The Catholic Weekly 15 August 2021

catholicweekly.com.au 4 NEWS 15, August, 2021 MARONITE BISHOP An- toine-Charbel Tarabay has called for an independent in- vestigation into the explo- sions that rocked Beirut and killed hundreds of people one year ago. On 4 August 2020, a mas- sive blast in a port warehouse destroyed large sections of the centre of the capital, killing at least 214 people and injuring thousands more. It displaced 300,000 people. The explosion - caused by a poorly stored stock of ammonium nitrate fertiliser - was one of the larg- est non-nuclear blasts in his- tory. Celebrating a Memorial Mass for the victims of the explosion, the Eparch of the Maronites in Australia, New Maronitebishopsbackscall for inquiry intoBeirutblastasanurgentpriority ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues Eparch demands answers Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, Eparch of the Maronite Church in Oceania, celebrates the liturgy for Beirut blast victims. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Zealand and Oceania said their families had a right to answers. “We support the call for the United Nations Human Rights Council to launch an inter- national investigation into the disaster and answer the urgent questions of what hap- pened on the 4th of August at the port of Beirut. “And who was responsible for storing the ammonium nitrate for seven long years at a busy port? “We also have a right to know what adequate measures have been taken to ensure that a similar tragedy does not occur again.” In his homily for the Mass which was livestreamed from Our Lady of Lebanon Cathe- dral in Harris Park, the Bish- op said that the country was already suffering from wide- spread corruption, misman- agement, economic failure and the effects of the pan- demic when the explosion happened. “August 4 does not only symbolise a tragedy of one day or a tragedy of a moment [but] the tragedy of a suffering people, because of self-inter- est and lack of accountability of many Lebanese political leaders,” he said. “And even today, a year on, no one has been brought to justice for that. “We have only heard about futile investigations that have achieved no tangible results.” Bishop Tarabay recently visited Beirut and met with relatives of some of the victims there, but he also recalled by name the six victims as well as members of a firefighting unit who had family members in Australia. They included two-year- old Isaac Oehlers, Joseph Latif Merhi, Jacqueline Jibrine, Nicole Majid Elhelou, Miche- line Khalil Taouk and Joseph Roukoz. Though the church was empty it was filled with sym- bols of hope, including a cross made from wood from de- stroyed Beirut homes, the vic- tim’s names on posters, and the blessing of a cedar tree to be planted in their memory. As Lebanon slips further into chaosmany people strug- gle to access basics of health- care, electricity, petrol, medi- cine and education. In Beirut, the anniversary saw several mass protests par- ticularly at the port, with some protesters also attempting to break into the parliament. The bishop thanked the Federal Government for its aid to Lebanon and acknowl- edged messages of support from Prime Minister Scott Morrison, NSW Premier Gla- dys Berejiklian and the Min- ister of Foreign Affairs Marise Payne. At his general audience on 4 August, Pope Francis said he “greatly desired” to visit the stricken country. “So many people have lost the desire to go on,” he said. The Pope appealed to the international community, asking it to help Lebanon, “not only with words but with concrete actions in undertak- ing a journey of resurrection”. He also said he hoped a do- nor conference led by France and the UN would prove fruit- ful. That conference, held on the same day, sought to raise $357 million (AUD $508 million) in aid to meet the country’s most urgent needs, providing food, education, health care and clean water. However, some world leaders have said their help would be conditional on Lebanon es- tablishing a government that can fight corruption. Leaders in Lebanon have been unable to reach an agreement on forming a new government for the past 10 months, delaying reforms and tackling current crises. 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TEACHING & LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES 2022 St Patrick’s College, Strathfield POSITIONS VACANT • DIRECTOR OF JUNIOR SCHOOL • PERFORMING ARTS FACULTY LEADER • YEAR COORDINATOR • SECONDARY MATHEMATICS TEACHER 12 month parental leave contract • HSIE (GEOGRAPHY & COMMERCE) TEACHER 12 month parental leave contract • PRIMARY TEACHER HOUSE Find the career you deserve SEE OUR LATEST JOBS Call Katie (02) 9390 5402 catholicjobsonline.com. au Marking the one-year an- niversary of the deadly explosion in Beirut, Pope Francis said Lebanon needs concrete help - not just words - from the in- ternational community. “I think above all of the victims and their fami- lies, the many injured, and those who lost their homes and livelihoods. So many people have lost the desire to go on,” he said at the end of his general audience on 4 August. “Dear people of Lebanon, I greatly desire to visit you and I continue to pray for you, so that Leb- Pope appeals for concrete aid anon will once more be a message of peace and fra- ternity for the entire Middle East,” he said. After his talk, he appealed to the interna- tional community to help Lebanon, “not only with words but with concrete ac- tions in undertaking a jour- ney of resurrection.” He re- called the day of prayer for Lebanon, hosted July 1 at the Vatican, in which lead- ers of Christian churches reflected on the hopes and expectations of the people of Lebanon, who are also “tired and disillusioned,” and prayed for the nation.