Moroccan Churches Unite for Global Peace
In a profound display of solidarity, Catholic churches across Morocco orchestrated a "circle of peace" accompanied by a minute of silence, all aimed at promoting peace within families and humanity at large. This initiative arose from a collective denunciation of what they termed the "exploitation of religion as a catalyst for war." The ecclesiastical leaders condemned religious interpretations that serve to justify conflict, asserting that such actions "pollute and are heretical" to the true essence of faith. They further expressed that "no believer in the one, forgiving God can accept war, with all its devastating effects and consequences."
This powerful message was heralded by Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, the second-highest official in the Catholic Church in Morocco, who is based in the capital city of Rabat. Alongside him were ecclesiastical representatives from Tangier and Laayoune, all of whom collectively rejected the notion of "preventive war" as propagated by U.S. and Israeli officials to justify military actions targeting Iran, which have since broadened to include other nations in the Middle East. They deemed this concept "immoral and unjust."
Call for Unity and Peace
The churches in Rabat, Tangier, and Laayoune unequivocally denounced, "with the full strength of the Gospel, the resort to violence and war as a means to resolve conflicts between peoples and nations." They further condemned the reliance on the logic of force instead of the force of logic, emphasizing a need for dialogue in seeking resolutions to disputes.
In their statement, they declared, "We extend our profound solidarity to all victims of war. Those who decide on war never consider the welfare of their own people nor the well-being of those affected by the conflict. The aftermath is not merely collateral damage but rather the loss of lives, injuries, and suffering, indiscriminately affecting children and adults alike, as well as families displaced from their homes and belongings, leading millions to flee their territories."
The churches urged all Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders, as well as all believers and individuals of goodwill, to uphold international law and to press their governments to do the same. They called for the activation of multilateral diplomacy, the strengthening of institutions dedicated to maintaining and fostering peace, and the use of dialogue as a method, pathway, and tool for achieving harmony. Furthermore, they encouraged the populace to resist indifference in the face of these pressing issues, ensuring that such crises do not fall into the abyss of forgetfulness.
Notably, Bishop Cristóbal López Romero previously remarked, "In Morocco, there are Muslims willing to sacrifice their lives for me… and I too am prepared to sacrifice mine for them. This message is particularly poignant at a time when many are more focused on building walls, borders, and trenches rather than bridges that unite us," as reported by larazon.es.
