In this way, the entire Church was
able to hear the troubled cry
and see the desperate faces of many men and women who experience grave human
and material difficulties, who live amid powerful tensions in fear and
uncertainty, who desire to follow Christ - the One Who gives meaning to their
existence - yet often find
themselves prevented from doing so".
"At the same time, the Church was able to admire all that is beautiful and
noble in the Churches in these lands. How can we fail to thank God at every
moment for all of you, dear Christians of the Middle East! How can we fail to
praise Him for your
courage and faith? How can we fail to thank Him for the flame of His infinite
love which you continue to keep alive and burning in these places which were
the first to welcome His incarnate Son? How can we fail to praise and thank
Him for your efforts
to build ecclesial and fraternal communion, and for the human solidarity which
you constantly show to all God’s children?
"'Ecclesia in Medio Oriente' makes it possible to rethink the present in order
to look to the future with the eyes of Christ. By its biblical and pastoral
orientation, its invitation to deeper spiritual and ecclesiological
reflection, its call for
liturgical and catechetical renewal, and its summons to dialogue, the
Exhortation points out a path for rediscovering what is essential: being a
follower of Christ even in difficult and sometimes painful situations which
may lead to the temptation to
ignore or to forget the exaltation of the cross. It is here and now that we
are called to celebrate the victory of love over hate, forgiveness over
revenge, service over domination, humility over pride, and unity over
division. In the light of
today’s Feast, and in view of a fruitful application of the Exhortation,
I urge all of you to fear not, to stand firm in truth and in purity of faith.
This is the language of the cross, exalted and glorious ... capable of
changing our suffer
ings
into a declaration of love for God and mercy for our neighbour, ... of
transforming those who suffer because of their faith and identity into vessels
of clay ready to be filled to overflowing by divine gifts more precious than
gold. This is more than
simply picturesque language: it is a pressing appeal to act concretely in a
way which configures us ever more fully to Christ, in a way which helps the
different Churches to reflect the beauty of the first community of believers".
"'Ecclesia in Medio Oriente' provides some elements that are helpful for a
personal and communal examination of conscience, and an objective evaluation
of the commitment and desire for holiness of each one of Christ’s
disciples. The Exhortation
shows openness to authentic inter-religious dialogue based on faith in the one
God, the Creator. It also seeks to contribute to an ecumenism full of human,
spiritual and charitable fervour, in evangelical truth and love".
"The Exhortation as a whole is meant to help each of the Lord’s
disciples to live fully and to pass on faithfully to others what he or she has
become by Baptism: a child of light, sharing in God’s own light, a lamp
newly lit amid the
troubled darkness of this world, so that the light may shine in the darkness.
The document seeks to help purify the faith from all that disfigures it, from
everything that can obscure the splendour of Christ’s light. For
communion is true fidelity
to Christ, and Christian witness is the radiance of the paschal mystery which
gives full meaning to the cross, exalted and glorious".
"'Fear not, little flock', and remember the promise made to Constantine: 'In
this sign you will conquer!” Churches of the Middle East, fear not, for
the Lord is truly with you, to the close of the age! Fear not, because the
universal Church walks
at your side and is humanly and spiritually close to you! It is with this hope
and this word of encouragement to be active heralds of the faith by your
communion and witness. ... God grant that all the peoples of the Middle East
may live in peace,
fraternity and religious freedom! May God bless all of you!"
___________________________________________________________
SUMMARY OF THE POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION "ECCLESIA IN MEDIO ORIENTE"
Vatican City, 15 September 2012 (VIS) - Given below is a brief summary of the
main points contained in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in
Medio Oriente".
The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortion "Ecclesia in Medio Oriente" is the
document elaborated by Benedict XVI based on the forty-four final propositions
of the special Synod for the Middle East, which was held in Vatican City from
10 to 26 October 2010 on
the theme: "The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and witness.
'The company of those who believed were of one heart and soul'". The text is
subdivided into three parts, plus an introduction and a conclusion.
