Diman (Agenzia Fides) – The Arab world “needs the Gospel and its teachings: those of love, brotherhood, peace, forgiveness and reconciliation”. This is what the Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Bechara Boutros Rai, said to a delegation of Maronite Missionaries that he received on Wednesday, July 9 at the patriarchal summer residence in Diman. The group of missionaries was led by Fr. Abu Malek Tanos, of the Congregation of the Lebanese Maronite Missionaries.
“In these times”, the Patriarch said, referring to the difficulties and conflicts in the Middle East, “we unfortunately live in a culture contrary to the teachings of God. War, violence, terrorism, murder and hatred is what prevails”. But faed with this reality, according to the Leader of the Maronite Church, “we cannot remain in inertia. On the contrary, we must increase our activities and increase our hope”.The troubled condition prevailing in the Middle East ‘must not distract our attention from our task”. “We must remind everyone that Christians are here to spread the culture of the Bible”. “There is no Arab spring without a Christian spring”, said Patriarch Rai, “and there is no Arab spring without a Lebanese spring”. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 10/07/2014)
Source: Patriarch Rai to Lebanese missionaries: the Arab world needs the Gospel – Fides News Agency