Thursday, December 4, 2025

Saint of the Day for Friday

Bl. Margaret of Citta-di-Castello

Blessed Margaret of Citta-di-Castello, Virgin It must have been about the year 1293 when some women of Citta-di-Castello in Umbria, who had gone one day to pray in their parish church, found within, a destitute blind child of about six or seven, who had been abandoned there by her parents. The kind souls were filled with pity for the little waif, and, poor though they were, they took charge of her-first one family and then another, sheltering and feeding her until she became practically the adopted child of the village. One and all declared that, far from being a burden, little Margaret brought a blessing upon those who befriended her. Some years later, the nuns of a local convent offered her a home. The girl rejoiced at the prospect of living with religious, but her joy was short-lived. The community was lax and worldly; Margaret's fervor was a tacit reproach to them, nor did she bring them the profit they had anticipated. Neglect was succeeded by petty persecution, and then by active calumny. Finally she was driven forth ignominiously to face the world once more.

However, her old friends rallied around her. One couple offered her a settled home, which became her permanent residence. At the age of fifteen, Margaret received the habit of a tertiary from the Dominican fathers, who had lately established themselves in Citta-di-Castello, and thence forth, she lived a life entirely devoted to God. More than ever did God's benediction rest upon her. She cured another tertiary of an affliction of the eyes which had baffled medical skill, and her mantle extinguished a fire which had broken out in her foster parents' house. In her desire to show her gratitude to the people of Citta-di-Castello, she undertook to look after the children while their parents were at work. Her little school prospered wonderfully, for she understood children, being very simple herself. She set them little tasks which she helped them to perform; she instructed them in their duty to God and to man, instilling into them her own great devotion to the sacred Childhood, and she taught them the psalms which, inspite of her blindness, she had learned by heart at the convent. We are told that when at prayer she was frequently raised a foot or more from the ground, remaining thus for a long time. Thus she lived, practically unknown outside her own neighborhood, until the age of thirty-three, when she died amidst the friends who loved her, and was buried by their wish in the parish church, where many remarkable miracles took place. The cult of Blessed Margaret was confirmed in 1609.

A statement today from New Orleans Archbishop Aymond

Archbishop Aymond: No one can turn a deaf ear to the palpable cries of anxiety and fear

December 4, 2025

by Archbishop Aymond

“You have in your hands a very great task, to accompany those who need a sign that God never abandons anyone—not the smallest, not the poorest, not the foreigner, not anyone.”
-Pope Leo XIV

A Statement from Most Reverend Gregory Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans

No one can turn a deaf ear to the palpable cries of anxiety and fear heard throughout our communities in Louisiana in the wake of a surge in immigration enforcement actions. I implore all people of faith and goodwill to join me in prayer for our families and our community as we face these challenging times. As Pope Leo stated, we must keep order in our communities, but I ask on behalf of our immigrant families and communities that we work for real justice and a system that protects and preserves the dignity of the human person and families regardless of where they live or from where they come.

Nationally, the Catholic Church has launched the “You Are Not Alone initiative”. In union with my brother bishops, we will begin working in our parishes to promote programs that focus on four key areas of service to our immigrant communities: emergency and family support, accompaniment and pastoral care, communication of Church teaching, and solidarity through prayer and public witness.

God is faithful. Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, pray for us.

Pope Leo XIV will continue a papal tradition in Rome for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

The statue of Our Lady with a wreath of flowers for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in 2017

Pope

Pope Leo to continue traditional visit for Immaculate Conception

On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Leo XIV will continue the papal tradition of visiting the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary near Rome’s Spanish Steps.

By Vatican News

Tradition and devotion intertwine in the “homage” or veneration paid to the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the occasion of the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated each year on 8 December.

Each year, representatives of the city and various religious and civic organisations pray and offer flowers at the statue of the Virgin in Piazza Mignanelli, near the famous Spanish Steps in the heart of Rome. This year, Pope Leo XIV will take part in the traditional act of devotion, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, including Benedict XVI and St John Paul II.

Last year, on 8 December 2024, it was Pope Francis who prayed at the feet of Mary and entrusted to her the upcoming Jubilee, “a message of hope for humanity tried by crises and wars.” Now, just a few weeks before the conclusion of the Holy Year, Pope Leo returns to the feet of Our Lady.

