VATICAN Vicar of Arabia: an “enriching link” between the Vatican and Oman

Bishop Martinelli visited the sultanate, which at the end of February established full relations with the Holy See. A decision that paves the way for “greater cooperation initiatives” in a climate of great confidence. The desire for a greater presence of priests and the opening of a women’s institute. A very diverse Church of migrants internally, but united and participatory.

Muscat () – The announcement of “full” official relations between the Holy See and Muscat is “very positive news”, based on a “link” that can be “enriching for both”, but above all for ” the same Church” present in Oman. It is what he stressed to Monsignor Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of South Arabia (United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen), commenting on the full diplomatic relations that will soon lead to the opening of a nunciature and an embassy in the respective territories. “These official relations will allow greater cooperation initiatives” between the parties, continued the prelate, in a climate that is already one of great trust and collaboration.

Recounting the life of the local community, the Vicar of Arabia spoke of a “Church eager to contribute to the good of society” and, unlike other more complicated realities in the Gulf [léase Arabia Saudita, donde sólo prevalece el islam sunita], “we already enjoy freedom of worship.” In addition, official relations with the Holy See “can open up greater possibilities for collaboration,” he added, including with regard to priests, who currently number 12 in the area. “We hope to have a few more in the future,” he wished.

Among the other objectives of Monsignor Martinelli is also “the possibility of having some female communities of consecrated life.” A presence, he warned, “very significant both for the faithful and for society” because of what it can contribute in many fields. And together with the religious freedom “that we already have, it would be nice to be able to make a positive contribution” also “through social and educational initiatives” as happens in many realities where the Church is present and active at the pastoral level.

Speaking of the Catholic community in Oman, the Vicar of Arabia defined it as having “substantially similar characteristics to that of the United Arab Emirates”, although the faithful, although “present in good numbers”, are currently “less numerous” than in the neighboring country. In the Sultanate, too, it is a “Church of migrants”, since, although hit by a disastrous and forgotten war, only the Catholic community in Yemen is made up of “natives”. “The number of faithful in Oman is highly variable” – he continued – and is linked to “job opportunities. For example, the time of the pandemic [Covid-19] forced many to leave the territory” precisely because of the lack of employment.

There are four parishes in the sultanate: two in Muscat, the capital, one in Salalah and one in Sohar. It presents a great variety at the community level, explained the prelate, because it is “made up of people of different nations, languages, cultures and rites” united, despite everything, by a great desire to “participate” in the ceremonies, in which they are numerous, and “in the commitment in different parish works, associations and ecclesial movements”.

To capture the strategic value of Oman in the region, at the ecclesiastical level the story of the kidnapping of the Indian Salesian Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, on behalf of a jihadist group in Aden (Yemen), who was released after some time precisely thanks to the mediation of Muscat. The sultanate is also fundamental in the balance between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the two great regional powers divided economically, religiously and ideologically, which represent the Sunni and Shiite world references par excellence.

“Relations with the local political leaders are very good at the moment,” Msgr. Martinelli stressed, and are characterized by “kindness” and because “they are willing to help us when we have a need.” Finally, he wanted to highlight the role of Pope Francis and his “attention” to the Arab region to strengthen ties in the Gulf and with the Muslim world, beginning with his trips to Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. “His relentless promotion of inter-religious dialogue and peace,” he concluded, “had an influence in reaching this historic moment in which Oman and the Holy See establish stable diplomatic relations.”