SYNOD FOR THE MIDDLE EAST: THE BISHOPS DENOUNCE “THE POLITICIANS’ SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES”

Sabato 28 Maggio 2011

The fourth meeting of the Special Council for the Middle East of the Secretariat General took place on May 17th and 18th at the Secretariat General of the Episcopal Synod. During the meeting, as reported by the Vatican Newsroom today, the Council members spoke of the “causes for hope and concern of the Middle Eastern populations, including Christians”, while also denouncing the “serious responsibilities of the local and international politicians, who should make sure all citizens, from all ethnical, religious or cultural backgrounds, have the same rights. The cohabitation of different religions is essential to the development of mutual understanding and tolerance, to promoting peaceful and fruitful relationships in their cooperation for the common good”. For the participating bishops, including cardinals Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, and Antonios Naguib, Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria (Egypt), “the demands for ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue seem to be increasingly exacting and boost the pursuit of communion and testimony by the disciples of the Lord, in order to live faith in charity and in the hope of better times, that must be built with patience, perseverance and love”. Special attention was paid to “drawing up a summary of the synodal documents, especially the Propositions, in order to prepare a picture as exhaustive as possible of the synodal work, in preparation to the drafting of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, which, as for any other Special Assembly, Benedict XVI will publish in due time”. The next meeting will take place on July 6th and 7th.