ASIA/TURKEY - The death of Mgr. Padovese is a call for unity in the Church and among all Christians

Iskenderun (Agenzia Fides) – “The tragic event of the death of Mgr Padovese represents for the Catholic Church in Turkey a call for unity and to overcome fragmentation. It is call to intensify the spirit of ecumenism and to work incessantly for the unity of all Christians”: Fides learned this from a Catholic missionary priest who has been on mission in Turkey for many years and asks not to be named for security reasons. “We feel called to shape our pastoral activity according to the shining example of Christians who lived authentic faith in a Muslim environment, such as Charles de Foucauld, who can be for us a precious source of inspiration ”, the missionary continued.
With regard to contact with the surrounding Muslim environment the priest said “in Turkey today there are nationalist and Islamic forces which show hostility towards the Catholic Church and her representatives”, recalling the difficulties experienced by the Church without official recognition or juridical status, and thus unable to open schools or institutes, and difficulties regarding worship.
The missionary gives an example to Fides: “The Church of St Paul in Tarsus, the only church in the city where the Apostle of the Nations was born, has been turned into a museum and Christians have to pay to enter and Mass can only be celebrated with permission obtained the day before. Thanks to mediation by Mgr Padovese, the local Church was negotiating full restitution of the church of St Paul to the Christian community. But now we cannot say if this will ever happen”.
“After the murder of Mgr Padovese – he concludes – we live in fear, bewilderment, uncertainty. But we will never lose our hope and trust in Divine Providence ”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 24/06/2010)