Famous Members of Our Community in the Diaspora
Famous Members of Our Community in the Diaspora
We know about our churches in the diaspora and our priests there. We know about matters related to church work, such as committees, liturgical translations, buildings owned by the churches, projects, and the councils of those churches and their members.
But what about our people in the diaspora? Do we know them? Or at least, do we know those who have become well known among them?
Many of our children emigrated to Europe, Canada, America, and Australia. God granted them success in their professional lives, and they succeeded beyond all limits, attaining very high positions. They became scholars and experts. Yet their homeland knows nothing about them! It is as though the saying of Scripture applies to them: “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house” (Matt. 13:57).
Do not these people have the right that we make their brothers and sisters in Egypt know them?
Among them are those who excelled in science and became university professors or heads of academic departments. Among them are also those who attained the highest distinction in medicine. We know only one of them, Professor Dr. Magdi Yacoub… But what about the rest?
Some of our children in the diaspora have become leading businessmen or hold other very prominent positions. Who are they?
Do our children in the diaspora feel that they are forgotten or unknown in their original homeland?
Why do we not write about them in our magazines and newspapers? And why do we not receive them and honor them when some of them come to Egypt?
Perhaps we do none of this because we do not know them. And because of this lack of knowledge, no bond exists. Perhaps because this bond does not exist, they are not encouraged to come to Egypt. And because there is no welcome, the sense of belonging grows weak!
All of this is not fitting.
For all these reasons, the Pope sent word to our churches in the diaspora to gather information about our distinguished people there.
The information includes the emigrant’s name, photograph, the date of his emigration from Egypt, his current position, the positions through which he has advanced, his academic degrees, every honor he has received, and what has been written about him.
It also includes his social status, his family, his relationship with the Church, and his activities.
This information will be collected before the Pope’s arrival. It will be published successively in our magazine and later included in the book that the Pope will publish on the history of the Copts in the diaspora.
When specialized conferences are held in Egypt, there will be an opportunity to invite these distinguished individuals, who have become experts in the diaspora, each in his own field of specialization.
We desire by every means to deepen the relationship between us and our children in the diaspora, and to build bridges between Egypt and her emigrant children.
I do not wish for our discussion about them to focus on their duty toward the Church and toward their homeland. Rather, we should first focus on our duty toward them:
First, we should know them, care for them, and appreciate them.
After that, their duty will come naturally from them.
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