quarta-feira, 19 de outubro de 2011

Younan’s pastoral mode of action has passion and courage

Antonio Carlos Ribeiro

During the service of investiture of Bishop Helga Haugland Byfuglien as president of Bishops Conference of Norway in Trondheim, October 2, the Bishop Dr Mounib A. Younan presented her with a cross of Jerusalem, of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land, as a "symbol of prayer that the cross of Christ can be your comfort and strength."

Bishop Byfluglien receive the cross of Bishop Kvarme

The participation of the Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem and Palestine and President of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a presence of witnesses, fearless and affirmative of the shepherd who knows suffering. Therefore, his stay in Norway shaken by the terrorist attacks of Friday, July 22, with explosives in government offices and shooting at students, leaving 77 dead, was significant.

His voice reminded the prayers and support of Lutheran Christians against irrational, financed and articulated hatred who arrived suddenly and overwhelmingly in the Nordic country. “We are your allies in combating - with peaceful means - any kind of incitement or hatred that some circles are trying to promote”, said the shepherd of the herd Lutheran world.


Bishop Younan to be greeted by General Secretary, Dr. Ishmael Noko, and LWF President, Bishop Mark Hanson

By living in a region marked by "phobias" between religious groups, by preach peace and an end to violence and by do this in the training of children, Younan praised the attitude of Norway, to counter violence by asking comprehension, present in the actions of royal family, the Church and citizens, which illuminated the tragic night, lighting candles in memory of the victims.

He recalled that the global Lutheran communion, which he represented there, not missing in the expression of solidarity with the families of the victims, the leaders of the Church and the authorities. This unity in communion is fundamental to support the testimony of non-violence, especially in front of his most hard face.

He said that his cooperation with the Church of Norway on these values is because the Church of Norway has carried these values to the world. The Norwegian people's suffering led to a "culture of mutual understanding" with which the Lutheran communion must be committed, he announced.

Bishop Younan led to the Church of Norway and her Pastor the testimony that solidarity, culture of understanding and communion are able to sustain in the face of violence - quick, ruthless and cruel - and their innocent victims.
And he called Bishop Byfuglien to “remember us in the Middle East with your prayer that justice will soon prevail".

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