INTRODUCTION
The Exhortation invites the Catholic Church in the Middle East to revive
communion within the Church, looking to the "native faithful" who belong to
the Eastern Catholic Churches "sui iuris", and opening up to dialogue with
Jews and Muslims. This is a
communion, a unity to be reached within the context of geographical,
religious, cultural and socio-political diversity in the Middle East. Benedict
XVI renews his call to conserve and promote the rites of the Eastern Churches,
heritage of all Christ's
Church.
PART ONE
The Context: Firstly, the Pope exhorts us not to forget the Christians who
live in the Middle East and who bring a "noble and authentic" contribution to
the construction of the Body of Christ. Then, in describing the situation of
the region and the
peoples who live there, Benedict XVI dramatically emphasises the deaths, the
victims of "human blindness", fear and humiliation. Without entering into
detail, the Exhortation briefly recalls that the position of the Holy See on
the various conflicts in
the region and on the status of Jerusalem and the Holy Places is well known.
Finally, a call is made for conversion to peace - understood not only as the
simple absence of conflict, but rather as interior peace and linked to justice
- overriding all
distinctions of race, sex and class, and to practice forgiveness in the realms
of both private and community life.
The Christian and ecumenical life: This chapter is a call in favour of
ecumenical unity which "does not mean uniformity of tradition and
celebrations". In a difficult, unstable political context inclined towards
violence such as the Middle East, in
fact, the Church has developed in a truly multi-form fashion, encompassing
Churches of ancient tradition and more recent ecclesiastical communities. It
is a form of mosaic which requires significant effort in the reinforcement of
Christian witness. In
line with Vatican Council II the Pope encourages spiritual ecumenism, and a
communion understood not as confusion, but rather as recognition and respect
for others. At the same time, the Exhortation reasserts the importance of the
work of theology and
the various ecumenical commissions and ecclesial communities, in order that -
in line with the doctrine of the Church - they speak with one voice on the
most important moral questions (family, sexuality, bioethics, freedom, justice
and p
eace).
Diaconal ecumenism is also important, in both charitable and educational
fields. Several concrete proposals for an ecumenical pastoral outreach are
then listed: among these, the application of conciliary openness towards a
certain "communicatio in
sacris" (i.e., the possibility for Christians to access the Sacraments in a
Church other than their own) for the Sacraments of Penance, the Eucharist and
the Anointing of the Sick. The Pope states his certainty of the possibility of
reaching agreement
on a common translation of the Lord's Prayer in the local languages of the
region.
Inter-religious dialogue: Recalling the historical and spiritual links that
Christians have with Jews and Muslims, the Exhortation reaffirms that
inter-religious dialogue is not dictated by pragmatic considerations of a
political or social order, but is
based primarily upon the theological foundations of faith: Jews, Christians
and Muslims believe in a single God and for this reason it is hoped that they
may recognise in "the other believer" a brother to love and respect, avoiding
the exploitation of
religion for conflicts which are "unjustifiable for authentic believers". With
particular regard to Christian-Jewish dialogue, the Pope recalls the common
spiritual heritage, based on the Bible, which leads back to the "Jewish roots
of Christianity"; at
the same time he invites Christians to be aware of the mystery of the
Incarnation of God and to condemn the unjustifiable persecutions of the past.
With regard to Muslims, Benedict XVI uses the word "esteem", "in fidelity to
the teachings of Vatican Council II"; however, is is regrettable that
doctrinal differences have been used as a pretext by both Christians and
Muslims to justify, in the name
of religion, acts of intolerance, discrimination, marginalisation and
persecution. The Exhortation then shows how the presence of Christians in the
Middle East is neither new, nor casual, but historical. An integral part of
the region, they have given
rise to "a particular form of symbiosis" with the surrounding culture,
specific to the Middle East, and they have the right and the duty to
participate fully in civil life, and should not be considered as second class
citizens. The Pope affirms that
religious liberty - the pinnacle of all freedoms, sacred and inalienable -
includes the freedom to choose the religion one considers true and to publicly
manifest one's belief and its symbols, without putting one's own life or
personal
freedom in danger. Force and constriction are not admissible in religious
matters. The Pope calls for the step to be taken from tolerance to religious
freedom, which does not imply an open door to syncretism, but rather "a
reconsideration of the
relationship between man, religion and God".
