The Pope in Egypt. Father Zaky: Francis’ legacy, “like the engine of a train, may you be the driving force leading” Egypt towards its destination

A visit that acted like a “watershed” for the Catholic Egyptian community. For Father Toma Adly Zaky, rector of al- Maadi Coptic Major Seminary, Pope Francis has left a major legacy to Egyptian Catholics: namely to pursue the path of unity and cooperation with Churches and national Institutions alike, the path of humbleness and forgiveness in particular. These steps are quasi compulsory for local Catholics, if they intend to be veritable “sowers of hope and agents of dialogue” across Egyptian society. SIR asked Fr Zaky, who welcomed Pope Francis on the afternoon of April 29 at the Coptic Seminary on the occasion of the meeting with priests, religious and seminarians, to share a review of the apostolic visit.

What is your assessment of the Pope’s visit to Egypt and which fruits could it bear for the Christian community and for the Country as a whole? 
It was a great visit that confirmed to the world that despite the terror attacks this is a safe Country..

The visit has made us aware that a lot can be done in Egypt if we remain united: the people, the Government, social organizations and the military. The visit presented a model of cooperation to be followed also for the future

I hope it will deliver important fruits to the Christian and Catholic community.

Has an especially significant fruit already been borne? It’s the Pope’s encouragement to Egyptian Catholics. His presence has given us the opportunity of experience this visit in unity – Coptic Catholics, Chaldeans, Maronites, Latins, Armenians and Melkite Christians. He donated us

A new spirit to proceed along the path of unity and peace.

It was a historical visit also in the light of clear ecumenical and interreligious implications.

One of the most beautiful moments of the visit – broadcast live on television – was the Mass at the Egyptian Air Force stadium attended by over 25 thousand faithful from across Egypt… 
We must thank the members of the Army for this celebration. They did their utmost to enable large numbers of faithful to reach Cairo in conditions of security. Many Egyptians – including non-Christians – followed the Papal visit through live TV broadcast. They were impressed by the Pope’s words and gestures that conveyed love, peace, understanding and charity. Many news analysts gave positive reviews of the visit, which will do much good to our Nation.

In a Country scarred by terrorism, Pope Francis’ words spurred reflection. He said: “Charity is the only acceptable form of fanaticism.” What is the value of these words for Christians and for Egyptian Catholics? 
The Pontiff reiterated that there can be no limits to charity, that it’s the only possible path that must be practised and borne witness to. It can be witnessed also through forgiveness, a fundamental practice in the life of all Christians, hence not confined to those in Egypt or in the Middle East.

In order to practice love we should be able to forgive, it’s the best answer to violence and terrorism.

Do you believe that this visit will help improve the living conditions of Christians in terms of citizenship, leading to the recognition of their laborious presence in Egyptian society? I don’t see it terms of rights and duties. Our nation has had the opportunity to experience Christians’ contribution to the peaceful and tolerant development of the Country, thereby highlighting its most beautiful facet.

Pope Francis had met over 1500 seminarians, priests, men and women religious. In his speech he underlined seven temptations that should be avoided in order to be “sowers of peace, builders of bridges and agents of dialogue and harmony…” The Pope has showed us the way leading to a renewal of our life as consecrated persons. There will be much to meditate and reflect upon in view of a lifelong commitment that is increasingly adherent to the Gospel. We should undergo a renewal if we intend to be, as the Pope said, like “the engine of a train”, the driving force of charity and forgiveness in Egypt.

Couldn’t the image of the engine of a train applied to the small Catholic minority – some 300 thousand faithful on a population of 90 million Egyptians – seem a paradox? I consider the image of the engine of a train a strong boost of confidence for our Catholic community that wishes to give a contribution also in terms of the human growth of Egyptian society. Such contribution is already conveyed through the activities we carry out in the area of education, in the reception of immigrants from Sudan, Eritrea, Syria, and Iraq, and in the support to the most needy, to sick people, old people, the disabled, the so-called “discarded” persons. It is important to strengthen these commitments in the future.

In your welcoming address to the Pontiff before the Liturgy of the Word in the seminary you openly spoke of the difficulties of consecrated life, where, “the conflicts are not between good and evil, but between a form of good and another form of good …”. How can the challenge involving these two forms of goodness be overcome? It’s hard to find the point of intersection of two forms of goodness. Everyone sees the common good from his/her own perspective, that’s where the conflicts experienced in consecrated life often stem from.

The Pope has shown us that humbleness is the way to overcome conflicts.

This is another great lesson transmitted to us by the Pope. I firmly believe that this indication applies to all Middle-Eastern Christians alike.

In your capacities as rector of the Seminary, do you believe that this visit will bring new vocations to Egypt’s Christian community? I hope so. I will cherish in my heart the Pope’s blessing of the priestly habit of three seminarians. Pope Francis will be of great help to young people in the reflection on their vocation to priestly and consecrated life.

This visit is a great gift to all of Egypt.