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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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Zahle, Lebanon - Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said on Saturday that the situation in Lebanon has become “unbearable” with the presence of more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees and that the country “must not wait for the international community” but should exert strenuous efforts to return the displaced.
“Lebanon can not wait for the international community to return displaced Syrians back to their country because it has its own considerations,” said Rahi.
“We have to work to return them back to their homeland because there are plenty of safe regions in Syria,” he added.
The Patriarch noted that Lebanon is witnessing a “political-security crisis,” adding to the “crisis of refugees and the economic calamity.”
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Bucharest - On Friday, 29 September 2017, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, welcomed His Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Vatican’s Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, who is currently paying an official visit in Romania. The Apostolic Nuncio to Romania, His Excellency Miguel Maury Buendía attended the meeting.
Cardinal Sandri expressed his joy of meeting His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and conveyed greetings on behalf of Pope Francis and the College of Cardinals.
Cardinal Sandri appreciated the important pastoral and missionary work carried out in Italy by the Romanian Patriarchate through His Grace Siluan, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Italy.
His Eminence also appreciated the project of the National Cathedral, which is currently being built in Bucharest.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel thanked Cardinal Leonardo Sandri for the good ties between the two Churches resulting in several Romanian Orthodox communities being hosted in Italy and in granting scholarships to young Orthodox theologians.
The Romanian Patriarch appreciated the good collaboration between the Patriarch Justinian Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest and the Pontifical Oriental Institute regarding the access granted to Romanian Orthodox students who attend Orthodox Theology courses in Rome to use the Institute’s library.
During the meeting, the parts discussed topics such as the social and pastoral challenges of the migration phenomenon, the accelerated secularization, and the need to reaffirm the European Christian identity.
Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate
Click here for original press release and photos at http://basilica.ro.
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Rome - On 24 September 2017, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, began his working visit to Rome.
Meeting Metropolitan Hilarion at the airport in Rome were Bishop Matfei of Bogorodsk, administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate’s parishes in Italy; Mr. Alexander Avdeyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Vatican; and Rev. Hyacinthe Destivelle, a staff member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
On September 25, at the Vatican, the DECR chairman met with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Metropolitan Hilarion congratulated Pope Benedict on his 90th birthday and conveyed to him warm greetings and wishes from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
During the meeting, the DECR chairman told the Pontiff Emeritus about the meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis that took place in Havana on 12 February 2016, as well as about various aspects of cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
In reply to Pope Benedict’s question about the revival of faith in the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Hilarion told him about the construction of new churches and monasteries, the establishment of theological faculties in secular universities, and the Church’s publishing and educational activities.
Metropolitan Hilarion presented Pope Benedict XVI with the Russian edition of the Pontiff Emeritus’ book entitled “The Theology of Liturgy,” prepared by the Publishing House of the Moscow Patriarchate in cooperation with the St. Gregory the Theologian Charity Foundation. Pope Emeritus warmly thanked the DECR chairman for the gift and expressed his wish that the Orthodox Christians in Russia might find his book in its Russian translation helpful for the better understanding of the Liturgy.
As a birthday present, Metropolitan Hilarion granted to Pope Benedict XVI six volumes of his book “Jesus Christ. Life and Teaching.”
Taking part in the meeting were also Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the Papal Household; Hieromonk Ioann Kopeykin, vice-rector of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate Studies; and Rev. Hyacinthe Destivelle of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
DECR Communication Service
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- Unfortunately, the pragmatic tactics to uphold positions and gain personal benefits was and is still the overruling policy in Iraq since the fall of the previous regime. As a result and due to the referendum and the right of self-determination declared by the Government of Kurdistan Region (KRG), the tension with the Iraqi Central Government (ICG) is escalating and raises fears, while others are beating war drums in such a blur situation of conflict. If, God forbid, there will be a military confrontation, in such devastating circumstances, both socially and economically, the consequences will be disastrous for all Iraqis, especially for minorities, who are always victims and losers. It will be similar to what happened in Nineveh Plain upon the invasion of ISIS terrorists, where minorities were murdered, displaced, and left vulnerably to face demographic change and migration.
It is important that everyone should realize the seriousness and the actual facts of this situation to hurry up and courageously resume the reconciliation negotiations before it is too late. Moreover, it is urgently required to coordinate and bring together a number of internal issues of common concern in order to promote social harmony and civil peace. Wisdom should play a vital role in prevailing the voice of moderation, to defuse the crisis, war is not a solution, and would never be a substitute for dialogue. Frankly, such war cannot be endured by either side.
We as Christians, have no power to preserve our rights and our presence, either in Iraq or in Kurdistan Region. Knowing that, most of the Christian parties and militia are seeking livelihood rather than concerning about Christians’ issues. Therefore, war means migration of the rest of Christians, who will have no presence in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region at all.
Finally, we ask our Lord to inspire the decision makers to do what is right.
+ Louis Raphael Sako
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Like many other religious communities of Sisters, the Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great of Uniontown, Pa. are facing the challenges of decreasing vocation numbers and shrinking resources.
