杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Francis on Friday received participants in the Plenary Assembly of ROACO, which this year coincides with the 50^th anniversary of the organization.

The Reunion of Aid Agencies to the Oriental Churches (ROACO: Riunione Opere Aiuto Chiese Orientali), unites funding agencies from various countries in order to assist Catholic Oriental clergy and faithful in Rome and in their different countries of origin. The twenty-three Oriental (or Eastern) particular Churches sui iuris are all in full communion with Rome, and are all part of the Catholic Church. According to the teaching of the Church in the Second Vatican Council, all particular Churches, whether or East or West, 鈥渁re of equal dignity, so that none of them is superior to the others.鈥�

Those attending the audience were given printed copies of the 杏MAP导航's address, which 杏MAP导航 Francis said he hoped they would read. He then spoke off-the-cuff about his concern for the situation in the Middle East. 

In his prepared remarks, the Holy Father noted the fiftieth anniversary of ROACA, and recalled the biblical concept of the jubilee year, a year of 鈥渇reedom of slaves, the cancellation of debt, and the restitution of land,鈥� which was based on God鈥檚 covenant with His people. He called on the participants in the Plenary Assembly to think back 鈥渨ith gratitude鈥� on the past, and especially on those who have worked in the various agencies in support of 鈥渢heir works of charity and assistance.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 focused especially on the assistance given to the Oriental Catholic Churches 鈥渢o carry forward their witness to the Gospel,鈥� both in their native lands and in the diaspora. This witness was often tested by suffering and persecution, notably in the totalitarian regimes of Eastern Europe, and more recently by various forms of 鈥渇undamentalism and fanaticism鈥� in the Middle East. In marking the anniversary, he noted, too, that the 鈥測ear of grace鈥� of the Lord is marked both by internal liberation from sin, and by external liberation 鈥渋n the new life of the redeemed.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis continued to emphasize the theme of witness as he called to mind St Peter鈥檚 invocation, on the day of Pentecost, of the prophecy of Joel: 鈥淚 will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.鈥� The Eastern Catholic Churches, he said, 鈥渁re called in a special way to protect and pass on a spark of Pentecostal fire.鈥� Strengthened by the Holy Spirit, this mission continues, even in places, like the Holy Land, where Christians are in the minority, and even in places where they face ongoing persecution.

The 杏MAP导航 also prayed that 鈥渢he sons and daughters of the Oriental Catholic Churches cherish their prophetic charge to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, even in settings that are often even more secularized than in the West, where they come as immigrants or refugees.鈥� He asked that they be welcomed 鈥渁s they seek to preserve and enrich the patrimony of their various traditions.鈥�

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis offered a word 鈥渙f thanks and encouragement鈥� to ROACO for its work in sustaining the Oriental Churches, which allows 鈥渢he Successor of Peter,鈥� the 杏MAP导航, to continue the work of ecumenism. He assured the members of those Churches that, 鈥渋n the effort to extend a cordial and sincere hand to our most distant brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters are no less loved, and certainly not forgotten.鈥