Pope Leo’s visit

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Vicariate of Rome announced that, as is tradition, the first to leave flowers at the statue of the Immaculate Conception will be the fire brigade, who, at 7 a.m., will climb to the top to place their wreath of flowers on the Virgin's arm.

In the afternoon, at 4 p.m., the Pope will arrive and be welcomed by the Cardinal Vicar of the Diocese of Rome, Baldo Reina, and Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri. He will pause in prayer at the foot of the 12-metre-high column, at the top of which stands the statue of Our Lady, and leave a wreath of flowers.

The Solemnity will feature a series of events throughout the day: at 8:30 a.m., the Vatican Gendarmerie band will perform a hymn to the Madonna; then the parish of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte, the Sovereign Order of Malta, the Legio Mariae, the Circolo S. Pietro, the Don Gnocchi Foundation, Unitalsi, and various educational institutions will perform.

At 9 a.m., in the church of Trinità dei Monti, there will be Mass, presided over by Monsignor Francesco Pesce, diocesan representative for social and labour pastoral care, with workers from several Roman companies.

A novena to Mary

The Conventual Friars Minor (Franciscans) of the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles will also be hosting various events throughout the day. Among other things, the church hosts the oldest novena to the Immaculate Conception in Rome: from 29 November to 7 December, every day at 5:45 pm, the Rosary in the Church, followed by the singing of various litanies; then, at 6.30 pm, Mass is introduced by the singing of “Tota Pulchra”, composed by the Conventual Franciscan Alessandro Borroni.

Each day of the novena will see a different Cardinal presiding over the main Mass in the Basilica.

Yet another Vatican commission report rules out Holy Orders and the Order of Deacons for women

Vatican

Petrocchi Commission says no to female diaconate, though judgment not definitive

A report presenting the results of the Commission’s work has been released. It rules out admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders but says that it is not currently possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.”

By Vatican News

“The status quaestionis of historical research and theological investigation, as well as their mutual implications, rules out the possibility of moving in the direction of admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders. In light of Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Church’s Magisterium, this assessment is strongly maintained, although it does not at present allow for a definitive judgment to be formulated, as is the case with priestly ordination.”

The above is the conclusion reached by the second commission chaired by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, Archbishop emeritus of L’Aquila, Italy, which — at the request of Pope Francis — had examined the possibility of proceeding with the ordination of women as deacons and concluded its work in February. This is explained in the seven-page report the Cardinal sent to Pope Leo XIV on 18 September and which is now being made public at the Pope’s request.

During its first working session (2021), the Commission determined that “the Church has, at different times, in different places, and in various forms, recognized the title of deacon/deaconess with reference to women, though attributing to it no univocal meaning.” In 2021 the theological discussion unanimously concluded that “a systematic study of the diaconate, within the framework of the theology of the sacrament of Holy Orders, raises questions about the compatibility of the diaconal ordination of women with Catholic doctrine on ordained ministry.” The Commission also unanimously expressed support for the establishment of new ministries that “could contribute to synergy between men and women.”

In the second working session (July 2022), the Commission approved (with seven votes in favor and one against) the statement quoted in full at the beginning of this article, which rules out the possibility of proceeding toward the admission of women to the diaconate as a degree of Holy Orders, but without issuing “a definitive judgment” at this time.

At the last working session (February 2025), after the Synod had allowed anyone who wished to submit contributions, the Commission examined all the material received. “Although many interventions were submitted, the persons or groups who sent their writings numbered only twenty-two and represented few countries. Consequently, although the material is abundant and, in some cases, skillfully argued, it cannot be considered the voice of the Synod, much less of the People of God as a whole.”

The report summarizes arguments for and against. Supporters argue that the Catholic and Orthodox tradition of reserving diaconal ordination (as well as priestly and episcopal ordination) to men alone seems to contradict “the equal condition of male and female as the image of God,” “the equal dignity of both genders, based on this biblical reference”; the profession of faith that “there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all ‘one’ in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28); and social developments “which promote equal access for both genders to all institutional and operative functions.”

