On Wednesday , May 5 , 1999 , their Excellencies the Maronite Bishops held their monthly meeting at Bkerkeh , presided over by His Beatitude , Patriarch Nasrallah-Butros Cardinal Sfeir . They discussed church matters , reviewed the prevailing situation and , at the end of the meeting they issued the following communiqué :
1-The Fathers hope that the prosecutions having , so far , been made against some people accused of infractions committed , or are being committed, in the sectors of oil, antiquities , seaport , or in the municipalities and information departments or in the maritime public lands , and which aim at purging the Administration and recovering the public funds lost to the State , will help to elucidate the truth and close the door to the waste that led the State to the deficit it has reached and the heavy debts it is unable to pay back in due time .
2-Yet , the absence of the required public political climate that allows all categories of citizens to express their opinion about public affairs , were it for or against , is weighing on public life . That which makes it more difficult is the worsening of the economic situation , leading people to limit their concern to looking for their living , overlooking all other matters .
3-The lack of liquid assets , the economic stagnation which led to closing up some factories , and the lack of protection of Lebanese labor and national agricultural and industrial products , diminishing , thus , work opportunities , call for hurrying the discussion of the public budget and its approval , as soon as possible , in order to bring in the flow of money necessary to activate the labor market .
4-On the occasion of the Congress of Eastern Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops which will convene in Lebanon, from the ninth to the twentieth of the current month , the Fathers ask their sons and brothers to elevate prayers to God for the success of this Congress which will be taking resolutions for the benefit of the churches and the faithful in the region .
5-The marian
month , we have already started , is meant to lead us to address Our Lady asking her to
obtain for us from her son , Jesus Christ , the strong faith in God we still need , self
confidence , and loyalty to the homeland , so that we work together to raise it up with a
spirit of global national entente which we still are lacking , and which is essential to
national life .
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