From the MECC Archive: Speech of His Beatitude Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako at the MECC 11th General Assembly
Our ecumenical journey towards the 12th General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, which will be held between 16 and 20 May 2022 with the generous hospitality of His Holiness Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Pope Tawadros II, in Cairo, Egypt, under the title of “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27), has started. Thus, we will shed light accordingly on stages, excerpts, speeches, publications and photos from the past MECC General Assemblies.
You can find below the speech of His Beatitude Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Chaldean Patriarch in Iraq and the World and president of MECC for the Catholic Family, during the MECC 11th General Assembly, held between 6 and 8 September 2016 in Amman, Jordan, under the title of “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136: 1).
Good Morning,
I would like first to deeply thank the Middle East Council of Churches for the deployed efforts to maintain the Christian presence in this tormented East.
Facing the danger coming over us, it is time to leave the Byzantine controversy and unify our position and speech and also our work. We rely very much on the Middle East Council of Churches as a Christian comprehensive reference for the serious work in the service of man, every man in this East, Christian and Muslim.
I am coming from Iraq, from a country devastated by wars and torn by sectarianism in it the Christians were exposed and are still exposed to aggressions and persecutions. Frankly speaking, if the situation continues like this and if Church leaders and Muslim political and religious leaders do not hurry up to rescue the coexistence and make liberal laws that respect the rights of all citizens to freedom of belief and thought, not many Christians will remain in the East. It is the natural and legal right of man to express his belief and thought; away from the threat and repression.
We should come out with a specific, clear and unified position to seriously deal with the issue of terrorism, ISIS and the like, which poses a threat to all, and also with religious sermons (khutab), curricula and "fatawas" that are the source of religious extremism, and I can give examples. In addition to the constitutions and legislations in which there is prejudice "like the issue of the underage Christians when one of the parents embraces Islam..."
We should seek to develop a clear, courageous and official Islamic position (fatwa) regarding the Oriental Christians; they are the landowners and instrument of peace and reconciliation. They should be supported and encouraged for the economic and cultural skills they represent and this is done by implementing equality, citizen ship, legitimate rights and partnership. It is their right to live safely and in stability, and to enjoy the same rights and dignity as their fellow citizens.
These matters should be dealt with decisively and be solved; the message of religion is spreading the values of tolerance, love and mercy and making use of the spirit and connotation of the texts, and obeying them in respectful obedience to God and to religion. Thank you.