Originally from Manduria, in Puglia, in southern Italy, Fernando Filoni was created a cardinal in February 2012. He has been Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines and then to Jordan and Iraq. Precisely Pope Francis sent him to Iraq, as his representative, in 2014, after the serious situation created following the proclamation of the Islamic State. In 2015 he published the monograph The Church in Iraqpublished by the Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
He describes with great lucidity the situation in the Middle East from a historical perspective, but also from a hopeful vision of the future of those territories and of the minorities that populate them, today sadly tormented by war. He also speaks of the need for us to be more and more a "Church going out", something that Pope Francis has been embodying in his pontificate. Finally, he analyzes the role and competencies of the Congregation he directs, in the perspective of a full service to the evangelizing mission of the whole Church. The portrait that emerges, as he himself affirms, is that of a Church "open in all its richness to all peoples of all continents.".
Your Eminence, in the first months of your pontificate you often went to give "lessons" to the Pope - so it has been published - on the "missionary Church". How did you experience those moments?
-I continue to go, and I continue to have those meetings that my office leads me to have with the Holy Father. It was the Pope himself, with that endearing sense of humor of his, who said: "Here is the cardinal lecturing me." but I don't give lessons to anyone. The Pope rightly considered that it was necessary for him to begin to have more familiarity with the environments of Africa or Asia. And this is important because it shows how the Pope enters into this dialogue with the realities of his Congregation in order to give an adequate response to the needs of the Church. The element of esteem and relationship remains fundamental.
Young churches
What is the general situation of the Church in the mission lands?
-In general terms, it can be said that, especially in Africa and Asia, the Churches are almost always young. At the time of the Council, evangelization was in full swing and the local Churches were still led by our missionaries. Today, fifty years later, it can be affirmed that almost all the Churches in those lands are led by native clergy, with full responsibility for their local Churches.
The problems that have arisen are the typical difficulties of all growth: on the one hand we find great enthusiasm, but there are also problems of stability. Obviously, we are still in the phase of the first proclamation of the Gospel. As a Congregation, we take into consideration this rapid change, which involves not only the spiritual aspect, but also the integral development of these territories.
What particular message do you carry when you visit mission territories?
-There is no specific message from the Congregation. It depends very much on the reality we are going to visit. The announcement is of a real type, in the context of the great reality of the Church, of the Second Vatican Council and of the successive development through the great Popes we have had up to the present time.
It is a matter of making these particular Churches feel that they are part of the whole Church, calling them to co-responsibility in their own future and also as a participation in the great mission of the Church. It is important that a Church is always aware of itself and asks itself what kind of future it wants for the country in which it finds itself. What is important, in my opinion, is to encourage these Churches to play an active role in evangelization and in their own development. They are the ones who must evangelize, there are no longer missionaries coming from outside... This obviously leads to an assumption of responsibility, and we should all do it. We should ask ourselves the same question in Europe: which Church do we want, and why?
By the way, what is Europe to learn from these other experiences?
-I have always been struck by that expression used by Pope Benedict XVI during his trips, for example to Africa, and later adopted by Pope Francis: the joy of the faith of the people of these lands.
In spite of the level and tenor of their lives - certainly not at the level of Europeans - they manage to manifest their faith in a joyful way. Benedict XVI said that our faith often seems a bit sad, of resigned people..... On the other hand, in these other continents, especially in these young Churches, there is a great enthusiasm, a great liveliness. These are aspects that we have perhaps lost. So it is necessary to rediscover the meaning of a joyful faith, of a shared faith.
There is a lot of talk about refugees and refugees. What needs to be done in this area by the international community?
-I believe that the Pope has already indicated in many circumstances and in many ways what the fundamental deficiencies are. I don't think I can add anything different. What is lacking is the ability to understand, when it comes to refugees and refugees, what their real needs are. These are not numbers; they are people, and they have truly difficult situations behind them. When I look into the eyes of a refugee, who is a person and not a number, I cannot remain indifferent. We have to learn, therefore, to have an attitude that is not one of fear, of conditioning or commonplaces that in turn generate other difficulties, and to look more into the eyes of these people.
