Francis: humanity champion of war, a shame for everyone

"Humanity still seems to be groping in darkness" due to threatening winds that persist in the Middle East and "in the steppes of Eastern Europe". Thus the Pope meeting the members of the plenary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. Many Catholics - he underlines - who have left the "motherland" lands of the Eastern Catholic Churches to live in distant regions. Hence a strong invitation to listen to their liturgical traditions but also to the unity that must always be preserved.

Adriana Masotti - Vatican City

It is with grateful thoughts to Pope Benedict XV, founder of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and of the Pontifical Oriental Institute, that Francis addresses the participants in the Plenary Session of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, received in the Clementine Hall, after the words of greeting. of Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation. One hundred years after his death, the Pope recalls what Benedict XV had affirmed in the encyclical Dei Providentis, namely that "in the Church of Jesus Christ, which is neither Latin, Greek, Slavic, but Catholic, there is no discrimination between his children and that all, Latins, Greeks, Slavs and other nationalities have the same importance ". And he recalls the denunciation he had made "on the incivility of war as a 'useless massacre'".

The 'useless massacre' war still claims victims. A warning from Benedict XV that remained unheard during the First World War, Pope Francis bitterly underlines, as was that of Saint John Paul II "to avert the conflict in Iraq". And off the cuff he continues: As in this moment, when there are so many wars everywhere, this appeal both of the Popes and of the men and women of good will, is unheard. It seems that the greatest prize for peace should be given to wars: a contradiction. We are attached to wars. And this is tragic. Humanity, which prides itself on moving forward in science, in thought, so many beautiful things ... but it goes backwards in weaving peace. He is a champion of warfare. And this makes us all ashamed: we must pray and ask for forgiveness for this attitude.

Threatening winds in M.O. and in Eastern Europe

We hoped that it was not necessary to repeat words similar to those pronounced by the Popes in the third millennium, Francis continues, instead humanity still seems to be groping in the dark: we have witnessed the massacres of conflicts in the Middle East, Syria and Iraq; to those in the Ethiopian region of Tigrai; and threatening winds still blow in the steppes of Eastern Europe, lighting the fuses and fires of weapons and leaving the hearts of the poor and the innocent cold: these do not count ... And in the meantime the drama of Lebanon continues, which by now leaves many people without bread.

The diaspora of Eastern Catholics Many, the Pope observes, are leaving those lands which "are the motherland of the Eastern Catholic Churches" of which many of those present are children. In those places, he continues, the splendor of the past mixes with the heroic faith of the communities of the present, in the midst of mud and so much suffering. Francis highlights the drama of the diaspora by describing Eastern Catholics as "seeds placed on the stems and branches of centuries-old plants, carried by the wind to unthinkable borders", in fact for decades now "have inhabited distant continents, have crossed seas and oceans and crossed plains ". And the Pope mentions the eparchies established in Canada, the United States, Latin America, Europe, Oceania, while other Catholics of the Eastern Churches "are entrusted at least for the moment to the Latin Bishops" who coordinate the activities of the priests sent by the respective heads of the Church, patriarchs, archbishops or metropolitans.

The liturgy shapes us according to the Word and the Spirit Francis then introduces the theme of evangelization, which was dealt with at the liturgical conference for the 25th anniversary of the Instruction on the application of the liturgical prescriptions of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches that the Congregation has just concluded. The mission of the Church requires, he affirms, to be "more attentive to the richness of the various traditions". There is an experience that we live, continues the Pope, which is not subject to changing opinions or to "sociological analyzes, even if necessary", but is guided by the Word and the Spirit and this experience is the liturgy. And the Pope goes with his thoughts on the synodal path started in the Church and then observes: The synodal path is not a parliament, it is not a question of telling us different opinions and then making a summary or a vote: no. The synodal path is to walk together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and you, in your Churches, who have Synods, ancient synodal traditions, are witnesses of this.

The liturgy, Francis continues, "is heaven on earth, as the East especially likes to repeat". But it is not "an oasis of escape or conservation". In addressing God, the liturgical assembly feels the urge to go to the brothers to proclaim Christ. Sandri: the liturgical identity of the East, a heritage to be protected In mutual listening, but avoiding particularities The Pope thanked those present for the work of these days, "an opportunity - he observes - to get to know each other within the liturgical commissions of the various Churches" and an invitation "to walk together with the Dicastery and its Consultors". Let us listen to each other's traditions and research itineraries, he still affirms, but recommends:

On the form of the celebration it is necessary that unity is lived according to what is established by the Synods and approved by the Apostolic See, avoiding liturgical particularisms which, in reality, manifest divisions of another kind within the respective Churches. The witness of unity in the liturgy is necessary Witnessing unity, the Pope points out, is also necessary with regard to the brothers of the Eastern Orthodox and Orthodox Churches with whom we almost always share the same liturgical texts. And he concludes with a warning:

let us therefore be attentive to experiments that can harm the path towards visible unity of all Christ's disciples. The world needs the witness of communion: if we give scandal with liturgical disputes - and unfortunately there have been some recently -, we play the game of the one who is the master of division.

Full English Translation from Italian: https://www.vaticannews.va/it/papa/news/2022-02/papa-francesco-udienza-plenaria-congregazione-chiese-orientali.html