Children have been forced to flee, often separated from their parents who may have been killed or enslaved by the Islamic State.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) – Pope Francis lamented, “it seems that the awareness of the value of human life has been lost; it seems that the person does not count and can be sacrificed to other interests. And all of this, unfortunately, with the indifference of many.”
Pope Francis was speaking about the atrocities in the Middle East and the evils perpetrated by the Islamic State. The Islamic State has literally documented itself massacring people by the hundreds. Even individual killings tend to be cruel and even gruesome. No respect is shown for the dead, whose heads and bodies are often treated as trophies. The situation for the living is dangerous as well, especially for women who are enslaved, raped and forced into marriages.
With the exception of fellow Sunni Muslims, the Islamic State is on a rampage unprecedented in recent history. Pope Francis spoke about this worry during the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family and let the bishops know in advance that he would be speaking on the Middle East. He wanted to speaking about the topic at a time when all seven of the region’s patriarchs were present at the Vatican.
Pope Francis spoke plainly about the brutality there. “We are witnessing a phenomenon of terrorism of previously unimaginable proportions. Many of our brothers and sisters are persecuted and have had to leave their homes, in a brutal manner, too. This unjust situation demands, beyond our constant prayers, an adequate response from the part of the international community as well.”
He spoke of offering support for Christian communities in the Middle East and encouraged Christians around the world to offer “the most help possible to support their presence in the region.”
The region of Syria and northern Iraq now occupied by the Islamic State is also home to many of the world’s most ancient Christian communities, dating back to the time of the Apostles. Now, for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, Masses are not offered and to merely whisper the name of Jesus is a crime.
Pope Francis would like to see the international community take real and substantial steps to protect Christians in the region. He was also clear about whom he meant, telling the bishops that he intended his remarks for the United Nations. “They must act,” he said, “otherwise where do we go? The united Nations loses its reason to exist.” Pope Francis referred specifically to the Security Council and the International Criminal Court in his remarks.
The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin said that it was the responsibility of the United Nations to stop genocide in the Middle East and prevent people from becoming refugees. However, he warned against a strictly militaristic response, saying that a complete solution could not be offered by a military response alone.
Pope Francis also reinforced in his comments that the world has a responsibility to cut off support for the Islamic State and those who illegally purchase their oil and supply them with weapons. He called upon Muslim leaders to join him in condemning the aggression of the Islamic State, saying that everyone has a moral obligation to speak out against suffering and injustice.