On the opposing side, the following thesis was advanced: “The masculinity of Christ, and therefore the masculinity of those who receive Holy Orders, is not accidental but is an integral part of sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ. To alter this reality would not be a simple adjustment of ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.” This paragraph was put to a vote and received five votes in favor of confirming it in this form, while the other five members voted to remove it.

By nine votes to one, the Commission expressed the hope that “women’s access to ministries instituted for the service of the community might be expanded (…) thus ensuring adequate ecclesial recognition of the diakonia of the baptized, particularly of women. Such recognition will be a prophetic sign especially where women still suffer situations of gender discrimination.”

In his conclusion, Cardinal Petrocchi highlights the existence of “an intense dialectic” between two theological orientations. The first maintains that the ordination of a deacon is for ministry and not for priesthood: “this factor would open the way toward the ordination of women deacons.” The second, by contrast, insists “on the unity of the sacrament of Holy Orders, together with the nuptial meaning of the three degrees that constitute it, and rejects the hypothesis of a female diaconate; it also notes that if the admission of women to the first degree of Holy Orders were approved, exclusion from the others would become inexplicable.”

For this reason, according to the Cardinal, it is essential, for continued study, to undertake “a rigorous and wide-ranging critical examination focused on the diaconate in itself—that is, on its sacramental identity and its ecclesial mission—clarifying certain structural and pastoral aspects that are currently not fully defined.” Indeed, there are entire continents in which the diaconal ministry is “almost nonexistent” and others where it is active with functions often “coinciding with roles proper to lay ministries or to altar servers in the liturgy.”

Report translated from the Italian original.

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Thursday Saint of the Day

St. John of Damascus

Saint John Damascene has the double honor of being the last but one of the fathers of the Eastern Church, and the greatest of her poets. It is surprising; however, how little that is authentic is known of his life. The account of him by John of Jerusalem, written some two hundred years after his death, contains an admixture of legendary matter, and it is not easy to say where truth ends and fiction begins.

The ancestors of John, according to his biographer, when Damascus fell into the hands of the Arabs, had alone remained faithful to Christianity. They commanded the respect of the conqueror and were employed in judicial offices of trust and dignity, to administer, no doubt, the Christian law to the Christian subjects of the Sultan. His father, besides this honorable rank, had amassed great wealth; all this he devoted to the redemption of Christian slaves on whom he bestowed their freedom. John was the reward of these pious actions. John was baptized immediately on his birth, probably by Peter II, bishop of Damascus, afterwards a sufferer for the Faith. The father was anxious to keep his son aloof from the savage habits of war and piracy, to which the youths of Damascus were addicted, and to devote him to the pursuit of knowledge. The Saracen pirates of the seashore neighboring to Damascus, swept the Mediterranean, and brought in Christian captives from all quarters. A monk named Cosmas had the misfortune to fall into the hands of these freebooters. He was set apart for death, when his executioners, Christian slaves no doubt, fell at his feet and entreated his intercession with the Redeemer. The Saracens enquired of Cosmas who he was. He replied that he had not the dignity of a priest; he was a simple monk and burst into tears. The father of John was standing by and expressed his surprise at this exhibition of timidity. Cosmas answered, "It is not for the loss of my life, but of my learning, that I weep." Then he recounted his attainments, and the father of John, thinking he would make a valuable tutor for his son, begged or bought his life of the Saracen governor; gave him his freedom, and placed his son under his tuition. The pupil in time exhausted all the acquirements of his teacher. The monk then obtained his dismissal, and retired to the monastery of S. Sabas, where he would have closed his days in peace, had he not been compelled to take on himself the bishopric of Majuma, the port of Gaza.

The attainments of the young John of Damascus commanded the veneration of the Saracens; he was compelled reluctantly to accept an office of higher trust and dignity than that held by his father. As the Iconoclastic controversy became more violent, John of Damascus entered the field against the Emperor of the East and wrote the first of his three treatises on the Veneration due to Images. This was probably composed immediately after the decree of Leo the Isaurian against images, in 730.

Before he wrote the second, he was apparently ordained priest, for he speaks as one having authority and commission. The third treatise is a recapitulation of the arguments used in the other two. These three treatises were disseminated with the utmost activity throughout Christianity.

