Update – Orthodox Patriarch Daniel: Fight against corruption should continue and the guilty ones must be punished

Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church made a “call to prayer” saying that “we need more than ever the peacemaker” for conflicts between people, society or between nations.

The message was posted Thursday night on the Facebook page of the Basilica, the press agency of the Romanian Patriarchate.

“Although politically neutral, the Church is not indifferent to social issues, but receives the guidelines or the major desires of the people: social justice, reducing poverty and raising the living standards.

In this regard, the fight against corruption should continue and the guilty ones must be punished as theft and stealing degrade the society in moral and material terms. Also, the fight against corruption should not be used for political partisanship, whereas punishment and the use of prisons should not be confused with extermination, since their purpose is the straightening and social reintegration of those who recognize and regret the bad deeds they have committed,” the Patriarch’s letter reads.

“In the context of today’s world, fretful by disagreements and wars, we need more than ever the peacemakers, i.e. all those that can prevent or settle conflicts between people, in society or between nations.

Often there is violence and disorder also because people do not gather in their soul the peace that comes from God and which pacifies the selfish passions as the abuse of power and material profit without limits.

Let us pray more intensely to God, to Virgin Mary and all the saints who were peacemakers to bring peace, protection and harmony in the family, in society and especially among peoples of the world today,” Patriarch Daniel said in the “Call to prayer”.

Therefore, the Romanian Patriarchate calls all ministers and all the faithful to pray for peace and unity of the Romanian people, for the renewal of moral and spiritual life of the Romanian society, and to encourage dialogue and co-responsibility in society.