Never in my wildest imagination did it cross my mind that accepting an invitation from the Vatican would put me in harm’s way – but it did! Late in 2025, Pope Leo appointed me a Consultor to the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims. On January 7, 2026, I was invited to Rome to attend my first meeting with the Commission in early March.
My flight from Sydney to Dubai on February 27, was long and uneventful. I transited through the airport without any trouble. About an hour into the February 28, flight from Dubai to Rome, the pilot announced, “Israel and the USA have just commenced hostilities with Iran. Our flight is being diverted west to avoid the conflict zone.” The passengers remained silent, absorbing the impact of this announcement.
Normally, the Middle East is criss-crossed with flights from east to west, north to south and every compass point in between, as people travel to and from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific. Screenshots from that day show a flurry of flights – including the one I was on – skirting around the Middle East. There were no planes in the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It was the conflict zone.
More recently, NASA's Artemis II mission has shown us photographs of Earth taken from space. They are stunning. They show our blue-green gem of a planet floating against the vast, inky blackness of space. It looks tiny and fragile, wrapped in a thin blanket of atmosphere and clouds. What is most striking is that there are no countries, no nations, no borders. Unlike the February 27, image of flight paths around the Middle East, there are conflict zones between people of different nationalities, ethnicities, cultures, or languages. The world is one. Seas connect the land continents. We are all interconnected. We belong together. We are one.
These images of the one Earth provide profound spiritual and religious messages. Firstly, all human beings share a common humanity. The differences of race, nationality, culture and language enrich and enhance our shared humanity. Our diversity is a blessing, not a curse. No one is better than any other. All are equal in dignity. Each person must be respected, protected and cherished. Let there be no division, hatred, enmity, conflict, or war. Let us live together as sisters and brothers. Let there be peace on earth.
Secondly, we humans belong to the earth. We are fashioned from the earth - “You are dust and unto dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19). It is this flesh that the Word assumed in the incarnation, that rose in Christ and is ascended into heaven, preparing the way for all of us. And not just humans, but all living creatures emerged from the waters or the lands that make up earth (c.f. Gen 1:20-25). Science teaches us how this occurred, but faith teaches that all things come from God and will return to God.
Thirdly, humans belong among the creatures of the earth, not above them. We are not to dominate or subjugate them, but to care for and nurture them. We are all interconnected in a web of life and we are mutually dependent on one another. Humans are pre-eminent in our spiritual faculties. However, this does not give us an excuse to exploit or abuse other creatures, but rather makes us all the more responsible to care for them. This includes conserving the lands, seas and air, for we all depend on them for our survival. We must care for our common home. We have no Planet B!
As we contemplate the photos of our earthly home, let us give praise and thanks to God, the Creator and Redeemer. Let us commit ourselves to fostering peace and justice for all peoples, the flourishing of all creatures and a sustainable life for generations to come. “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” (Lk 2:14)
Rev Dr Patrick McInerney
Regional Director of Oceania
directoroceania@columban.org.au
Related links
- Read more from The Far East - June 2026
