Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of Baghdad, called for unity among the Eastern Churches and proposed practical measures to overcome divisions and address shared challenges.
vatican news
Vatican City, Wednesday, November 27, 2024: Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, has called on the four Churches to work for unity: the Chaldean Church, the Assyrian Church, the Ancient Church and the Church Assyrian evangelical Protestant.
In a Fides report from the Vatican, Cardinal Sako reflected on the divisions that exist within these Christian communities and compared the Churches to travelers who sail on different waves, but who travel together and “in the same boat.”
The Cardinal of the Chaldean Patriarchate stressed in a statement that unity is not only a necessity, but “the only solution to the challenges of our time.”
Cardinal Sako highlighted the enduring statement of faith shared by these Christian churches, stating: “I believe in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”
Cardinal Sako affirmed that despite centuries of division, the essence of the Church remains unified. He called the division “against the will of Christ” and underlined the deep damage caused by the fragmentation of the Eastern Church into four separate entities.
However, Cardinal Sako stressed that his call for unity is not a request to return to the past.
He clarified that “unity does not mean being what we were, but focusing on what we should be,” adding that his goal was to heal the wounds of division and achieve peace between these historic churches to promote “total harmony.”
six steps towards unity
In his appeal, Cardinal Sako outlined six practical proposals for a “new approach” to the Eastern Church.
He said that, above all, a common understanding of unity is necessary. He called for a comprehensive and practical approach to achieving Christ’s will of a united church.
Secondly, Cardinal Sako stressed the importance of distinguishing between doctrinal and administrative issues, highlighting the importance of separating issues of faith and morality from the discipline and administration of the Church.
According to Cardinal Sako, the third step towards unity is to understand historical divisions. He urged believers to reflect on the historical causes of partition, to approach the issue openly and without preconceived ideas.
Moving on to the fourth step, Cardinal Sako expressed the importance of sharing resources. He suggested that, as a step towards practical harmony, Church buildings and places of worship could be made available for shared use, allowing all the faithful to participate in the sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church.
The fifth step involves promoting inclusion among the laity. Cardinal Sako invited lay people to transcend ethnic and nationalist divisions and foster a broader Christian identity.
Finally, according to Cardinal Sako, the sixth step toward inclusion is to address the decline of Iraq’s Christian population. He drew attention to the declining Christian population and urged churches to work together with evangelical zeal to combat indifference to the faith, secularism, and divisions within Christianity.
Unity as a response to the challenges of modern times
Concluding his remarks and reflecting on the Church’s rich synodal tradition, Cardinal Sako lamented the current state of division and compared it to the Church’s former ability to “walk together” and share responsibility for its mission.
And he concluded: “We must see unity as the only solution to current challenges.”
