Pope: Amid conflict, Church must bear witness to service and hope
Pope Leo XIV met with members of the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA) in Rome. He urged bishops to confront conflict, support the poor, and bear witness to hope amid tensions in Iraq, Syria, and other conflict‑torn lands. The Pope called for listening, consolation, and care for families, young people, and migrants, especially in Gulf countries. He emphasized preserving communion among rites, engaging in dialogue with Muslims, and upholding the Gospel through sacraments and prayer.
18 days ago
Pope Leo XIV told Latin-rite bishops serving Arab regions that the Church’s mission amid war, migration and social instability is measured not by size or institutional strength, but by fidelity to the Gospel, service to those in need and the ability to offer hope. He urged the bishops to remain close to wounded communities, protect the dignity of migrants and vulnerable people, and promote dialogue, reconciliation and peace. 1 2 3
Leo met Sept. 3 in Rome with members of the Conference of the Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA), which brings together bishops from countries including Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Cyprus, Djibouti, Somalia and the Arabian Peninsula. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, serves as the conference’s president. 1
The bishops oversee local Churches operating in a “vast and diverse region” affected by political, social and religious tensions. The Pope asked them to remain close to their people through listening and consolation, particularly as families are displaced, emigrate or face increasingly fragile communities. 1
Leo told the bishops not to fear the smallness of Christian communities in the Middle East. He said the Church’s fruitfulness is not determined by numbers, structures or resources, but by fidelity to the Gospel. 1 2
He described the mission of these communities as more than maintaining a Christian presence: They are called to make Christ present by proclaiming the Gospel, celebrating the sacraments and recognizing Christ in every person entrusted to their care. 2
The Pope said Christian communities can serve society not by seeking power or imposing themselves, but through service and witness. He also urged them not to respond to violence with further violence, but to counter force with charity. 3
Leo recalled priests, religious men and women, and lay Catholics who have died for their faith in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other areas affected by violence. He said their fidelity remains an encouragement to local Christians not to surrender to fear or resignation. 1 2 3
He specifically highlighted Blessed Leonella Sgorbati, a Consolata Missionary sister killed in Mogadishu, Somalia, in 2006, and Missionaries of Charity killed while serving vulnerable people in Yemen in 2016. Their names, he said, may be unknown to the world but are known to God. 2
The Pope presented the perseverance of Middle Eastern Christians, their faith under pressure and their courage in service as a testimony for the universal Church. 2
Leo called for particular attention to families and young people, who face uncertainty and hardship. He said young people receive the faith within families and are supported by communities through listening, teaching and catechesis. 1
He also urged the bishops to care for migrants living away from their families, especially the large migrant populations in the Gulf states. He asked Christian communities to become homes where no one feels like a stranger and to recognize every migrant as a brother or sister whose dignity must be defended. 1 3
The Pope pointed to parishes, schools and hospitals as places where the Church makes the Gospel tangible through welcoming, education, consolation and practical assistance, particularly through the work of religious congregations. 1
Although the region faces humanitarian and social emergencies, Leo cautioned the bishops not to lose sight of the Church’s central responsibilities: proclaiming the Gospel, prayer, the sacraments and Christian formation. 1 3
He also told them that their work should not be judged only by immediate results. Prayer, consolation, support for families, religious education and welcoming the poor were described as seeds whose growth belongs to God. 2 3
Leo encouraged communion among the region’s different Christian rites, describing their variety as a treasure to be lived in unity. He also called for sincere dialogue with other Christians, Muslims and other religious communities. 1 3
He emphasized that dialogue does not require Christians to abandon their identity. Instead, he said, Christian identity should be lived without fear of encounter, with gestures of respect, cooperation and esteem serving as steps toward reconciliation wherever war has created distrust. 1 3
In his concluding message, Leo told the bishops not to make success or recognition their primary goals. He urged them to be voices of truth, justice and peace; pastors close to their people; people of prayer; artisans of reconciliation; and witnesses to mercy. 1 2
He encouraged them to continue sowing without expecting to see results immediately, assuring them that the universal Church regards their communities with affection and that they are not alone. 2 3
Christians in conflict zones must prioritize Gospel fidelity over numbers
The statement is deeply consistent with Catholic teaching: in conflict zones, Christians must seek fidelity to Christ rather than numerical success, political influence, or institutional survival at any cost.
Pope Leo XIV urges Christians to remain faithful to Jesus “without allowing ourselves to end up in the clutches of power.” Their witness is to imitate Christ, who conquers evil through sacrificial love, forgiveness, honesty, and reconciliation—not domination or revenge.
This does not mean indifference to numbers or to the preservation of Christian communities. The Church should support refugees, defend persecuted believers, sustain liturgical life, and work for peace. Yet these efforts must serve the Gospel, not replace it. Christian communities are called to remain present among the suffering and to become bridges among peoples, especially through service to the poor, displaced, and victims of violence.
The temptation to measure success by size, visibility, or influence is particularly dangerous. Pope Francis teaches that the Church is not required to display “the magnificence of great numbers” or worldly triumph; like the mustard seed and leaven, the Kingdom often grows quietly through humble fidelity. Likewise, the Church grows not through proselytism or advertising but through the attraction of Christian witness.
In practical terms, Gospel fidelity means:
This is not passivity. The Gospel requires Christians to speak against injustice and to act courageously for peace, while overcoming evil with good. Numbers may increase or decline according to circumstances; the Church’s first obligation is always to remain faithful to Christ.