You have been the Holy Father's personal envoy in Iraq, where you have also been a nuncio. What is happening there?
-To simplify, I could say this: Iraq is an ancient land, rich in cultures, in history, in languages; but as a country it is relatively young, with little more than ninety years of life, with borders drawn by Westerners, who have divided up the zones of influence of a collapsed Ottoman Empire. Consequently, it is not the expression of one people, but of many peoples with very diverse cultures, who have found themselves in the situation of manifesting, within certain confines, a national vision that nevertheless had to be built. This construction has been very difficult, and has not been achieved. There are different groups, from Shiites, Sunnis, Christians and Kurds to other very ancient minorities, but numerically more limited, which have not amalgamated; a single sentiment has not emerged, and whoever had the power has predominated.
Do you see a solution?
-It is clear that democracy cannot be imposed. Besides, what kind of democracy? It is difficult, because cultures and ways of conceiving a community are different. The so-called numerical democracy is also risky, because it indicates that a majority can dominate a minority, even if it is relevant, and impose things that generate dissatisfaction, if it does not fight. In a complicated territory such as Iraq, one cannot think of standardizing everything in a simplistic way; one must give way to that necessary national entity that certainly must be helped to grow, but one must also respect the particular entities. It is a matter of overcoming approaches of domination of the other, and this requires a lot of help and a lot of good will.
In your latest book "The Church in Iraq" you speak of a "heroic Church"?
-It is the history of the Chaldean Church, of the Assyrian Church that shows it... From the moment of its birth, following the apostolic evangelization, it has always become a land of conflict: as the clashes for power have followed one after another, Christians have become the object of opposition and have been the ones who suffered the most.
From the first centuries, therefore, religion has been substantially an element of discrimination, and the same has happened in the following centuries with the various invasions. This Church of the East, which spread especially to Central Asia and the Far East - to the point of having 20 metropolitan sees and dozens of episcopal sees and reaching China and Peking - was then completely suppressed. These are stories of suffering, not to mention the most recent ones. It is this trail of suffering that led me to write this book.
Middle East
What other contribution can Christians offer with regard to conflicts and wars?
-Pope Francis has indicated it very well. The Christian, for example, does not think that the first thing to do when a State has wealth, which is part of the life of a people, is to buy arms. Another attitude is not to see relations between States only in terms of conflict; that conflict is, in fact, what leads to arming, and when one has a weapon one feels ready to use it.
A third aspect refers to the right. Whether one is a majority or a minority, it is not a question of competing to be the strongest. As members of a human, social and political reality, everyone has the right to live and profess what they believe in, which can be an ideal, a faith, a free profession, but also a way of coordinating or organizing. Until we enter into this perspective, we will always have conflict. After all, the Christian vision, on the level of healthy social thinking, is no different from that which is also held in the world. But with an additional burden, according to which respect for others, their value and importance is a profoundly Christian aspect, and it is the teaching that also comes to us from faith.
How do you see the future of the Middle East?
I do not have a crystal ball, but I would like to speak hopefully about the Middle East, which is a land made up of peoples, cultures and civilizations. Why should it not be possible to find a coexistence based on respect for the other, on the law and on the development of peoples? Why should elements of a religious nature, of intolerance towards the other people, towards the other group, always prevail? This mentality must be absolutely overcome, otherwise the conflict will remain latent. My wish is to move on to this new vision, involving not only the different countries present in these lands, but also those realities in which faith is lived, starting with Islam and Christianity.
Are mission lands also the scene of the martyrdom of Christians? What should we learn from these testimonies?
-With regard to martyrdom, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples publishes statistics on this phenomenon every year through the Agency for the Evangelization of Peoples. Fides. For example, in 2015 at least 22 pastoral agents have been killed: priests, religious, laity and bishops; from 2000 to 2015 the martyrs in the world have been almost four hundred, including 5 bishops.
It is almost impossible that the proclamation of the faith does not sometimes require the sacrifice of one's own life. Jesus tells us this in the Gospel: "If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also.". The proclamation of the Gospel is always uncomfortable, even beyond human life. Faith itself is sometimes the object of martyrdom, because of what it proclaims, because of the justice it demands, because of the defense of the poor....
