Pope Francis expresses closeness to Iran’s Catholics, says Church is not against the Iranian government
November 21, 2024
» Continue to this story on Vatican Press Office
CWN Editor's Note: Pope Francis received participants in a colloquium, jointly organized by the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and a Tehran-based dialogue center, devoted to “The Education of Young People, particularly in the Family: A Challenge for Christians and Muslims.”
Referring to Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu, a Belgian Conventual Franciscan, the Pope said, “I plan to elevate the Archbishop of Tehran-Ispahan—a great friar—to the College of Cardinals. This decision expresses my closeness and concern for the Church in Iran, and in turn honors the entire country.”
The Pope continued:
The life of the Catholic Church in Iran, a “little flock,” is very close to my heart. The Church is not against the government; to say otherwise is a lie. I am aware of its situation and the challenges it faces as it perseveres in bearing witness to Christ and contributing, quietly but significantly, to the good of society as a whole, while rejecting all religious, ethnic or political discrimination.
“The weakening of faith and religious practice in some societies has a direct impact on the family,” the Pope added, as he turned to the topic of the colloquium. “Consequently, in order to fulfil better its educational mission, the family needs the full support of everyone, including the state, the school, its own religious community and other institutions.”
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