Lebanon has been in the grips of an economic crisis since August 2019. In 2021, Cardinal Béchara Pierre Raï, the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, called for a global conference focusing on protecting Lebanon.
“We have heard the warning of Pope Francis that ‘Lebanon is in great danger’ and his appeal for us to turn our minds to the ‘unprecedented crisis’ it faces,” said the statement. “We support the Holy See’s continued efforts to seek peace in Lebanon. We pray that Archbishop Paul Gallagher’s calls for dialogue during his visit in February will bear lasting fruit.”
The statement says that the bishops will urge their respective governments to “support Cardinal Raï’s appeal for action through the United Nations to find a solution to the crisis” in a manner that “upholding Lebanon’s independence, sovereignty, and neutrality,” as well as ensure that the citizens of Lebanon to “choose their own representatives in free and fair elections, including through the offer of independent electoral observers,” and “assist the establishment of good governance, honesty, transparency, and accountability in the service of Lebanon’s people.”
“The global community must stand alongside all those working to keep alive the principles that shaped Lebanon’s constitution and helped to end conflict through achievements such as the 1989 Taif Agreement and 2008 Doha Agreement,” said the statement.
The bishops wrote that their countries “have a responsibility to provide relief for those affected by the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe,” both citizens of Lebanon and refugees from other areas.
“We are grateful for the humanitarian work of Catholic agencies and encourage our own communities to sustain their efforts,” said the statement.
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