Two new realities: The Exhortation considers at length the matter of
secularisation, including its extreme forms, and the violent fundamentalism
that claims to have a religious origin. A healthy secularity means distinction
and collaboration between
politics and religion, characterised by mutual respect. It requires the
political sphere to operate without manipulating religion, and guarantees that
religion may live without the encumbrance of political interests. Religious
fundamentalism - which
grows in a climate of socio-political uncertainty - seeks to take power for
political ends, at times using violence, over the individual conscience and
over religion. For this reason, the Pope issues a heartfelt appeal to all the
religious leaders of
the Middle East to endeavour, by their example and their teaching, to do
everything possible to uproot this threat which indiscriminately and fatally
affects believers of all religions.
Migrants: The Pope faces a crucial question, the exodus - indeed, a
haemorrhage - of Christians who find themselves in a delicate position, at
times without hope, and are subject to the negative consequences of conflicts,
often feeling humiliated,
despite having participated throughout the centuries in the construction of
their respective countries. A Middle East without, or with few Christians,
would no longer be the Middle East. The Pope therefore asks political and
religious leaders to avoid
policies and strategies tending towards a monochromatic Middle East which does
not reflect its human and historical reality. Benedict XVI also invites the
pastors of the Eastern Catholic Churches to help their priests and their
faithful in exodus to
remain in contact with their families and their Churches, and encourages the
Pastors of the ecclesiastical circumscriptions who welcome the Eastern
Catholics to allow them the possibility of worshipping according to their own
traditions. Th
is
chapter also considers the question of immigrant workers - often Catholics of
Latin rite - from Africa, the Far East and the Indian sub-continent, who too
often experience situations of discrimination and injustice.
PART TWO
Patriarchs: Leaders of the "sui iuris" Churches, in perfect union with the
Bishop of Rome, render tangible the universality and unity of the Church and,
as a sign of communion, are able to reinforce this union and solidarity within
the framework of the
Council of Catholic Patriarchs of the Middle East and the patriarchal Synods,
always favouring consultation and collegial action on questions fundamental to
the Church.
Bishops: A visible sign of the unity in diversity of the Church understood as
a Body, of whom Christ is the head, the bishops are the first to be sent forth
into all nations to make disciples. They must proclaim God's Word with courage
and firmly defend
the integrity and unity of the faith, in those difficult situations which are
unfortunately common in the Middle East. The bishops are also required to
ensure a wise, honest and transparent management of the temporal goods of the
Church and to this end,
the Pope recalls that the Synod Fathers have requested serious revision of
finances and assets, to avoid confusion between personal property and that of
the Church. The bishops, furthermore, must be vigilant in ensuring that
priests receive appropriate
remuneration, in order that they do not become distracted by material matters.
The alienation of the goods of the Church must adhere strictly to canonical
norms and the current papal legislation. Finally, the Pope exhorts bishops
to
ensure the pastoral care of all Christian faithful, regardless of their
nationality or ecclesial provenance.
Priests and seminarians: The Exhortation underlines that priests must educate
the People of God in the construction of a civilisation of evangelical love
and unity, and this requires an in-depth transmission of the Word of God, and
of the tradition and
the Doctrine of the Church, along with intellectual and spiritual renewal of
the priests themselves. To this end, celibacy is important - a priceless gift
of God to the Church - as is the ministry of married priests, an ancient
component of the Eastern
tradition. As servants of the communion, priests and seminarians must offer
courageous and unambiguous testimony, must conduct themselves irreproachably,
and must be open to the cultural diversity of their Churches (learning, for
instance, their
languages and cultures), along with ecclesial diversity and ecumenical and
inter-religious dialogue.
The consecrated life: Monasticism in its various forms was born in the Middle
East and gave rise to several "sui iuris" Churches. Men and women religious
must collaborate with the bishop in pastoral and missionary activities. They
are invited to
meditate upon at length and observe the evangelical counsels (chastity,
poverty and obedience), as there cannot be spiritual regeneration - of the
faithful, the community and the Church as a whole - without a clear and
unequivocal return to the search
for God.
