Pope telephones Franciscans in Bethlehem church

Top News at Netscape ^ | Tuesday, 16 April 2002 | Reuters

[history_matters]

ROME (Reuters) - Pope John Paul has telephoned Franciscan monks holed up in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to express his solidarity with them, the Vatican said Tuesday.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Pope spoke Monday afternoon to Father Ibrahim Faltas, Catholic head of the shrine. "The Pope thanked them for their Christian witness and sent them his blessing in this moment of particular difficulty," the statement said.

Israeli soldiers have surrounded the church which Christians believe stands on the site of the birthplace of Jesus, for about two weeks in a standoff with about 100 Palestinians inside. They include gunmen and dozens of Christian clerics.

"The monks were extremely pleased by this extraordinary gesture. This was not a media opportunity. The Pope does not call people every day," said Father David Jaeger, spokesman for the Franciscan custodians of Holy Land sites.

Israel has said it has no intention of storming the church, and has proposed a deal under which the gunmen would surrender and be tried in a military court or go into exile "forever."

The Palestinian governor of Bethlehem, who is among those inside the sanctuary, has rejected the plan.

[history_matters]

Prayer Bump for the Franciscans in Bethlehem...

[history_matters]

It really makes me stop in my tracks to realize that this conflict is encapsulated encircling Bethlehem and the place of Our Lord's birth. I am not a mystic, and I do not know what it means. But it does make me tremble.

[Gophack]

bump

[Travis McGee]

And all along I thought the brave Palestinian fighters were just itching for a chance to do battle with Israeli soldiers.

Instead, they hide like whimpering puppies behind the robes of Christian monks in a Christian church.

I guess all they are really "brave" enough to do is send their children out wearing bombs to blow up Israeli civilians.

When it comes to actually standing and fighting, they prefer to run and hide, or surrender by the hundreds.

[Askel5]

It may be you've OD'd on agit-prop in this instance.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

They are doing a heroic job. One of the things about the turmoil afflicting the church now is that we are also seeing great heroes of the faith in action. Clearly the hand of God must be in this. How often do the world's non-Christians have the opportunity to see - with fixed media attention - the noble servants of the true King of Peace in action, faithfully attending to their duties fearlessly?

[history_matters]

Instead, they hide like whimpering puppies behind the robes of Christian monks in a Christian church.

Christian monks like the Palestinian Franciscan Father Ibrahim Faltas. Remember this is Bethlehem where many of the Palestinians are Christian.

[Travis McGee]

Oh really? Why are the "brave Palistinean fighters" (who always brag about being so eager to seek martyrdom) hiding in a church with their rifles?

They are only "brave" at sending out the brainwashed to blow themselves and civilians up, but their "fighters" mostly run and hide or surrender en masse when faced with an army.

[Alouette]

Do you think that the gunmen holding the monks hostage would surrender if the Pope asked them to?

[Askel5]

Even Beria crouched like a dog and begged for his life when push came to shove.

Regardless ... I doubt very seriously we're getting the whole story here.

Given the profile of most of the "militants" who've been buried alive, shot like dogs or ejected from their homes which have been shelled and bulldozed into oblivion, I'm not yet ready to trust what I'm hearing without verifying.

[Askel5]

Even Beria crouched like a dog and begged for his life when push came to shove.

Regardless ... I doubt very seriously we're getting the whole story here.

Given the profile of most of the "militants" who've been buried alive, shot like dogs or ejected from their homes which have been shelled and bulldozed into oblivion, I'm not yet ready to trust what I'm hearing without verifying.

[Romulus]

And all along I thought the brave Palestinian fighters...

Your point being...?

Neither side exemplifies the highest ideals of a noble warrior. Terrorist bombers disgust me, but so do ethnic cleansers.

[NYer]

PAX ET BONUM

bttt

[history_matters]

The Franciscans, Armenians, and Greek Orthodox monks and nuns insist they aren't being held hostage. The Franciscans are guarding the holy site as they have for 800 years. Their presence is the only thing preventing a bloodbath in the most holy place of Jesus' birth.

I don't think the Pope would ask them to surrender to the Israeli Defense Forces, not while Ariel Sharon is Prime Minister.

[Angelique]

Although I pray to St. Anthony for different reasons, I pray for the lost souls. Our Pope, so frail, has shown tremendous strength. The Franciscans will be protected..the whole world is watching.

[history_matters]

bump

[etcetera]

It means that the Arab gunmen are smart enough to take advantage of the Christian concept of "refuge". If you're looking for deeper, religious meaning, forget it.

[Salvation]

"Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem!"

[history_matters]

I assure you I won't forget it, and I will continue to ponder it as the amazing confluence in history that it is that so much of the fate of the world should attend to that very spot two thousand years ago as well as today.