By SIR
“May the Churches be united to defend the rights of the Christian community in the Middle East more effectively. Every Church may and must live in respect of its tradition, but for the issues concerning the Christian community, unity must prevail over everything”. From the Baghdadhope site, those words were addressed by Msgr. Shlemon Warduni, Chaldean Patriarchal Vicar of Baghdad, to the Bishops’ Synod for the Middle East. Msgr. Shlemon Warduni is taking part in the Synod, whose works started yesterday. “Some synod Fathers – stated Msgr. Warduni – have already underlined some problems concerning Churches in the Middle East, including also the impossibility to announce the Word of the Gospel freely, in some areas”. Another issue up for discussion is linked to Church unity: to foster it, the Chaldean bishop proposes “the establishment of 4 committees representing all the Christians in the Middle East, to deal with themes such as relations between Catholic Churches, with Protestant and Orthodox Churches, with Jews and Muslims, and with the political forces of every country in the Middle East. The latest Committee would be important because just our Christian unity can speak with a peaceful but strong and resolute voice, capable of submitting its requests to the governments of the countries where Christians are still ill-treated".
“May the Churches be united to defend the rights of the Christian community in the Middle East more effectively. Every Church may and must live in respect of its tradition, but for the issues concerning the Christian community, unity must prevail over everything”. From the Baghdadhope site, those words were addressed by Msgr. Shlemon Warduni, Chaldean Patriarchal Vicar of Baghdad, to the Bishops’ Synod for the Middle East. Msgr. Shlemon Warduni is taking part in the Synod, whose works started yesterday. “Some synod Fathers – stated Msgr. Warduni – have already underlined some problems concerning Churches in the Middle East, including also the impossibility to announce the Word of the Gospel freely, in some areas”. Another issue up for discussion is linked to Church unity: to foster it, the Chaldean bishop proposes “the establishment of 4 committees representing all the Christians in the Middle East, to deal with themes such as relations between Catholic Churches, with Protestant and Orthodox Churches, with Jews and Muslims, and with the political forces of every country in the Middle East. The latest Committee would be important because just our Christian unity can speak with a peaceful but strong and resolute voice, capable of submitting its requests to the governments of the countries where Christians are still ill-treated".