Posted on 07/05/2006 4:21:14 PM PDT by NYer
Mar Nasrallah Pierre Cardinal Sfeir
Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
Beirut (AsiaNews) Syria might have pulled its army out of Lebanon, but it has left its secret services. It has friends in the country and anyone can draw his own conclusions from that, said Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir who answered US reporters questions in Chicago yesterday about developments following last years assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Syrias withdrawal under international pressure.
The cardinal, who is in the United States on a visit to local Maronite communities, reiterated his views about Hezbollah, namely that when some movements are armed and others are not, there is a situation of inequality that is contrary to the constitution.
Even so the patriarch said once again that he was convinced that a just peace for the Palestinians is the key to unlocking the whole Middle Eastern situation.
In his stay in Chicago, Cardinal Sfeir presented the conclusions of the Maronite Synod that was recently held in Bkerke, Lebanon, insofar as it touched on the diaspora, Christian-Muslim dialogue and the role of the Church in society.
In his views, the Church must be the conscience of society and must take courageous stances against political authorities and economic elites when they seem corrupt.
What is more, the dialogue with the Islamic world is at the heart of the Christian presence in the East. Similarly, the fate of Christians in Lebanon is tied to that of the entire Middle East.
More information at:
Patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church to Make Historic Stop Greater Boston Area July 12-14
I give this guy a week to live when he gets back to Lebanon.
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"must take courageous stances against political authorities and economic elites when they seem corrupt"
The moment of truth is approaching.
Truth is a whole or else it is not. One cannot but tell it all. We would like the Patriarch to name the corrupted politicians, all of them, even if it takes naming all the lebanese politicians. Half words are not understood by the politicians, especially when they are themselves lawyers or advised by a large number of business lawyers. Half words are understood as cover up by politicians.
Is there any other historical precedent for this?
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