Speaking to Vatican News about the growing violence in the Middle East, the Apostolic Vicar of South Arabia reiterated that religions can make an important contribution to peaceful coexistence and said that the Synod offers a concrete example of what, therefore, Through interreligious dialogue and listening to each other, we can live together.
Vatican News
VATICAN CITY, Tuesday, October 15, 2024 (REI): Bishop Paolo Martinelli OFM CAP, Apostolic Vicar of South Arabia, said that “there is an urgent need to review the innovations of diplomacy to stop the current cycle of violence, but we must also work with people of faith.” “We also need the testimony of others to show that we can walk together, that religions can contribute to the humanization of the world.”
break the vicious cycle of revenge
The Capuchin friars, who have served as senior church officials in the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen for the past two years, have come to Rome to attend the synod. He spoke to Vatican News during the meeting about the consequences of the ongoing war in Lebanon, in the Holy Land and in the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in war-torn Yemen, which is directly affected by the conflict between Israel and Hamas, in which Houthi rebels are fighting Israel’s growing conflict are shooting together and attacking ships in the Red Sea.
Bishop Martinelli highlighted the urgent need to break this vicious cycle of retaliation by resuming diplomacy. “We need to find ways of reconciliation and peace for the good of all,” he said. We pray that the war will end soon and we can begin to rebuild, so that we can finally complete the projects of kindness, sharing and walking together.”
peaceful coexistence is possible
He said religious communities can and must contribute to dialogue and peace for a better world “not allowing themselves to become instruments for nationalist purposes.” He gave the example of the United Arab Emirates and Oman, where he said: “A Catholic church, a mosque and a synagogue can be found together, proving that peaceful coexistence is possible: “It is clear that sharing their spiritual traditions is beneficial to all”.
According to Bishop Martinelli, the experience of the current Synod on synodality is concrete proof of the Church’s contribution to the spread of this culture of peace. “Regardless of the technical results we get from this, the fact that we listen to each other is significant,” he said. “Recognizing the richness of differences and learning to understand together the will of God is an example for the Church and the world, which can inspire the path of good for society.
accepting diversity
Commenting on Pope Francis’ recent apostolic visit to Asia and Oceania, the Apostolic Vicar of South Arabia drew many parallels with his two historic visits to the United Arab Emirates in 2019 and Bahrain in 2023, which included the signing of the Declaration on Interreligious Harmony in Indonesia, which, he said, shows that “the path is moving in the direction of brotherhood.”
“Appreciating diversity is very exciting to me,” he said. “The ideal of life is not to eliminate diversity, where everyone is equal, but to enjoy getting to know others because they are different.”