Charity is proximity
One of the mottos of Pope Francis' pontificate is that of a "Church going forth". How can we live this dynamism?
-The Holy Father not only speaks of the Church going forth, but he himself shows what this means. We are coming from such an important year as the Jubilee of Mercy and, almost like a great parish priest of the whole Church, the Pope has shown us how he understands this dynamism. Then, each one of us is called to translate it, according to the task we carry out in the Church. As Prefect of this Congregation, I consider that we are on the way out when we become close to all those situations that we encounter in the various dioceses, and not only in the service of communion that we render to them and that they also offer to the universal Church.
How are "Rome" and the pontificate of Pope Francis perceived from distant lands?
-When I travel, I notice a great affection. In Latin America, for example, there is a growing awareness that what the Pope communicates and expresses is the fruit of a profound experience of life that comes from that same continent.
It is the same in Africa: people are deeply admired by the way the Pope interprets his pastoral vision as a priest, as a bishop, as a Pope, towards everyone and without frontiers. Even in continents that are culturally diverse, there is deep admiration. I am not saying this out of flattery, and perhaps those who do not appreciate these aspects see problems in them. Let us not forget that even in the face of what Christ did, for example a good work, there were those who admired him and those who despised him.
Service to evangelization
What is the "state of health" of your Congregation as an organism of the Roman Curia?
-It is obligatory to be always in full harmony. Our Congregation does not exist as an organism, but as an instrument of the Pope's solicitude for evangelization. This is the purpose by which we are guided and for which we exist: to be truly diakonia, service, in the hands of the Pope and of the territorial Churches for their growth.
Propaganda Fide is often perceived as a powerful entity that moves a lot of resources: how does it respond?
-I don't know if there is a myth surrounding this reality. We cannot deny that over the centuries the faithful have always seen the missionary work as something that belongs to them, and have wanted to participate in it in some way. Those who have not been able to do so personally have supported this work materially, leaving their goods. We have a task, and it is that of a good, healthy and transparent administration of these goods.
The question does not refer to the quantity but to the purpose that we have, and this is related to the development of the missionary Church in all its forms, from the human to the cultural, social, evangelical, or even those in which there is a need to provide a good building, a good school, a good dispensary and so many other things.
What is the status of relations with the Asian continent in general?
-I believe that Pope St. John Paul II, when he wanted an extraordinary Synod for Asia, outlined well the path to follow with regard to this enormous and varied continent, where Christians are a minority. He pointed out that the third millennium must look to Asia and to the proclamation of the Gospel in this continent. I think this is still profoundly valid and should inspire our service.
Evangelization, as Pope Francis says, must be carried out with two great hands: through the true proclamation of the Gospel, which is primary, and at the same time through witness, contact. In contact, in fact, we bear witness to what we are.
The Holy Year of Mercy has recently come to an end. What aspects of this Jubilee Year do you have special memories of?
-Two aspects. On the one hand, the fact that Pope Francis has once again placed mercy at the center and at the heart of the whole Church, as a central element of faith. The other element refers to how this mercy becomes close, and the way in which the Holy Father has interpreted it as a person and as a priest and bishop. This has made a great impression on the faithful.
Wherever I go, I notice an enormous development of this dimension: not of a social work to be done, but of a love that is merciful and takes care of others.
How do you see the Church today?
As far as I am concerned, I must say that, just as in the great plan of Providence there was a period in which the so-called Western Church played a pre-eminent role in all fields - cultural, theological, philosophical, human, social... that still remain, even in a numerically reduced way - today we find ourselves integrated in a very lively reality expressed by the African, Asian, Oceanian and Latin American Churches. Thank God, we now have a more global vision of the Church. I like to think of that beautiful image that shows Pope John XXIII with the world map, and to think that as he moves it, he looks in perspective at a Church transformed into a global reality, no longer still on a continent or in a particular place on earth. This is the Church I see today, open in all its richness to all peoples of all continents.