The laity: Members of the Body of Christ through Baptism, and thus fully
associated with the mission of the universal Church, to lay people the Pope
entrusts the task of promoting - in temporal matters, their proper domain -
the sound administration of
public goods, religious freedom and respect for the dignity of each person.
They are invited to be bold in the cause of Christ. In order that their
witness be fruitful, however, lay people must overcome the divisions and all
subjective interpretations
of Christian life.
Family: A divine institution founded on the indissoluble Sacrament of Marriage
between a man and a woman, today the family is exposed to many dangers. The
Christian family must be supported in the problems and difficulties it faces,
and must look to its
own deepest identity, in order to become first and foremost a domestic Church
which educates in prayer and in faith, a seedbed of vocations, the natural
school of virtue and ethical values, and the primary cell of society. The
Exhortation gives
considerable consideration to the question of women in the Middle East and to
the need for equality with men, in the face of the discriminations they suffer
which gravely offend not only women themselves, but also and above all, God.
The Pope emphasises
that women must play a greater role in public and ecclesial life. With regard
to judicial disputes in matrimonial matters, the voice of the woman must be
heard with equal respect to that of the man, without injustice. To this end,
the Po
pe
encourages a sound and just application of the law, in order that the judicial
differences regarding matrimonial matters do not lead to apostasy. Finally,
the Christians of the Middle East must be able to apply their own law, both in
marriage and
elsewhere, without restrictions.
Young people and children: The Pope exhorts them not to be afraid or ashamed
of being Christians, to respect other believers, Jews and Muslims, and to
always cultivate, through prayer, a true friendship with Jesus, loving Christ
and the Church. In this
way, they may discern wisely the values of modern life that may be useful to
their fulfilment, without allowing themselves to be seduced by materialism or
certain social networks, the indiscriminate use of which may distort the true
nature of human
relations. With regard to children, in particular, the Exhortation calls upon
parents, teachers, guides and public institutions to recognise the rights of
minors from the moment of their conception.
PART THREE
The Word of God, soul and source of communion and witness: After expressing
recognition of the exegetical schools (of Alexandria, Antioch, etc.) which
have contributed to the dogmatic formulation of Christian mystery in the
fourth and fifth centuries,
the Exhortation recommends a genuine biblical apostolate, to help dissipate
prejudice or mistaken ideas which may be the cause of needless and humiliating
controversies. This leads to the suggestion of proclaiming a Year of the
Bible, in accordance with
the pastoral conditions of each country in the region, and to follow it, if
appropriate, with an annual Bible Week. The Christian presence in the biblical
countries of the Middle East - which is far more than a question of
sociological belonging or
simple economic and cultural success - by rediscovering its original
inspiration and in following Christ's disciples, will take on new vitality.
Liturgy and sacramental life: For the faithful in the Middle East, the liturgy
is an essential element of spiritual unity and communion. The renewal of
celebrations and liturgical texts, where necessary, must be based on the Word
of God and undertaken
in collaboration with the Churches who share the same traditions. The
importance of Baptism is a key issue, which enables those who receive this
sacrament to live in communion and to develop true solidarity with other
members of humankind, without
discrimination on the grounds of race or religion. From this point of view,
the Pope hopes for an ecumenical agreement between the Catholic Church and the
Churches with whom it is in theological dialogue on the mutual recognition of
Baptism, in order to
restore full communion in apostolic faith. The Exhortation also expresses hope
for more frequent practice of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, and
exhorts pastors and the faithful to promote initiatives for peace, even amid
persecution.
Prayer and pilgrimages: The Middle East is a privileged land of pilgrimage for
many Christians who come to consolidate their faith and to seek a profoundly
spiritual experience. The Pope asks that the faithful have free access,
without restriction, to
holy places. It is also essential that contemporary biblical pilgrimage
returns to its original motivations of penitence and the search for God.
Evangelisation and charity; the Church's mission: The Exhortation underlines
that the transmission of faith is an essential mission of the Church. The Pope
therefore encourages the new evangelisation which, in a contemporary context,
marked by change,
makes the faithful aware of the testimony of their lives: this reinforces
their word when they speak of God courageously and openly, to announce the
Good News of salvation. In particular, in the Middle East, deepening of the
theological and pastoral
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