Pope: Amid conflict, Church must bear witness to service and hope

VATICAN, September 4, 2026: Pope Leo XIV met on Thursday with members of the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA), who are in Rome for their annual meeting.

In his address, the Pope acknowledged that the Bishops lead local Churches across a “vast and diverse region, ministering in contexts often marked by political, social, and religious tensions.”

He recalled the witness of martyrdom experienced by these Churches, highlighting the many priests, men and women religious, and lay faithful who have given their lives for the faith in Iraq, Syria, and other lands affected by conflict.

Pope Leo said Church leaders must remain close to their people and share in their suffering by offering listening and consolation, particularly as families are compelled to emigrate and communities become increasingly fragile.

He said that even where Catholics are a minority, the Church bears fruit through fidelity to the Gospel.

“At the heart of societies marked by conflict and division,” he said, “may your communities show that it is possible to live, serve, and hope together.”

Through its presence in parishes, schools, and hospitals, the Church makes the Gospel tangible by listening, welcoming, and assisting those in need, particularly through the service of religious congregations.

“Amid emergencies, do not lose sight of what is essential to the Church’s mission: the proclamation of the Gospel, prayer, the Sacraments and Christian formation,” he said.

Pope Leo urged the Bishops to give particular attention to families and young people as they confront difficulties and uncertainties.

Young people, he said, receive the faith within the family and are helped by their communities through listening and catechesis.

He also called on the Bishops to care for migrants who live far from their families and experience loneliness, especially in the Gulf countries, where they are numerous.

“May your communities be homes in which no one feels like a stranger,” he said. “Defend the dignity of every person and recognise in every migrant a brother or sister: in this way, charity becomes a witness to the Gospel and a school of fraternity.”

Pope Leo XIV further encouraged the Bishops to safeguard communion among Churches of different rites, describing the diversity of Christian traditions as a “treasure to be lived in unity.”

He said their communion should also encourage sincere dialogue with other Christians and Muslim communities.

“Dialogue does not mean renouncing one’s identity, but living it without fear of encounter,” he said. “Wherever war has sown distrust, every gesture of esteem, cooperation, and respect can become a step towards reconciliation and peace.”

In concluding his address, Pope Leo XIV encouraged the Latin Bishops of the Arab regions to make Christ present and proclaim His Word through the Sacraments and prayer.

“Do not seek success or recognition above all else: seek fidelity,” he said. “Be voices of truth, justice and peace; men of prayer, Pastors close to your people, artisans of reconciliation, and witnesses of mercy.”

Courtesy: Vatican News