Thread by @williamnee

As a Catholic who loves Francis and the encyclical #FratelliTutti, I couldn't agree more with @benedictrogers's piece below, & the sense of being "heartbroken".

There's also an added sense of irony with respect to the human rights crisis facing #Uyghurs

foreignpolicy.com/2020/10/19/pop…

To some extent, the encyclical was inspired by the Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, who together with Pope Francis declared:

“God has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and has called them to live together as brothers and sisters” (see paragraph 5).

Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb is the current Grand Imam of al-Azhar and former president of al-Azhar University

In 2017 Uyghurs studying at al-Azhar were forcibly returned

This was one of the first high profile actions in the crackdown under Chen Quanguo

nytimes.com/2017/07/06/wor…

In other words, there is all the more reason to include Uyghurs and other people in the region in our prayers to promote “peace, justice and fraternity” and statements when they do not enjoy “equal in rights, duties and dignity”.

vatican.va/content/france… @Pontifex

On a practical and spiritual level (again, personal opinion), it would be wonderful if Pope Francis could meet with some people whose family members are missing in the region.

Hearing their pain & suffering is almost a life-changing experience & he could at least witness to that