Syrian men and women, brothers and sisters in a country worthy of life:

We, the Jesuits in Syria, believe that we are an integral part of the Syrian people with and for whom we work. Our concerns are their concerns, and our dreams are their dreams, too... We believe we are free from the Assad’s regime, but we are not yet free from fear. We believe we are free from the system, but we are not yet free from fear. We seek national dialogue, but our perception of each other is still distorted, as the wounds to fellowship have not yet healed. Today, we need a healing process that we can consciously walk together.

We confess

In a statement we issued in 2011 about our position on the events in Syria, we reflected on national unity, dialogue, freedom of expression, and the rejection of violence. Since 2011, we have done our best to stand in solidarity with suffering human beings and to serve our country whose sons and daughters made generous sacrifices as martyrs, detainees, absentees, and displaced persons. The lives of Fr Frans van der Lugt and Fr Paolo Dall’Oglio were the best expression of our unity and journeying with the people. But we were not always faithful; we were shackled by fear and we were sometimes silent when the voice of truth had to be raised.

We believe

We believe that human beings are inherently good and free. We believe that each human being deserves to find his or her place in society. We believe that the dignity of every human being is inseparable from the dignity of others. We believe that our world today needs bridges of trust for the sake of general reconciliation. We believe that we are all partners in building and recovering this country, recognizing the challenges and difficulties we may face. We look forward to a country that unites all its sons and daughters and preserves their freedom and dignity based on our common values, such as community and hospitality, courage and openness, trust and responsibility.

We commit

In harmony with our faith and aspirations, and based on our common values, we commit to walking with those who have the courage and commitment to overcome our weaknesses and limitations, and we commit to walking with those who are overwhelmed with despair and those who are lost, to find the path to life, aspiration, and hope.

Let us together contribute to the healing of all wounds to fellowship by any means that help us to bring and promote our common values in the social, artistic, academic, and spiritual spheres of life, confident that together we will build a healed, courageous, and liberated Syria.

Damascus, February 6, 2025