The most important French Muslim leaders have jointly issued an unequivocal and strong condemnation of the Islamic State’s persecution of Christians. The statement known as the ‘Paris appeal’ has been approved at the Grand Mosque in Paris.
The Muslim leaders said they “unambiguously denounce” the terrorist acts perpetuated by Isis and described them as “crimes against humanity”. They added that these fundamentalist groups – whom they described as “barbarians” – cannot claim to be Islamic.
The Paris appeal insists that “their rash calls for jihad and their campaigns to indoctrinate young people are not faithful to the teachings and values of Islam”. They add that they will oppose all efforts to try to recruit young European sympathisers. They proclaim “the inalienable right of their Christian brothers in the East… to stay and live on their land with dignity and security and to practise their faith freely”.
253 participants in bishops ‘family’ synod
The third extraordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops will have 253 participants, according to a statement by the Vatican.
Just under 200 participants will be synod fathers. The Pope directly nominated 26 participants, including Cardinal Walter Kasper, who has spoken in favour of divorced and remarried couple to receive Communion under a number of conditions, and Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, who is a critic of Cardinal Kasper’s proposal. There are also 16 experts, 38 auditors, and eight delegates from other churches and ecclesial communities.
‘War never a necessity’
Recalling what Pope Benedict XV had said about World War I, Pope Francis lamented the “many senseless slaughters” that afflict the world today. He added that various religious traditions can “make a specific contribution to peace” through “the power of prayer”.
“War is never a necessity, nor is it inevitable. Another way can always be found: the way of dialogue, encounter, and the sincere search for truth,” said Pope Francis.
Christians, Muslims flee Boko Haram
“Christians but also Muslims flee from Boko Haram,” say local Church sources, according to Fides, the Catholic news agency.
“Several churches are in ruins and tens of thousands, mainly Christians, are running to escape Boko Haram,” Fides was told by Fr Patrick Tor Alumuku from the archdiocese of Abuja. He added that “Boko Haram is determined to eliminate every sign of Christian presence and many churches have been destroyed or torched.
Last week in a village in the area of Maiduguri, Boko Haram took over the parish for its local headquarters.”Bishop of Maiduguri Oliver Dashe Doeme said that at least 90,000 Catholics are displaced.
‘A servant, not a CEO’
Archbishop Eamon Martin, the new primate of All Ireland, has promised to behave like a “servant leader”, not like a CEO. Mgr Martin succeeded Cardinal Sean Brady as primate of All Ireland, a leadership role that covers the 26 dioceses in the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.
Mgr Martin told Catholic News Service, the news agency of the US Bishops, that his priorities would be “to get to know my people and to facilitate a movement that will allow people to be confident in their faith without being polemical and condemnatory”.
He added that his role “is a kind of a servant leadership rather than any big hierarchical leadership or position of power”.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)