OF TYRE WEAR THE CROSS WITH DIGNITY Carrying the Cross ... with dignity
The Synod on the Catholics of the East today begins a second week of reflection.
The Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Churches Catholics in the Middle East today begins its second week of work, in an almost total indifference of the Arab media and Western. Apart from daily reports of the LBC and Tele-Lumiere, Lebanon, only a few Lebanese journalists, a Palestinian and an Egyptian cover this historic event. This, again, agrees with those who think that to lead to something new, a synod of the Catholics of the East should lead to the conclusion of a "new social contract, political and spiritual" between Christians and Muslims. A lucid and calm the situation has been given during the week, by the P. Boulos Tannouri, superior general of the Antonine. The latter was content to see, like everyone else, that "the political situation in the Middle East is not bound to improve" and that "Emigration remains the simplest choice to escape the situation .
However, said Father Tannouri, "the Church should not be limited to a purely human, instead, inspired by the Gospel, it must indicate the right choice, although difficult, according to a saying of Jesus in Gospel: "Enter through the narrow gate." It is the duty of the Church to educate the faithful, to accept the cross and carry it with dignity. " It's a bell has sounded quite similar Anan Ms. Lewis, a professor of English literature at Baghdad University, consecrated lay delegate of the Latin Church in this country: "Representing the people of secular Iraq she said, I would like to emphasize the fact that apart from security and political and social stability, nothing can give reasons for Iraqi Christians to stay and be deeply rooted in their country and their faith without a sincere spiritual and pastoral care of church fathers (...). Neither of Sunday sermons or classes Friday to Sunday school children are enough to encourage people to remain secular. Instead of giving money to renovate chapels or purchase empty houses or sheds decorated living stones build and establish small projects for girls and boys so they can discover their astute professional capacity. "Faith Christian true Christian courage and job creation could be the program for Ms. Lewis. Christians have done their part of this contract.
"Ambassadors of Christ"
for Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, one of the tasks of the synod is "to provide Christians in the Middle East concrete directions."
"Do not be shy to ask not only freedom of worship, but also religious freedom," he said. Invest more in our schools and universities attended by Christians and Muslims. They are laboratories required to live together. Ask us if we do enough at the local churches to encourage Christians to remain on our site: housing, tuition, health. "
The duty of Christian living, the power Attraction of holiness were on the lips of Archimandrite John Faraj, superior general of the Basilian Order (Melkite), whose parent company, the convent of St. Saviour in the Chouf mountains, houses the remains of P. Bechara Abou Mrad, whose canonization is underway. "The love of neighbor, he said, has opened many doors closed and we were assured continuity for 300 years. Six times in our history we have been looted, vandalized, bombed and displaced from our monasteries, our parishes and our region. More than 25 priests and religious were martyred cruelly. Forgive, believe and testify seem the only way to continue and endure. We are ambassadors of Christ (...). People of all nationalities and religions, are attracted by the saints. They come to pray and ask for their help (...). The example is the guarantee of the success and continuity. "
A" new springtime "
Mgr Michel Aoun, the Maronite bishop of Beirut vicar, for his part, stressed the need for a new opportunity for church communities to do their work of evangelization. "I firmly believe," he said in his speech that this synod would give an answer the expectations of our loyal if offered strong pastoral routes for adults who can lead our Christian faith adult (...). The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI continues to encourage the charisms which the Holy Spirit inspires in the new ecclesial communities where fruits are evident (...). Bishops and priests are, above all, the guarantors of the communion, and on behalf of this communion, I would like this Synod encourages them to discern the benefits that these bring charisma to the Church and to welcome them as a new spring. "
Opening the horizon
Come as a guest Cardinal Roger Etchegarray, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, the Synod has provided one of his "keywords". Visibly moved, the cardinal said he looked Etchegarray icon of the Virgin Mary and have had this intuition that these pastors were compiled by the synod as the Magi from the East which the Gospels speak of Christ's childhood, of magi seeking the star next to the West. But, said the cardinal, they also called to look to the East and even to the Far East. The Cardinal has opened the horizon of this synod to Far Eastern Christian, alive and suffering, the huge China but also Pakistan, North Korea, Burma and Laos, Vietnam, to name only the land where the challenges of religious freedom are the best known.
Fady Noun
hilda.barhoum @ wanadoo.fr
BENEDICT XVI TO CREATE THE NEW SURPRISE 
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
