Fr Mourad: Mar Musa’s charism, called to open up and engage in dialogue in Homs
The new Syro-Catholic archbishop is set to be formally ordained tomorrow in a region that for years had no pastor or resident priests. Yet, the community was able to survive. For months, the Islamic State group held the new prelate captive along with scores of parishioners. One of his priorities is “to renew the theological and biblical education” of priests.
Homs (AsiaNews) – Fr Yacoub Mourad will be formally ordained the new archbishop of Homs, Syria, in a ceremony tomorrow amid rejoicing Syrian Christians.
He has a calm and reflective, yet decisive way with him. For him the mission means bringing the charism and experience from “the monastery of Mar Mousa" to nourish "the call to openness, hospitality, and prayer" that "has been lacking" in in his new diocese in recent years.
The region must "go back to living like a family, as a group in prayer", a heavy task for a city that “has been left on its own for years”, deprived of “resident priests" since “only three out of 12 are celibate”; the others are married and “return to their homes in the evening”.
Today " four of us live permanently” in the bishop’s residence, running it, setting up rooms for the many guests that currently show up.
A Syriac Catholic monk, Fr Mourad, 54, was elected archbishop of (-Hama-Nabk) last year. Senior Church officials and ordinary believers will throng tomorrow’s ordination and installation ceremony.
The Aleppo native was abducted in 2015 by the Islamic State group together with a many of his parishioners.
He trained for the clergy in Lebanon. After completing a licentiate, he entered the monastic community of Deir Mar Musa, where he was ordained priest in 1993.
From 2000 to 2015, he was in charge of the convent of Mar Elian (not far from Mar Musa, the community founded by Fr Paolo Dall'Oglio), and Qaryatayn parish, where he was abducted.
He speaks about his five months of captivity and "brave" release in a book: Un moine en otage: Le combat pour la paix d'un prisonnier des djihadistes (A monk held hostage – The struggle for peace by a jihadi-held prisoner). In it he describes his escape after weeks of threats, violence, conversion attempts, and a simulated execution.
Muddling through his last few days before the ordination, Fr Mourad explains that he has “inner peace” even if the appointment means “great change and responsibility".
Homs is a "complex" diocese, troubled by years of war; yet, despite hardships, “most Christians” have remained ensuring “stability”.
The parishioners “are farmers with a deep bond to their land”, which helps them face “fears, pressures, poverty, showing remarkable fidelity", something “I myself felt in captivity.”
With scores of fellow Christians, he was held for months by the Islamic State, “running the risk of being killed”.
Everyone showed courage to “bear witness to the faith,” a “strong sign” that we are like “the children of the first Christians" even when martyrdom is a real possibility.
After two and a half years of waiting and feeling “abandoned for so long”, Homs now has a full-time pastor amid “renewed hope”.
Pastorally, the bishop is "the very symbol of the Church’s presence”, providing aid, humanitarian support, and celebrating the sacraments and closeness to tradition".
“I can say I am lucky because the priests are young, they make a great contribution to the mission, and we can organise work with a spirit of synodality" as Pope Francis calls for.
One of the priorities is “to renew theological and biblical education” and help priests “on their pastoral journey” while supporting families “live with dignity at a time when the pressure of poverty is unbearable.”
At present, the Church in Homs has mobilised to send aid to the victims of last month’s earthquake in the most affected cities, Latakia and Aleppo.
“We can see how beautifully the Churches are working together, a practical ecumenism with Orthodox and Protestants,” Fr Mourad explained.
Even in the most tragic moments, the hand "of providence" that nourishes "our action" is at work, favouring interaction and exchange with Muslims, especially in this land where part of the mission is to "open up to other religious communities" in the spirit and according to the dictates of Fr Dall'Oglio, who went missing 10 years ago this July.
Finally, for Fr Mourad, “We must be in the service of living together, engage in dialogue and become an example for all of Syria”.
.png)
06/04/2016 19:29
