CHURCHES IN BRIEF" "
Bosnia-Herzegovina: the Pope’s words to the bishops “Spare no energies in supporting the weak, helping – in all ways possible – those who have a legitimate and honest desire to remain in the land of their birth, bring succour to the spiritual hunger of those who believe in the indelible values, born of the Gospel, that throughout the centuries have nurtured the life of your communities. Animated by the healing balm of faith, by your example and preaching, they will be able to strengthen their determination towards goodness”. It is the encouragement of Pope Francis to the bishops of Bosnia-Herzegovina, received in audience on March 16 for their Ad Limina visit, almost a prologue of his pastoral visit to Sarajevo next June 16. In his speech the Pope addressed several themes. Reflecting on emigration, the Pope recalled “the difficulty of return for many of your co-citizens, the scarcity of sources of work, the instability of families, the emotional and social laceration of entire communities, the practical precariousness of many parishes, and the still fresh memories of conflict, both at a personal and community level, in which wounded hearts are still painful. I know that all is the source of pain and concern for your hearts of Shepherds”. “The Pope and the Church – Francis told the bishops – are with you with prayers and concrete support to your programs in favour of those living in your lands, with no distinctions”. The Pope also invited the prelates to be “fathers to all, in spite of material limits and the crisis within which you work”. “May your heart always be large enough to accommodate all, just as the heart of Christ is able to receive in itself – with divine love – every human being”, he said. Pope Francis reminded the bishops that “every Christian community knows that it is called upon to open itself up and to irradiate the light of the Gospel; it cannot stay closed within its traditions. It must come out of its ‘enclosure’, firm in faith, supported by prayer and encouraged by pastors, to live and announce the new life of which it is a depository, that of Christ, Saviour of all men”. The Pope encouraged “initiatives that can extend the presence of the Church beyond liturgical parameters, assuming with imagination every other action that may affect society, bringing with it the fresh spirit of the Gospel”. Sweden: prayer for persecuted Christians “For the faithful prayer is an important force and therefore we ask that in celebrations of Palm Sunday, March 29, a common prayer may be said for Christians persecuted in the Middle East”, wrote yesterday Karin Wiborn, General Secretary of the Christian Council in Sweden. “We are worried for our Christian brothers and sisters”, the majority of whom “are members of the ancient Eastern Church, also known as the Assyrian Church” and the Syriac-Orthodox Church”. Karin Wibor is supported in this initiative by the belief that “prayer can change. And if it is done together, in various churches of different traditions across the Country, we are sure it will have an impact”. Many members of churches and organizations are working “in the Middle East to support all those suffering from the devastating consequences of the war”, states a release annexed to the prayer. “Despite these efforts, is situation continues to be serious. We feel greatly prostrated for what is happening”. For this the Churches in Sweden appeal “to policymakers to do their utmost to protect people and ensure the establishment of security and peace”. Over the past months the Churches have repeatedly called upon the Foreign Minister – with letters, consultations and meetings – to “promote freedom of religion and belief through foreign affairs initiatives”. Belgium: religions together for the promotion of peace “Together in Peace”: was the theme of the national march promoted Sunday, March 15 in Brussels, attended by 3.500 people. The initiative – organized by the religious leaders in the Country – representing Christians, Muslims and Jews – was organised to “say no to the strategy of terror” after the attacks in Paris and Copenhagen and “yes to peaceful coexistence”. As a symbolic act during the march participants stopped in front of the Orthodox Cathedral of the Archangel Saints: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, of the Protestant Church, of the Catholic Church Notre-Dame du Sablon and the great Synagogue. The archbishop of Malines-Bruxelles, monsignor André-Joseph Léonard took the floor in front of the Catholic place of worship. “Each time that Jews, Muslims and Christians are killed for their faith we must all boldly affirm: ‘I am Christian, or Muslim, or Jew. Because when the violation of the human dignity of one of our brothers and sisters in humanity is an attack on us all”. The march stopped in front of the Courthouse in Brussels, where minister Koen Geens welcomed demonstrators with a speech: “Ignorance – he said – is the father of violence, fear is the mother of intolerance. By paradox, in a globalised world, where everyone knows everything, ignorance and fear have more chances to grow”. Whilst underlining the importance of education the Minister added: “there is no better weapon to destroy identities than the deformation of religious and philosophical messages”.
