The Spirit of Assisi is back in vogue

Sep 30, 2016

By Robert Mickens
The “Spirit of Assisi” — a phrase that many people in the last pontificate ridiculed as an unthinking, trendy-lefty capitulation to religious syncretism — is fully back in vogue again within the Catholic Church.

We can give much credit to Pope Francis for that, especially after the Sept 18-20 gathering in St Francis’ hometown with hundreds of leaders of all faiths to pray for peace and say no to war, violence and terrorism in the name of religion.

The 79-year-old Pope’s unflinching support of this “Spirit of Assisi” project, which has sought to keep alive the historical 1986 effort by John Paul II to unite all the world’s religions in the quest for peace, has been indispensable.

But the real credit for continuing the original initiative goes to the Sant’Egidio Community. It was this Rome-based lay movement that courageously began calling together religious leaders each year, always in some new place around the world, to repeat the 1986 event.

And they did it in spite of the cries of “scandal” that traditionalist Catholics (including some doctrinal officials at the Vatican) raised when the late Polish pope dared to pray alongside non-Christians thirty years ago for world peace.

In fairness, Benedict XVI also went to Assisi five years ago to commemorate the 25th anniversary of that original Prayer Meeting for Peace. But he used the event more as a moment to defend the place of religion in society than as an opportunity to put aside religious differences (which seemed too dangerous to him) and raise a united supplication to God, a supplication for peace.

On Sept 20, Pope Francis and some 500 others signed a new Appeal for Peace that, “with firm resolve,” they “reiterate that violence and terrorism are opposed to an authentic religious spirit”.

“May a new season finally begin, in which the globalised world can become a family of peoples. May we carry out our responsibility of building an authentic peace, attentive to the real needs of individuals and peoples, capable of preventing conflicts through a cooperation that triumphs over hate and overcomes barriers through encounter and dialogue,” they said in their appeal.

They concluded with these words:
“Nothing is lost when we effectively enter into dialogue. Nothing is impossible if we turn to God in prayer. Everyone can be an artisan of peace. Through this gathering in Assisi, we resolutely renew our commitment to be such artisans, by the help of God, together will all men and women of good will.”

The world needs the “Spirit of Assisi” – whether it borders on religious syncretism or not – now more than ever. -- Global Pulse Magazine