Pope Francis has sent a message to Catholic charitable organizations working in Syria and has launched a new appeal to the international community to allow humanitarian aid.
“It is with great pain that we witness the failure to find a solution to the Syrian crisis which continues and risks turning into something people are used to.” Francis wrote this in a message to participants of the coordination meeting between the Catholic charitable organizations that operate in the context of the Syrian crisis. The message was delivered this afternoon.
“The Middle East is in my eyes and heart as well, following the pilgrimage I recently went on to the Holy Land,” Francis said. “A year ago we met to reiterate the Church’s efforts in this crisis and to launch a joint appeal for peace in Syria. Now we meet again to review the work done so far and to underline our willingness to continue along this path, establishing an even closer collaboration.”
But the Syrian crisis has not been resolved “it continues and risks turning into something people are used to: forgetting the deaths that occur on a daily basis, the incredible suffering, the thousands of refugees, including elderly people and children, who suffer and sometimes die of hunger and diseases caused by the war. This indifference does no one any good!” the Pope said. “We need to repeat the name of the disease that is causing so much harm to today’s world: the globalization of indifference.”
The peace mission and the humanitarian aid work Catholic charity organizations are doing in Syria are “a faithful expression of God’s love for his children, who are oppressed and distressed. God listens to their call, he knows their suffering and wants to free them; you give your help and skills to Him.”
Francis asked charitable organizations to work “in communion with local pastors and communities” to better coordinate your efforts to support the local Churches and all the victims of war, without making ethnic, religious or social distinctions.”
The Pope then appealed again to the “consciences of the key players in this conflict, of the international institutions and of public opinion.” “We are all aware that humanity’s future is built with peace and not war: war destroys, kills, impoverishes people and countries. I ask all parties, in in the name of the common good, to allow humanitarian aid, to make it so that weapons are laid down as soon as possible and to commit to negotiations, putting the well-being of Syria and all of its inhabitants - including those who have unfortunately had to seek refuge elsewhere and who have the right to return to their country as soon as possible – first.
Finally, the Pope spared a thought for the Christian communities, “a part of the Church that suffers and hopes. Their survival across the Middle East is a subject of deep concern to the universal Church: Christianity must be able to go on living in the place where it was born.”
