Pope tells ROACO that ‘instability’ caused by war is not an ‘inevitable fate’
Leo XIV spoke to the participants to the plenary assembly of the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO), lamenting the "exodus" of Eastern Christians caused by instability that always falls “hardest on the poor.” For the pontiff, God is always “The source of goodness”. The pontiff also slammed those who waste money on killing, and “seek monologues”, while “you create dialogue”. “The Christian East can only be preserved if it is understood”.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Leo XIV spoke this morning to the participants to the 99th Plenary Assembly of the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO), received in audience in the Vatican Apostolic Palace.
In his address, the pontiff lamented the “perpetual cycle of instability”, a “scourge born of war” that is causing an “exodus” of Christians that is impacting Eastern Churches. He also slammed the "silence" that shrouds countries that experienced conflict. “[T]his is not the result of an inevitable fate, but of free choices and, therefore, of morally accountable actions,” he stated.
Leo XIV addresses the Holy See committee responsible for coordinating agencies and organisations on every continent that provide financial and material support to the Eastern Catholic Churches, noting that behind the seemingly "peaceful" situation in some countries, "instability" creeps in, affecting various levels, involving the government, "armed gangs”, “external agents and interests," amid the absence of "freedom” and “secret agreements”.
The “instability” caused by war stifles “opportunities for development and always” falls “hardest on the poor. As a result, fear and insecurity prevail in many countries, leading to "precarious" employment, "irregular" wages, "sporadic" healthcare, and "precarious" education.
For the pontiff, this comes “to the detriment of ordinary people, families, children and young people, the elderly and the sick,” turning into “a tragedy that weighs on everyone’s hearts, devours hopes and makes it impossible to build for the future, which drives many to leave, as is the case for so many of our brothers and sisters in faith, especially in the Middle East.”
In light of the situation, Leo calls for “reflection” on the consequences of war and instability. “History,” he said, “shows how the schemes of violence and oppression, of power and domination, of gains made without justice and without scruples, backfire not only against those who suffer them, but also against those who pursue them.”
Thus, “Let us pray to Jesus, the Lord of peace, and appeal to people’s consciences so that they may be moved by indignation; and may respect for humanity and a proper sense of civility be restored!”
Leo XIV urged those listening to “always nurture your spiritual life," stressing the bond that exists between "knowledge and charity, between open minds and working hands”.
"Good works, in fact, bear no lasting fruit unless they are nourished at the source of goodness, the source who is God," he said, warning against the barrenness of works accomplished without the support of a “living faith”.
Referring to ROACO’s substantial financial support, he bemoaned the money “wasted on killing” by those who "foment wars. [. . .] [W]hile you reach out to your brother, they seek enemies to crush; while you create dialogue, they seek monologues; while you open paths of hope, they lock people into fear; while you build the future, they destroy the present.”
In his address, the pope also praised the decision to dedicate the recently concluded Annual Plenary Assembly to “the formation of clerics and monks in Eastern seminaries and colleges. [. . .] Supporting a Church, in fact, does not mean merely providing it with material means of subsistence, but also helping it to grow in its identity and in its ability to evangelize”.
For Leo, the “spiritual riches” held by eastern communities, shared with Orthodox Churches, are “a great gift to offer the entire Catholic community, which is often unaware of the diverse ecclesial traditions within its ranks.”
“Our Mother, the Church, is therefore united, yet not uniform; her fertile womb has given birth to various spiritual and theological traditions, as well as different rites and disciplines, which enrich one another,” the pope explained.
“It is good for us to delve deeper into these treasures together with millions of our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters, as we look forward to progress toward full unity with all the Eastern Churches.”
To this end, Leo XIV added that, “The Christian East can only be preserved if it is understood: to lose that understanding is to impoverish the Church. But to learn about it and love it, we must invest in formation.”
.png)
