杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

The Mediterranean is a 鈥渕irror of the world鈥� and 鈥渂ears within itself a global vocation to fraternity, the only way to prevent and overcome conflict.鈥�

These words were among the highlights of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� long address on Saturday morning at the closing session of the week-long Mediterranean Meetings at the Palais du Pharo in Marseille, which was attended by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

For seven days, over 120 representatives of Churches and young people from the five shores of the Mediterranean Sea shared the current political, economic, and environmental challenges of the region, but also their hopes for the future, with a special focus on the current migration crisis.

Recalling the distinctive cosmopolitan character of Marseille, a 鈥渢ide of peoples鈥� that 鈥渉as made this city a mosaic of hope, with its great multi-ethnic and multi-cultural tradition鈥�, reflecting the many civilizations of the Mediterranean, 杏MAP导航 Francis articulated his reflection around three aspects that characterize the southern French city: the sea, the port and the lighthouse.

Mediterranean is 'beginning and foundation of peace'

He noted that the intertwining of conflicts between different civilizations, religions and visions in the region we hear so much about today must not make us forget that what the Romans used to call mare nostrum (our sea) has been for millennia 鈥渁 place of encounter: among the Abrahamic religions; among Greek, Latin and Arabic thought; among science, philosophy and law; and among many other realities.鈥�

Indeed, the 杏MAP导航 said, echoing the words of the now Venerable late mayor of Florence, Giorgio La Pira, who inspired the Mediterranean Meetings initiative, the Mediterranean is 鈥渢he beginning and foundation of peace among all the nations of the world鈥�, a concentration of people, beliefs and traditions, similar to the Sea of Galilee where Jesus proclaimed the Beatitudes.

This 鈥渃rossroads of North and South, East and West," 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渦rges us to oppose the divisiveness of conflicts with the coexistence of differences鈥� and at the same time 鈥渂rings together the challenges of the whole world鈥� today, including climate change.

"Amidst today鈥檚 sea of conflicts," he said, "we are here to enhance the contribution of the Mediterranean, so that it can return to being a laboratory of peace. For this is its vocation, to be a place where different countries and realities can encounter each other on the basis of the humanity we all share, and not on the basis of contrasting ideologies."

Listening to the cry of the poor

For the Mediterranean 鈥渢o return to being a laboratory of peace鈥� in the world, amidst 鈥渢oday鈥檚 sea of conflicts鈥� and resurgent "belligerent nationalisms", it must listen to the cry of the poor, as Jesus did on banks of the Sea of Galilee.

鈥淲e need to start again from there, from the often silent cry of the least among us鈥� who are not numbers but faces, the 杏MAP导航 said.

Mare nostrum has become a graveyard for migrants

Noting that 鈥渢he sea of human coexistence is polluted by instability鈥� even in European cities like Marseille, facing communal tensions and rising crime, 杏MAP导航 Francis once again insisted on the urgent need for more solidarity even to prevent lawlessness.

鈥淚ndeed,鈥� he said, "the real social evil is not so much the increase of problems, but the decrease of care鈥� for the most vulnerable: young people who are easy preys of crime, frightened families, elderly people, unborn children, people enduring violence  and  injustice in Africa and the Middle East, including Christians fleeing persecution, and, migrants losing their lives as they attempt crossing  the mare nostrum, which has become a "mare mortuum (a dead sea, ed.), the graveyard of dignity."

Migration: not an emergency, but a reality of our times

Reflecting on the second feature of Marseille, a big port city open to the sea with a story of immigration and emigration, 杏MAP导航 Francis decried the fact that several other Mediterranean cities have closed their ports to quench fears of a supposed 鈥渋nvasion鈥� of migrants.

