Religious men and women have message for Sharon and Arafat

Jerusalem (Fides) – Men and women Religious of the Holy Land have written a message for Ariel Sharon and Yasser Arafat calling for an end to war and the endless chain of violence. With regard to the two peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, the Religious say: "we see no other solution than sharing and collaboration". The message will be released at 3pm local time in Jerusalem at the Church of Saint Anne where there will be an interreligious assembly, attended by Nuncio Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah as well as Rabbis and Muslim leaders. After this the Christians will pray the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa (due to different calendars, the Eastern Churches are still in the Season of Lent). A group of Religious will continue as far as Tantur-Bethlehem check point, still under siege by Israeli troops.

Today at 3pm, Religious communities throughout the Holy Land will ring church bells to call everyone to pray for peace. Since the beginning of April, Franciscan churches all over the Holy Land have held a daily hour of adoration and special prayer for peace.

Fides is allowed to release the message in anticipation of its presentation: This is the original English version.

"Pray for peace in Jerusalem" (Ps 122,6)

A Message of Men and Women Religious in the Holy Land
to the Political Leadership in Israel and Palestine

It is our love for this Land and its two peoples that motivates us, men and women religious of the Holy Land, Arabic and Hebrew speakers as well as expatriates, to humbly address this letter to you. We live within the local Christian community that has been in this Land since the beginnings of Christianity. With all our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, we seek to follow the path of non-violence that He has taught us. Together, we keep alive the hope that light will indeed triumph over darkness.

We love the Jewish people, their millenia-long history and their monotheistic faith. It is they who have given us the Bible and with it the firm conviction regarding the unique dignity of each and every human person, created in the image of God. We totally reject every form of anti-Semitism.

We love our Muslim brothers and sisters, who worship the One, Almighty and Merciful God and refer regularly to Abraham, our father in faith. Together we work to build up respectful dialogue with all the children of Abraham.

Concretely, we give expression to our love for the two peoples of this Land and our solidarity with the local Churches through our social, medical, educational and charitable institutions. We wish to constitute a bridge between the two peoples in order to promote justice, peace and reconciliation. Constant prayer for peace and the well-being of all occupies a central place in our religious vocation.

Due to the ancient and strong ties that link these two peoples to the same Land, we see no other solution than sharing and collaboration. For love of Israel and for love of Palestine, we join our voices to those of the entire world, crying out: Stop this war! This is a cry of the love that drives us. Violence will not halt violence. Only peace can give security to all.

There is no peace without justice; there is no reconciliation without mutual forgiveness. H.H. Pope John Paul II has reminded us of that in his message for the World Peace Day, at the beginning of this year. The terrible sufferings that have afflicted this Land and all its inhabitants remind us of the urgency to build peace together. Relying on Scripture, we know that the suffering of the Servant will bring healing for the whole world (Is 53,5).

We pray that the prophecy of Isaiah will be realized, that nations will no longer lift up the sword against each other and that they will no longer practise the art of war. House of Jacob, come, let us go in the light of the Lord (Is 2,5).

Respectfully,

Men and Women Religious of the Holy Land
Friday, April 26, 2002