The biographer of John relates a story which is disproved not only by its exceeding improbability, but also by being opposed to the chronology of his history. It is one of those legends of which the East is so fertile, and cannot be traced, even in allusion, to any document earlier than the biography written two hundred years later. Leo the Isaurian, having obtained, through his emissaries, one of John's circular epistles in his own handwriting -- so runs the tale -- caused a letter to be forged, containing a proposal from John of Damascus to betray his native city to the Christians. The emperor, with specious magnanimity, sent this letter to the Sultan. The indignant Mahommedan ordered the guilty hand of John to be cut off. John entreated that the hand might be restored to him, knelt before the image of the Virgin, prayed, fell asleep, and woke with his hand as before. John, convinced by this miracle, that he was under the special protection of our Lady, resolved to devote himself wholly to a life of prayer and praise, and retired to the monastery of Saint Sabas.

That the Sultan should have contented himself with cutting off the hand of one of his magistrates for an act of high treason is in itself improbable, but it is rendered more improbable by the fact that it has been proved by Father Lequien, the learned editor of his works, that Saint John Damascene was already a monk at Saint Sabas before the breaking out of the Iconoclastic dispute.

In 743, the Khalif Ahlid II persecuted the Christians. He cut off the tongue of Peter, metropolitan of Damascus, and banished him to Arabia Felix. Peter, bishop of Majuma, suffered decapitation at the same time, and Saint John of Damascus wrote an eulogium on his memory. Another legend is as follows: it is probably not as apocryphal as that of the severed hand: -- The abbot sent Saint John in the meanest and most beggarly attire to sell baskets in the marketplace of Damascus, where he had been accustomed to appear in the dignity of office, and to vend his poor ware at exorbitant prices. Nor did the harshness of the abbot end there. A man had lost his brother, and broken-hearted at his bereaval, besought Saint John to compose him a sweet hymn that might be sung at this brother's funeral, and which at the same time would soothe his own sorrow. John asked leave of the abbot and was curtly refused permission. But when he saw the distress of the mourner he yielded and sang him a beautiful lament. The abbot was passing at the time and heard the voice of his disciple raised in song. Highly incensed, he expelled him from the monastery and only re- admitted him on condition of his daily cleaning the filth from all the cells of his brethren. An opportune vision rebuked the abbot for thus wasting the splendid talents of his inmate. John was allowed to devote himself to religious poetry, which became the heritage of the Eastern Church, and to theological arguments in defense of the doctrines of the Church, and refutation of all heresies. His three great hymns or "canons," are those on Easter, the Ascension, and Satin Thomas's Sunday. Probably also many of the Idiomela an Stichera which are scattered about the office- books under the title of "John" and "John the Hermit" are his. His eloquent defense of images has deservedly procured him the title of "The Doctor of Christian Art." The date of his death cannot be fixed with any certainty; but it lies between 754 and before 787.

A Papal interview on the plane returning to Rome from Lebanon

Pope

Pope: ‘I was thinking of retiring, but instead I surrendered to God’

Aboard the papal plane returning to Rome from Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists about the role of the Holy See, which works “behind-the-scenes” in peace negotiations, so that all parties may lay down arms. Regarding Ukraine, the Pope underlines Europe’s involvement and the important role Italy could play, and answers a question about how he reacted to his election, stressing the importance of giving one’s life to God and letting him "lead the way".

Vatican News

“First of all, I want to say thank you to all of you who have worked so hard; I would like you to pass on this message also to the other journalists, both in Türkiye and in Lebanon, who have worked to communicate the important messages of this journey. You too all deserve a big round of applause for this visit.”

Pope Leo XIV greeted the 81 journalists on board the flight from Beirut to Rome with those words, before answering several questions, speaking in English, Italian and Spanish.

He spoke about his just-concluded Apostolic Journey, the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, Europe’s presence in peace negotiations, and the situation in Venezuela.

He also received a gift from a Lebanese correspondent: a hand-made painting, created live on television in recent days, depicting him and the symbolic places he visited in the Land of the Cedars.

Below is a working English transcription and translation of the press conference:

Joe Farchakh (LBC International): You are an American Pope who is leading a peace process. My question is whether you will use your contacts with President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On the plane, you said that the Vatican is a friend of Israel. Will you raise the issue of stopping Israel’s aggression against Lebanon? And is a sustainable peace possible in the region?

