The Baghdad Patriarch of the Chaldeans participated in the Sant’Egidio convention “Catholics and Shiites for the future”. The Pope’s visit to Iraq and the call for “respect for diversity”. The need to study the causes of extremism and find ways to defeat it. The common commitment with the great Ayatollah al-Sistani. The appeal calling for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Rome () – A “conviviality” based on respect for “diversity”, as Pope Francis repeated during his visit to Iraq; “citizenship” as the “foundation” of social relations and “belonging” to the homeland in a perspective of “equality”; a “reform” in the field of education to better “adapt” to current circumstances, culture and people. These are the points underlined by the Baghdad Patriarch of the Chaldeans, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, in his speech at the two-day conference “Catholics and Shiites for the future” that took place yesterday and continues today in Rome, organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio. The event was attended by authorized representatives of both communities, including Jawad Al-Khoei, general secretary of the Imam Al-Khoei Institute, and Mostafa Mohagheegh Damad, theologian and professor of Islamic Jurisprudence at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran (Iran). Next, the most significant passages of Card. Sako:
Today’s society is different from that of the past. The world has changed and is constantly changing, from tradition to modernity. The world has become a digital village with social networks, not to mention the political circumstances, which are difficult and worrying. That is why I propose to make an appeal, asking for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine and for a diplomatic way to be found to achieve peace.
Our mission and responsibilities as religious leaders are universal, include everyone and are not limited to any particular faith.
We must counteract sectarian ideology: through our speeches, with training, educating the new generations. The God we believe in does not ask us: are you a Shia Muslim or a Sunni? Are you Catholic or Orthodox Christian? The only question he asks us is: what have you done for your brother?
God will judge us by our charity.
1 – Conviviality
We must strive to promote dialogue and friendship. Strengthen closeness and solidarity between different peoples, religions and cultures, in order to contribute to the peace and well-being of humanity, including through close cooperation between the Shia tradition and the Catholic Church
The other must be recognized and respected in its diversity. Respect for diversity, as the Pope repeated during his visit to Iraq in March 2021, is the basis of conviviality.
When these differences are shared and put in common, there is great wealth. What we call conviviality means sharing bread (العيش )… the basis of food, daily food! Not feeding people causes conflict. As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry recalled, the taste of common bread “has no equal” and sharing love and purity gives it even more pleasure.
No one should be excluded and remain indifferent.
This unique situation becomes a place of experimentation, to overcome the clash of divisions and initiate a courageous and sincere intercultural and interreligious dialogue.
Citizenship and conviviality are a natural right and not a secondary element to be tolerated. The concept of tolerance comes from سمح ‘tolere’ which means: I allow you to be.
Unfortunately, in recent years an extremist mentality has spread in our region and elsewhere, inciting hatred and violence “in the name of religion”. This ideology goes against the will of God, who “created us different”, and poses a threat to the lives of citizens and the security of the State. We must study the causes of extremism and violence committed in the name of religion, and find ways to defeat them. I would like to thank Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the supreme authority Marjia of Najaf, for his stance.
2. Citizenship
Citizenship is the foundation of social relations and its criterion is belonging to this country. Citizenship means equality, respect for rights, coexistence and harmony among all citizens.
Sectarianism and the concept of “components” do not serve to establish a strong and modern nation-state. On the contrary, they end up supporting a culture of special interests that encourages exclusion. Christians are an indigenous population of Iraq, not a community from another country. They are people of this land, so it is not acceptable to call them “minority”. It is an “injustice” that Christians sometimes end up “under scrutiny” for their religious creed. The rights of Christians should be as sacred as those of others, and they cannot be considered second-class citizens because of their faith. Diversity and differences must be a wealth, a source of energy for creativity, balance and prosperity.
The path to follow is the one that leads to a civilized and democratic model based on citizenship, not a sectarian regime that distributes and shapes identity and national unity at will. Democracy is an “indivisible whole”.
3. Change the educational system
The educational system in Iraq is not a system that helps coexistence and culture today. We need effective intellectual reform in the field of education, in churches, in mosques and schools, to adapt to people’s lives, circumstances and culture. Otherwise, our societies will end up rapidly heading towards a terrible destiny.
In closing, I am going to ask the Iraqi government to create a Ministry of Conviviality to strengthen relations and rights from the point of view of citizenship. And I ask Almighty God to bless us and direct our steps towards a better future for our country and our citizens.
* Baghdad Patriarch of the Chaldeans
(Photo taken from the Chaldean Patriarchate website)
Add Comment