Declaration of Minister General of the Franciscans about the War in Iraq

Berlin, Germany (ots/PROTEXT) 20.3.2003 - We are living intragic times of violence and destruction. To the 24 wars alreadybeing waged, another, even more disturbing for the whole ofhumanity, is being added. So many people of good will, fromevery station in life and religion, wish to disassociatethemselves from the proposals of death that offend both God andman. They are saying 'enough' to war, to violence, tooverwhelming injustice and to every form of terrorism, 'enough'to the unbridled desire for power, to social injustice and tothe social imbalances that are at the core of every discord anddivision.

We Franciscans cannot remain silent, on the fringes of thismovement for life. St. Francis asks us to be makers of peacewherever we may live:

* Through fasting and penance. Hunger kills just like war,and even more than war: we must involve ourselves in fraternalsharing. St. Francis reminds us that everything comes from theone God, Father of all, and all should be shared with others asa simple duty of restitution. Fasting directed to God and tosharing is a very important instrument of peace since it helpsto purify us from the thirst for possession, from all thesuperfluous we have, which is always a form of violence towardsthe poor.

* St. Francis reminds us that silence can be culpable andinaction can become a "shame". We cannot give ourselves over toa sterile resignation: the admirable example of the Holy Father,John Paul II, must spur us on to use all possible means toconstruct peace and reconciliation.

God our Father, You see this our earth, bloodstained by somany wars and tested by so much suffering; once again, even morethan in the past, the victims of hatred are innocent civilians,women and children. We offer You this pain as a sacrifice thatwe unite to that of Your Son on the Cross for the redemption ofthe world.

Br. Giacomo Bini ofm

(abridged version)

ots Original Text Service: Missionszentrale der FranziskanerInternet: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact: Missionszentrale der Franziskaner Thomas SchimmelTel.: 030 / 48 83 96 42 eMail: Berlin@missionszentrale.deInternet: http://www.mzf.org

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