[Pope Leo XIV, in English]: First of all, yes, I believe sustainable peace is achievable. I think that when we talk about hope, when we talk about peace, when we look to the future, we do so because I believe it is possible that peace once again come to the region and come to your country, to Lebanon.

In fact I have already, in a very small way, begun a few conversations with some of the leaders of places that you have mentioned, and I would intend to continue to do that, personally or through the Holy See, because the fact is that we do have diplomatic relationships with most of the countries through the region, and it would be our hope certainly, to continue to raise that call for peace that I spoke of at the very end of the Mass today.

Imad Atrach (Sky News Arabia): In your last speech, there was a clear message to the Lebanese authorities to negotiate. To negotiate, to dialogue, to build. Will the Vatican do something concrete in this regard? Last night you met a Shia representative. Before your visit, Hezbollah sent you a message; I don’t know if you received it, if you read it. What could you tell us about this? Thank you very much for having visited Lebanon, which was a dream for us.

[Pope, in Italian]: One aspect of this journey, which was not the main reason—because the visit was conceived with ecumenical questions in mind, with the theme of Nicaea, the meeting with Catholic and Orthodox Patriarchs, and the search for unity in the Church—but in fact, during this journey, I also had personal encounters with representatives of different groups who represent political authorities, people or groups who have something to do with internal conflicts or even international conflicts in the region.

Our work is not primarily something public that we proclaim in the streets; it is somewhat behind the scenes. It is something we have already done and will continue to do in order to convince the parties to lay down their arms, to abandon violence, and to come together to the table of dialogue: to seek answers and solutions that are not violent but can be more effective.

Imad Atrach: The message from Hezbollah?

Yes, I saw it. Clearly, on the part of the Church there is the proposal that they lay down their arms and that we seek dialogue. But beyond this, I prefer not to comment at this time.

Cindy Wooden, CNS : Holy Father, you said a couple of months ago that there is a learning curve to being Pope. When you arrived at Harissa yesterday, with the warm welcome, it looked like you said, ‘Wow.’ Can you tell us what you are learning? What is the most difficult thing to learn for you in being Pope? And you haven’t told us anything either about what it felt like in the Conclave when it became clear what was happening. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

[Pope, in English]: Well, my first comment would be that just a year or two ago I too thought about retiring someday. You have received that gift apparently; some of us will continue to work. (A joke referencing the fact that Ms. Wooden is retiring in December, ed.)

The Conclave itself, I believe very strictly about the secret of the Conclave, even though I know that there have been public interviews where some things were revealed. I said to a reporter the day before I was elected, she caught me on the street I was going to lunch across the street at the Augustinians, and she said, ‘What do you think? You have become one of the candidates!’ And I simply said, ‘Everything is in the hands of God.’ And I believe that profoundly.

One of you, there is a German journalist on here who said to me the other day, tell me one book, besides St. Augustine, that we could read to understand who Prevost is.

And there’s several I thought of, but one of them is a book called, “The practice of the presence of God.” It’s a very simple book, by someone who doesn’t even give his last name, Brother Lawrence, written many years ago.

But it describes, if you will, a type of prayer and spirituality where one simply gives his life to the Lord and allows the Lord to lead. If you want to know something about me, that has been my spirituality for many years.

In midst of great challenges, living in Peru during years of terrorism, being called to service in places where I never thought I would be called to serve to. I trust in God, and that message is something that I share with all people.

So what was it like? I resigned myself to the fact when I saw how things were going, and I said that this could be a reality. I took a deep breath, I said here we go Lord, you’re in charge, you lead the way.

I don’t know that I said ‘Wow’ last night. In the sense that my face is very expressive, but I’m oftentimes amused by how the journalists interpret my face. I mean, it’s interesting; sometimes I get, you know, like really great ideas from all of you, because you think you can read my mind or my face. And it’s not—you’re not always correct.

I mean, I was at the Jubilee for Youth, where there were over 1 million young people there. Last night was a small crowd.

It’s always marvellous to me; I think to myself, ‘These people are here because they want to see the Pope,’ but I say to myself, ‘They are here because they want to see Jesus Christ and they want to see a messenger of peace,’ in this case in particular.

