Egypt's tiny Catholic minority punches above its weight

Coptic Catholic Bishop Emmanuel Bishay of Luxor, by the River Nile. Image - © ACN

Source: ACN

In a country of 120 million people where Catholics are vastly outnumbered, the Church is quietly punching above its weight, providing vital services and fostering interfaith relations across Egypt.

Bishop Emmanuel Bishay of Luxor said that despite their small numbers, Egypt's Catholics make a significant contribution to education, healthcare and community development, while facing pastoral challenges from migration, poverty and a widely dispersed faithful.

Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the bishop described a Church striving to accompany an increasingly mobile Catholic population while continuing to serve society as a whole.

He said: "The Catholic Church is small in numbers but strong in services. Some of the best schools in Egypt are Catholic schools, and the fact that state officials regularly turn to Catholic schools is evidence of this."

The bishop said in Luxor Diocese, home to 25,000 Catholics, 14 clinics are run by the Church, most of them staffed by religious Sisters, alongside cultural centres and libraries serving local communities.

He argued that Catholic institutions have pioneered a model of social outreach which has since been adopted by others.

The bishop added: "The Catholic Church has not only provided these services - it has also shown Egyptian society how to provide them.

"The Coptic Orthodox Church learned to provide them from us and, more recently, mosques have also begun providing services of this kind, following our example. The Catholic Church has been a pioneer in this field."

Bishop Bishay said the Church's social mission is particularly important in Upper Egypt, where poverty rates remain high and public services often lag behind those available in the region.

He explained: "Upper Egypt receives less attention than the Delta and the north of the country, which means that services are less adequate, particularly in healthcare.

"Hospitals do not always meet the required standard, and there are also shortcomings in education and childcare. This requires a great deal of effort from us as the Catholic Church.

He added that many talented young people were at a disadvantage because of economic hardship and limited opportunities.

"It saddens me to see talented people whose abilities are not given their due, or whose surroundings do not give them the opportunity to develop and fulfil their potential."

There are an estimated 10 to 15 million Orthodox Coptics in the country with 120 million Muslims making up the rest of Egypt.

The Catholic Coptic Church number only 300,000 nationally, but according to Bishop Bishay, they are playing an important part in forging good relations between different religious communities and for their contributions to health, education and culture.

He said: "We make every effort to build relationships with the Orthodox community and with Muslims, who are the majority, even if we encounter some difficulties, especially in villages and small settlements."

Bishop Bishay added: "At the official level, relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are good. There is affection, and people exchange greetings on religious occasions."

The bishop did not deny that there have been difficult periods with the Muslim community but said that the situation has improved over the past years.

"The hard-line voices that used to be heard are no longer as prominent, while another voice - the moderate one - is growing. The change is slow but noticeable - people are listening to those with moderate views, and the government is giving them room to act. The process is moving in this direction. I believe that if Egypt continues along this path, things will keep getting better."

With thanks to Filipe d'Avillez and Eugenia Urgellés

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Aid to the Church in Need: https://acnuk.org