VATICAN CITY, 4 MAY 2010 (VIS) - The pre-synodal council of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East met in Rome from 23 to 24 April, according to a communique released yesterday.
The meeting was attended by: His Beatitude Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon; Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples; Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue; Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt; His Beatitude Ignace Youssif III Younan, patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians, Lebanon; His Beatitude Gregoire III Laham B.S., patriarch of Antioch of the Greek-Melkites, Syria; His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Lebanon; His Beatitude Fouad Twal, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins; Archbishop Ramzi Garmou of Tehran of the Chaldeans and president of the Iranian Episcopal Conference, and Bishop Luigi Padovese O.F.M. Cap., apostolic vicar of Anatolia, Turkey. His Beatitude Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq, was unable to participate.
Following a greeting and introductory talk by Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, the work focused on the reports of the individual members concerning the situation of the Church in the social and political context of the Middle East, and especially on the preparation of the "Instrumentum laboris", the working document of the Special Assembly which is due to take place from 10 to 24 October on the theme: "The Catholic Church in the Middle East. Communion and Witness. Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul".
"The Special Assembly for the Middle East has a dual objective", reads the communique: "confirming and strengthening Christians in their identity through the Word of God and the Sacraments, and fomenting ecclesial communion between the particular Churches in order to enable them to offer authentic Christian witness in their contacts with other Churches and ecclesial communities. Hence the urgent need for a convinced ecumenical commitment 'that they may be one, that the world may believe'.
"The forthcoming Synod will also be a precious opportunity to examine the religious and social situation, in order to give Christians a clear sense of being active witnesses of Christ in the context of a Muslim-majority society. This will involve profound reflection on the current situation, a situation rendered difficult by conflicts and instability which cause the exodus of people, including no small number of Christians".
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The meeting was attended by: His Beatitude Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon; Cardinal Ivan Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples; Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue; Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt; His Beatitude Ignace Youssif III Younan, patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians, Lebanon; His Beatitude Gregoire III Laham B.S., patriarch of Antioch of the Greek-Melkites, Syria; His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Lebanon; His Beatitude Fouad Twal, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins; Archbishop Ramzi Garmou of Tehran of the Chaldeans and president of the Iranian Episcopal Conference, and Bishop Luigi Padovese O.F.M. Cap., apostolic vicar of Anatolia, Turkey. His Beatitude Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq, was unable to participate.
Following a greeting and introductory talk by Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, the work focused on the reports of the individual members concerning the situation of the Church in the social and political context of the Middle East, and especially on the preparation of the "Instrumentum laboris", the working document of the Special Assembly which is due to take place from 10 to 24 October on the theme: "The Catholic Church in the Middle East. Communion and Witness. Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul".
"The Special Assembly for the Middle East has a dual objective", reads the communique: "confirming and strengthening Christians in their identity through the Word of God and the Sacraments, and fomenting ecclesial communion between the particular Churches in order to enable them to offer authentic Christian witness in their contacts with other Churches and ecclesial communities. Hence the urgent need for a convinced ecumenical commitment 'that they may be one, that the world may believe'.
"The forthcoming Synod will also be a precious opportunity to examine the religious and social situation, in order to give Christians a clear sense of being active witnesses of Christ in the context of a Muslim-majority society. This will involve profound reflection on the current situation, a situation rendered difficult by conflicts and instability which cause the exodus of people, including no small number of Christians".
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