So to just listen to their enthusiasm, and to hear their response to that message is something that I think is—that enthusiasm is awe-inspiring. I just hope I never get tired of appreciating everything that all these young people are showing.

Gian Guido Vecchi (Corriere della Sera): These are hours of great tension between NATO and Russia; there is talk of hybrid war, prospects of cyberattacks, and things of this kind. Do you see the risk of an escalation, of a conflict carried forward with new means as reported by NATO leaders? And, in this climate, can there be negotiations for a just peace without Europe, which in recent months has been systematically excluded by the American presidency?

[Pope, in Italian]: This is obviously an important issue for peace in the world, but the Holy See does not have a direct involvement, because we are not members of NATO nor of any of the talks so far, and even though many times we have called for a ceasefire, for dialogue and not war.

And it is now a war with many aspects: with the increase in arms, all the armaments production going on, cyberattacks, energy. Now that winter is coming there is a serious problem there.

It is clear that, on the one hand, the President of the United States is thinking he can promote a peace plan that he would like to carry out and that, at least at first, is without Europe.

But Europe’s presence is important, and that first proposal was also modified because of what Europe was saying.

Specifically, I think Italy’s role could be very important. Culturally and historically, Italy has the capacity to act as an intermediary in the midst of a conflict that exists between different parties: Ukraine, Russia, the United States…

In this sense, I could suggest that the Holy See might encourage this kind of mediation, and that one should seek—and that we should seek together—a solution that could truly offer peace, a just peace, in this case in Ukraine.

Elisabetta Piqué (La Nación): The Lebanese flag has the same colours as the flag of Peru. Is that a sign that you will be making a visit to Latin America in the second half of next year, combining it with Argentina and Uruguay? Joking aside, what visits are you preparing for the coming year? And, furthermore, speaking of Latin America, there is a great deal of tension because of what is happening in Venezuela. There is an ultimatum from President Trump to Maduro to resign, to leave power, and a threat to remove him by a military operation. What do you think about this?

[Pope, in Spanish]: As for visits, there is nothing absolutely certain; I hope to carry out a visit to Africa. That would possibly be the next journey.

Ms. Piqué: Where?

Africa, Africa. Personally, I hope to go to Algeria to visit the places of Saint Augustine, but also in order to continue the conversation of dialogue, of building bridges between the Christian world and the Muslim world. In the past, in another role, I already had the opportunity to speak about this topic.

It is interesting: the figure of Saint Augustine helps a great deal as a bridge, because in Algeria he is very much respected as a son of the homeland. That is one.

Then there are some other countries, but we are working on it. Clearly, I would very much like to visit Latin America, Argentina, and Uruguay, which are waiting for the Pope’s visit. I think Peru would also receive me, and if I go to Peru there would also be many neighbouring countries, but the plan is not yet defined.

Regarding Venezuela, at the level of the Bishops’ Conference and with the Nuncio, we are trying to find a way to calm the situation, seeking above all the good of the people, because in these situations it is the people who suffer, not the authorities.

The signals coming from the United States change, and so we must see… On the one hand, it seems there has been a telephone conversation between the two presidents; on the other hand, there is this danger, this possibility, that there could be an action, an operation, including an invasion of Venezuelan territory.

I again believe it is better to seek dialogue within this pressure, including economic pressure, but looking for another way to bring about change, if that is what the United States decide to do.

Michael Corre, La Croix : Hello Your Holiness, thank you for this very interesting trip. You just talked about continuing to build bridge between different worlds. I would like to ask: some Catholics in Europe believe that Islam is a threat to a Christian identity of the West. Are they right, and what would you say to them?

[Pope, in English]: All of the conversations that I had during my time, both in Türkiye and Lebanon, including with many Muslims, was precisely concentrated on the topic of peace and respect for people of different religions.

I know that, as a matter of fact, that has not always been the case. I know that in Europe there are many times fears that are present but oftentimes generated by people who are against immigration and trying to keep out people who may be from another country, another religion, another race.

And in that sense, I would say that we all need to work together, one of the values of this trip is precisely to raise the world’s attention to the possibility that dialogue and friendship between Muslims and Christians is possible.

