Benedict XVI made a historic event that synod. Pope creates new surprise
the second day of the synod devoted to Christians Middle East, Pope Benedict XVI has again created a stir yesterday by placing the debate in terms of the theology of history, transforming the "common place" in a historic event.
Taken on arm's length by the Pope, the synod faced skepticism opinion
Without giving anyone the 185 synod fathers have time to breathe or get to know Benedict XVI again created a stir by raising the debate on such a large amount of thought that everyone had gasped. As before, at the opening Mass at St. Peter, the Pope, who was driving her voice distinguished the opening prayer works, yesterday placed the debate in terms of the theology of history, speaking this time, nor the Middle East, "cradle of a universal plan of salvation", but the Mother of God, and to say the same thing: God acts in the world through the mediation of the story, a story which he is the Lord, whatever the poor appearances this manor is now in a Middle East that is losing its Christian as a major injury is bleeding. There is no doubt the Pope has the synod to the force of arms. Without him, this historic assembly comprising all Catholic bishops from the Middle East is already a "common place". He made a historic event. Certainly, the feeling of déjà vu for some, their skepticism is justified. These topics have already been discussed. It must indeed do justice to the First Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of the East, held in Beirut in 2001, and the work she was able to achieve fundamental, somewhat in the same direction as the synod opens today. Except that nine years ago, history was not received at the lightning speed she knows now, and the combined ravages of holy wars of George Bush's son - with hints of oil - and the jihadists of al-Qaeda had not reached such heights. It is these ravages that, following the visit of Benedict XVI in the Holy Land (2009), had pushed him to launch his cry of alarm. This synod is not something else.
But what can he do, humanly speaking, against the forces now open, such as unemployment, sometimes obscure, like a deaf threat of Islamization progressive, growing Christians to begin with? The answer is obvious: nothing. And the young Christian who is asked what he expected of a synod, which we like it or not, creates expectations, no other answer. It also: nothing.
The young Arab, Christian or Muslim, threw in the towel. Every morning, washing the face before going to work when he found, he wondered when he will propose a salary decent enough for him to marry a bride that he has promised for five or ten years. The young Arab Christian mocks what he can bring the synod. All he asks is not to die unmarried, killed by a burst out of the midnight mass. Otherwise, the poverty, the supplications of his mother, or sheer laziness, nothing restrains him to leave this inhospitable region that he has learned to call home. No, this synod is not for the young Christian Arab, who vaguely heard about today, and the preparation of which we do not even pretend to associate. The synod is for the clerics, for the hierarchy, for those who bear the cross of gold set with precious stones or the clergyman or the cassock. Or gray pants.
For better and for worse
For better and for worse, they were 185 yesterday morning to look for the thousandth time on this "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" they need to disabuse any price. But soon the afternoon, some had already surrendered to the call of the showcases of Rome, and they will be even fewer in the coming days, many have decided, after making an appearance, they have better to do than waste time in endless sessions of the General Congregations and intersections which nothing will come that they already know. "Communion and testimony," the theme of the synod did not seem to be anything else, for many present, and much of the opinion that a common place. In a press conference at the end of a long session morning during which the two rapporteurs of the synod, the Catholic Coptic Patriarch, Antonios Naguib, and the Maronite bishop of Cyprus, Youssef Soueif, will have relayed to read a text of 24 pages of closely written summary of the main box that the synod should be mine to explore, the Patriarch, assisted by Bishop Bechara Rahi tried to speak, without convincing, especially without bringing anything new. One thing is clear. Do not expect "fast fruit", assured reason - and honestly - the Maronite Archbishop of Jbeil. For its part, to a question about unifying the party, the Patriarch Naguib responded by joking about the advantage of having two off at Christmas. We measure the distance it must yet pass before the synod on the meshing seriously. Moreover, the patriarch said, the problem of emigration in Egypt is less due to "persecution" - a term he rejects - that population growth that swallows, in its effect, all the economic efforts. Egypt is now in 1.7 million new births every year, for a country of 90 million inhabitants, where the Coptic Catholics are only 250,000, a tiny minority within another minority 8-10000000 of Copts Orthodox. Where to find a half-million new jobs per year and how many of them should go to Catholics?
Left to themselves
The two men also defended yesterday the concept of "positive secularism" or "Vital Statistics," cited in the report morning as an alternative to the system where Islam is the religion of state. Bishop Rahi could not help but move his verse on "Lebanon message." But none of them mentioned the capacity of the assembly to implement this constitutional mutation in Arab countries. For the synod, like it or no, a waterbed effect, stands not for a community, but for all communities in the Middle East. It is indissolubly Christian and Muslim. No, the Christians of the East are this time really left to themselves, and no political or diplomatic effort, no more of France than the EU or the U.S. will be able to "save "as the title Le Figaro. By cons, which can save them, maybe their "communion" in Jerusalem, where a Muslim holds the keys to the chapel of the Holy Sepulcher, Armenian and Orthodox to prevent from tearing each Easter. What can save the Christians is that they find jobs, rather than wasting money on lavish spending. Is that welcomes refugees from Iraq as brothers rather than ignoring them, not knowing that just behind them on the list. What may save them is the sanctity of life of their pastors. What Christians should be saved, indeed, is first to themselves, their divisions, their selfishness, and that they alone can do. Only then they can say, with the Instrumentum laboris "We have a future. We must take charge. "
Should we despair ?
Fady Noun
hilda.barhoum @ wanadoo.fr
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