EUROPE/ITALY - “There are so many expectations of the Synod for the Middle East," says Fr. Pizzaballa, Custodian of the Holy Land

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – "There are so many expectations for the Synod, and there will also end up becoming a great many disappointments. We must approach the complexity of the issues with humility and willingness to listen," Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custodian of the Holy Land, said yesterday, Sunday, October 10, while in Rome at the opening ceremony of the multimedia exhibition "Abana – Padre Nostro." The exhibition is part of "Glimpses of the Christians of the Middle East," a cultural event sponsored by the Custody of the Holy Land, Edizioni Terra Santa, the Italian Catholic Action Movement, and the IFCA (International Forum of Catholic Action), in cooperation with Pax Christi Italy, UCSI (Union of Catholic Italian Press) Lazio, and Cimi (Conference of Italian Missionary Institutes). It involves two weeks of debates and insights on the situation of Christians in the Middle East, accompanying the proceedings of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops.
“This - continued the Custodian of the Holy Land - is a small 'council' of the Middle East, because every group is represented. It will be an experience of communion and sharing of experiences, to discover that despite the differences we have much in common. It is also an opportunity for the West to learn more about the aspects of the conflict that still exist, as well as the vitality, role, identity, and strength of our witness.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 10/11/2010)