I think one of the great lessons that Lebanon can teach to the world is precisely showing a land where Islam and Christianity are both present and are respected and that there is a possibility to live together to be friends.

Stories, testimonies, witnesses that we heard even in the past two days of people helping each other; Christians with Muslims, both of whom had had their villages destroyed, for example, were saying we can come together and work together.

I think those are lessons that would be important also to be heard in Europe or North America. We should perhaps be a little less fearful and look for ways of promoting authentic dialogue and respect.

Anna Giordano (Ard Radio): The Church in Lebanon is supported also by the German Church. There are, for example, some German aid agencies very active in Lebanon. So also from that point of view, it is important that the German Church stays a strong Church. So you probably know, that there is this (Synodaler Weg), Synodal Way, a process of change in the German Church going on. Do you think this process can can be a way to strengthen the Church? Or is is the other way around? And why?

[Pope, in English]: The Synodal Way is not unique to Germany; the whole Church has celebrated a Synod and synodality over the past several years.

There are some great similarities, but there are also some marked differences between how the Synodal Way in Germany has been carried forward and how it may well continue in the universal Church. On the one hand, I would say there is room certainly for respect for inculturation.

The fact that in one place synodality is lived in a certain way, and in an other place it is lived differently, does not mean that there will be rupture or a fracture. I think that is very important to remember.

At the same time, I am aware that many Catholics in Germany believe that certain aspects of the Synodal Way that has been celebrated in Germany up until now, do not represent their own hope for the Church or their own way of living the Church.

So, there is need for further dialogue and listening within Germany itself, so that no one’s voice is excluded, so that the voice of those who are more powerful does not silence or stifle the voice of those who might also be very numerous but don’t have a place to speak up and to allow their own voices and own expressions of Church participation to be listened to.

At the same time, as you know I am sure, the group of German Bishops has been meeting, for the last couple of years, with a group of the Cardinals from the Roman Curia. There is an ongoing process there as well, to try and make sure the German Synodal Way does not, if you will, break away from what needs to be considered as a pathway of the universal Church.

I’m sure that will continue. I suspect there will be some adjustments made on both sides in Germany, but I’m certainly hopefully that things will work out positively.

Rita El-Mounayer (Sat-7 International): We are four different Christian channels broadcasting in the Middle East and North Africa, two in Arabic, one in Farsi and one in Turkish. First of all, I would like to thank you for giving a time for the Lebanese people. I am myself a child of war, and I know how much it means to have a hug from Your Holiness, a tap on the shoulder, and saying everything is going to be ok. And what struck me is your motto: ‘In the one we are one.’ This motto speaks of building bridges between different Christian denominations, between religions and also across neighbours, that sometimes can be a bit difficult. So my question is, from your own perspective, what unique gift does the Church in the Middle East—with all its tears, wounds, challenges and past history—can give the Church in the West and the world?

[Pope, in English]: Let me preface my response by saying that today people who grew up in a very individualistic society—young people who passed significant amount of time during the pandemic because of COVID, and whose personal relationships are oftentimes very isolated, in reality because they are only through computer screens or smartphones—they ask sometimes, ‘Why should we want to be one? I am an individual, and I don’t care about others.’

And I think there is a very important message here to say to all people that unity, friendship, human relationships, communion, are extremely important and extremely valuable. If for no other reason, then the example you mentioned about someone who has lived through war or has suffered and is in pain, what an embrace can mean to them.

What that very human, real, healthy expression of personal care can do to heal the heart of someone else. On a personal level, that can become, if you will, a common level, a community level that unites all of us, and helps us understand, and respect for one another goes far beyond ‘You keep your distance; I’ll stay here, and you stay there, and we’ll have no interaction.’ But it means building up relationships that will enrich all people.

With that message, certainly, my motto is primarily because of Christ “il illo” is ‘In Christ who is one we are all one.’

But it is not defined, if you will, only for Christians. As a matter of fact, it is an invitation to all of us and to others to say: the more we can promote authentic unity and understanding, respect and human relationships of friendship and dialogue in the world, the greater possibility there is that we will put aside the arms of war, that we will leave aside the distrust, the hatred, the animosity that has so often been built up and that we will find ways to come together and be able to promote authentic peace and justice throughout the world.

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