The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has joined Pope Leo XIV and many world leaders in expressing deep alarm at the escalating violence engulfing the Middle East.
Conference President and Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SBD issued a statement yesterday calling for peace in the Middle East.
“In this season of Lent, Pope Leo has encouraged us to pray for peace, to ‘fast from words and acts of hatred and conflict’ and to rediscover the peace Christ offers,” Archbishop COstelloe said.
“The loss of life and the fear and uncertainty experienced by ordinary people and the destabilisation of an already fragile region weigh heavily on our hearts.
“As Pope Leo warned this week, we stand “faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions”.
“His appeal is one we wholeheartedly echo: that all parties ‘assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss’.”
Archbishop Costello said that “violence only multiplies suffering”, and that “war is not the answer and is always a defeat for humanity”.
He paid mention to Australians in the region, including personnel serving in peacekeeping and humanitarian roles.
“This is an anxious time for their families, friends and communities. We assure them of our prayers and our pastoral concern,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“Above all, we pray for the innocent: for those already killed, for the injured and traumatised, for families separated or displaced and for communities living in fear.
“We pray too for leaders at every level: that their decisions be grounded in respect for human dignity, the common good and solidarity with the suffering.”
Archbishop Costelloe asked people of faith and goodwill in Australia to join the bishops “praying for peace and the healing of a region that has suffered too much for too long”.
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