The Sisters, who make their home at Mount St. Macrina (formerly Oak Hill estate and the home J.V. Thompson, of the famous coal baron), are in the midst of planning a future for underutilized and aging structures on the property.
“Right now we are in the initial planning stages and we are seeking possible candidates who may have innovative plans for these buildings,” said Sr. Ruth Plante, Provincial, Sisters of St. Basil.
The Sisters are considering many ideas, including affordable housing, medical and education services. It is of upmost importance for them to keep with the mission of their community – “a praying, healing, life-giving presence.”
The Sisters plan to remain living at Mount St. Macrina and will continue their ministry of the annual Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, which has been held over Labor Day weekend for the past 83 years.
Click to continue reading at: http://www.sistersofstbasil.org/sisters-of-st-basil-plan-for-the-future/
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vatican.va - At 10.00 this morning the Holy Father received in audience His Beatitude Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, and his entourage, visiting Rome from 22 to 25 October.
His Beatitude Theophilos III is accompanied by the archbishop Aristarchos, head of the Secretariat of the Patriarchate, the Archdeacon Markos, Mr. Rami Moghrabi and Mr. Nader Elias Moghrabi. His Beatitude Theophilos III subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and H.E. Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for Relations with States. The Patriarch and his entourage will also meet with His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch and His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
The following is the Pope’s address to those present at the meeting:
Address of the Holy Father
Your Beatitude,
Dear Brothers,
With great joy I welcome all of you to Rome. I reciprocate with gratitude and fraternal affection the warm welcome Your Beatitude offered me during my visit to Jerusalem. Still fresh in my mind is the attentiveness with which you accompanied Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and myself in the Basilica that preserves the places of the Lord’s crucifixion, burial and Resurrection. I am still moved when I think of our moment of prayer in the aedicule of the empty Tomb, and I again express my pleasure at the restoration of that most holy place. It has not simply secured the integrity of a historical monument, but also enabled the empty tomb to continue to testify that: “He has risen, He is not here; see the place where they laid Him” (Mk 16:6). I rejoice that the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land have worked together in such harmony on this project, as they also did for the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. I thank Your Beatitude very much for your own efforts in this regard.
Our meeting allows me to renew my closeness to all those suffering from the conflicts that for decades have beset the Holy Land. The uncertainty of the situation and the lack of understanding between the parties continue to create insecurity, the restriction of fundamental rights, and the flight of many people from their land. I invoke God’s help in this, and I ask all those involved to intensify their efforts to achieve a stable peace based on justice and recognition of the rights of all. To this end, any kind of violence, discrimination or displays of intolerance against Jewish, Christian and Muslim worshipers, or places of worship, must be firmly rejected. The Holy City, whose Status Quo must be defended and preserved, ought to be a place where all can live together peaceably; otherwise, the endless spiral of suffering will continue for all.
I would offer a particular greeting to the members of the various Christian communities in the Holy Land. It is my hope that they will continue to be recognized as an integral part of society and that, as citizens and believers in their own right, they can continue tirelessly to contribute to the common good and the growth of peace, striving to further reconciliation and concord. This contribution will be the more effective to the extent that there is harmony between the region’s different Churches. Particularly important in this regard would be increased cooperation in supporting Christian families and young people, so that they will not be forced to leave their land. By working together in this delicate area, the faithful of different confessions will also be able to grow in mutual knowledge and fraternal relations.
Here I would reaffirm my heartfelt desire and commitment to progress on our way to full unity, in obedience to Jesus’ fervent prayer in the Cenacle “that they may all be one… so that the world may believe” (Jn 17:21). I know that past wounds continue to affect the memory of many people. It is not possible to change the past, but, without forgetting grave failures of charity over the centuries, let us look to a future of full reconciliation and fraternal communion, and take up the work before us, as the Lord desires. Not to do so today would be an even graver fault; it would be to disregard both the urgent call of Christ and the signs of the times sown by the Spirit along the Church’s path. Inspired by the same Spirit, may we not let the memory of times marked by lack of communication or mutual accusations, or present difficulties and uncertainty about the future, prevent us from walking together towards visible unity, nor hinder us from praying and working together to proclaim the Gospel and to serve those in need. In this regard, the ongoing theological dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, in which the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem participates actively and constructively, is a comforting sign of hope on our journey. How good it would be to say of Catholics and Orthodox living in Jerusalem what the Evangelist Luke said of the first Christian community: “All who believed were together... one heart and soul” (Acts 2:44; 4:32).
Your Beatitude, I thank you and the distinguished members of your entourage most cordially for your visit. I reaffirm my closeness to our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, and my affection for our friends of the other great religions who live there. I hope and pray that the day of a stable and lasting peace for all will soon come. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you! [...] For my brethren and companions’ sake I will say, ‘peace be within you!’” (Ps 122: 6-8).
[I would like us now to pray together for this, in the words of the “Our Father”]