鈥淵et," noted the 杏MAP导航, "those who risk their lives at sea do not invade, they look for welcome.鈥�

As for the 鈥渆mergency鈥� many speak about, he remarked that 鈥渢he phenomenon of migration is not so much a short-term urgency, always good for fuelling alarmist propaganda, but a reality of our times, a process that involves three continents around the Mediterranean and that must be governed with wise foresight.鈥�

Here too, he noted, the 鈥淢editerranean mirrors the world鈥�, with the poorer countries of the South 鈥減lagued by instability, regimes, wars and desertification鈥� turning to the wealthier North.

Again, the problem of ever-growing disparities between the haves and have-nots is not new, as the Church has been saying for decades, the 杏MAP导航 said recalling 杏MAP导航 St. Paul VI's Encyclical

Welcoming, protecting, promoting, integrating

杏MAP导航 Francis acknowledged 鈥渢he difficulties involved in welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating unexpected persons."

However, he added, 鈥渢he principal criterion cannot be the preservation of one鈥檚 own well-being, but rather the safeguarding of human dignity.鈥� 

He reiterated that in the face of the scourge of the exploitation of human beings, 鈥渢he solution is not to reject but to ensure, according to the possibilities of each, an ample number of legal and regular entrances鈥� of migrants, in cooperation with their countries of origin.

He further undercores the crucial importance of integration in the hosting countries, which he warned, does not mean assimilation.

"An assimilation that does not take into account differences and remains rigidly fixed in its own paradigms only makes ideas prevail over reality and jeopardizes the future, increasing distances and provoking ghettoization, which in turn sparks hostility and forms of intolerance," he said.

Witnessing the Gospel of charity and fraternity

Recalling that the port of Marseille is also a 鈥渄oor of faith鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis went on to remark the duty of Christians to witness the Lord鈥檚 preference for the poor and the Gospel of charity and fraternity.

鈥淲e are called to bear witness, not to embroider the Gospel with words, but to give it flesh鈥�, he said, citing the example of Saint Charles de Foucauld, the 鈥渦niversal brother鈥�, of the seven martyrs Tibhirine in Algeria, but also of all those agents of charity in our own day.

Referring to the last image of the lighthouse, 杏MAP导航 Francis underscored the need for the Mediterranean Churches of finding 鈥渃ooperative ways forward鈥� to address the challenges of the region.

In this regard, he suggested considering also the expediency of a Mediterranean Bishops鈥� Conference 鈥渢hat could offer greater possibilities for regional dialogue and representation鈥�, and 鈥渢o work towards a specific pastoral plan" on the issue of migration so that those dioceses that are most exposed can provide the best spiritual and human assistance to migrants in need.  

Young people: a light that indicates the way of the future

He then pointed to the role of young people as 鈥渁 light that indicates the way of the future鈥� in the Mediterranean, underlining again the crucial importance of education to help surmount barriers and overcome preconceptions.

He drew attention in particular on universities 鈥渁s laboratories of dreams鈥� and of this future, where young people mature 鈥渂y encountering one another, coming to know one another, and discovering cultures and contexts both near and diverse.鈥�

鈥淚n this way, prejudices are dismantled, wounds are healed and fundamentalist rhetoric is rejected鈥�, he said, adding that the Church can certainly contribute to this by offering her educational networks and encouraging a "creativity of fraternity".

A new Mediterranean theology to prevent misuse of religion

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis called for a 鈥淢editerranean theology鈥�, capable of developing ways of thinking 鈥渞ooted in reality鈥�, in "real life".

He said a "laboratory doesn't work", and urged everyone 鈥渢o unite generations by linking memory and future, and promoting with originality the ecumenical journey of Christians and dialogue between believers of different religions鈥�, so as to prevent all violent and instrumental misuse of religion.

Saluting President Macron, 杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his speech with an appeal for a better Mediterranean region.

鈥淏e a sea of good, in order to confront the poverty of today in solidarity and cooperation," he said. "Be a welcoming port, in order to embrace all those who seek a better future; be a lighthouse of peace, in order to pierce, through the culture of encounter, the dark abysses of violence and war.鈥