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'Catastrophe' at hand for Iraqi Christians, nun tells Congress
Catholic Culture ^ | May 13, 2015 | Diogenes

Posted on 05/13/2015 2:11:19 PM PDT by NYer

Christians in Iraq are “on the edge of a terrible catastrophe,” an Iraqi nun said in May 13 testimony before the foreign-affairs committee of the US House of Representatives.

Sister Diana Momeka, a Dominican sister who was forced to flee from Mosul, testified in Washington pleaded for help for Iraqi Christians, saying that persecution by the Islamic State has been more brutal than any suffering endured by the country’s Christians in over 1300 years. She also testified that the help furnished by Iraqi government officials for Christian refugees has been “at best modest and slow.”

The Dominican sister told the House committee how she and her religious community had been forced to abandon their convent in Mosul after it was bombed. The city and the adjoining Nineveh region was soon overrun by Islamic radicals, and Christians were forced out, she said: “Nineveh was emptied of Christians, and sadly, for the first time since the 7th century AD, no church bells rang for Mass in the Plain of Nineveh.”

“This uprooting, this theft of everything that the Christians owned, displaced them body and soul, stripping away their humanity and dignity,” Sister Momeka testified. She made a plea for help in recovering the lands seized by the Islamic State, and support for rebuilding efforts. The Christians of Iraq, she stressed, do not want to abandon their homeland, but to return and rebuild the Christian presence.

Sister Momeka came to Washington after her supporters pressed the Obama administration to approve a one-week visa for her visit. Her application for a visa had originally been denied, with the State Department saying that she had not provided assurances that she would not remain in the US after her visa had expired. The State Department later said that the denial had been due to misunderstanding.

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TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: christians; congress; iraq; isis

1 posted on 05/13/2015 2:11:19 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; Salvation; ...

Ping!


2 posted on 05/13/2015 2:11:41 PM PDT by NYer ("You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears." James 4:14)
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To: NYer
Sister Momeka came to Washington after her supporters pressed the Obama administration to approve a one-week visa for her visit. Her application for a visa had originally been denied, with the State Department saying that she had not provided assurances that she would not remain in the US after her visa had expired. The State Department later said that the denial had been due to misunderstanding.

But they import thousands of mohammedans from third-world hellholes ...

3 posted on 05/13/2015 2:13:40 PM PDT by NorthMountain ("The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things")
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To: NYer
"State Department saying that she had not provided assurances that she would not remain in the US after her visa had expired"

Unlike millions of law breaking illegal immigrants who the 0bama Administration is HELPING break the law, this particular lady who wants to testify against Islam's murderousness is held to the law.

My contempt for 0bama is so vast.

4 posted on 05/13/2015 2:15:31 PM PDT by Uncle Miltie (we also gave those who wished to destroy space to do that - Baltimore's Democrat Mayor)
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To: NYer
Sister Momeka came to Washington after her supporters pressed the Obama administration to approve a one-week visa for her visit. Her application for a visa had originally been denied, with the State Department saying that she had not provided assurances that she would not remain in the US after her visa had expired. The State Department later said that the denial had been due to misunderstanding.

Yeah misunderstanding my ass. They release illegals with rape convictions into the street, no deportation but let's give the nun a hard time.

5 posted on 05/13/2015 2:15:58 PM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (B. Hussein Obama: 17 acts of Treason and counting.)
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To: Uncle Miltie

He sees Christians as the enemy like all radical Muslims do. The bottom line is the Democratic party in all their worldly brilliance put the enemy into the nations highest office, and during time of war no less. Congress knows it and refuses to do anything about it, and meanwhile with every passing month he helps the enemy more and more while kicking the legs out from the USA and its allies at every turn. Radical Islam never had it so good under this guy.


6 posted on 05/13/2015 2:19:25 PM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (B. Hussein Obama: 17 acts of Treason and counting.)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

God will damn Obama for this.


7 posted on 05/13/2015 2:22:51 PM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard the Third: "I should like to drive away not only the Turks (moslims) but all my foes.")
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To: Uncle Miltie; GrandJediMasterYoda; NorthMountain
Unlike millions of law breaking illegal immigrants who the 0bama Administration is HELPING break the law, this particular lady who wants to testify against Islam's murderousness is held to the law.

BTW, Sister Diana Momeka was the ONLY CHRISTIAN in the group that met with Congress today. Every member of an Iraqi delegation of minority groups-- including representatives of the Yazidi and Turkmen Shia religious communities-- was granted a visa to attend official meetings in Washington to report on the situation of Christians in Iraq, except for Sister Diana.

Sister Diana spoke to Christopher Patch, an officer with the U.S. consulate in Erbil about her status. The nun said Patch explained that she had been classified as an internally displaced person (IDP,) who was perhaps more likely to overstay a visa and settle illegally in the U.S. Once here, she could also be at risk of claiming political asylum, he said.

Sister Diana had multiple documents vouching for her and the temporary nature of her visit, to support her application. A letter from her prioress, Sister Maria Hana, attested that the nun has been gainfully employed since last February with Babel College for Philosophy and Theology in Erbil, and is contracted to teach there in the 2015–16 academic year. Erbil, some 60 miles east of Mosul, has remained safe from ISIS.

Sister Diana—an English-speaking aid worker who has been a victim of ISIS violence—is an ideal witness for meetings on the persecution of Christians in Iraq. She and 50,000 other, mostly Christian, residents, fled from ISIS in August. Since then, she has served as a spokesperson for her community, and the more than 100,000 other Christians driven into Kurdistan by ISIS militants.

8 posted on 05/13/2015 2:38:21 PM PDT by NYer ("You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears." James 4:14)
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To: NYer
Sister Diana ... is an ideal witness for meetings on the persecution of Christians in Iraq.

That perfectly explains why the mohmmedan 0bama regime wants to shut her up.

9 posted on 05/13/2015 2:40:39 PM PDT by NorthMountain ("The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things")
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To: NYer

The catastrophe has already happened. And the world can’t get its finger out of its nose long enough to care.


10 posted on 05/13/2015 2:41:22 PM PDT by I want the USA back (Media: completely irresponsible. Complicit in the destruction of this country.)
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To: NYer

 

Prayer for Iraq

O God, who art the unsearchable abyss of peace,
the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings
and the bestower of affection,
who sendest peace to those that receive it;

Open to us this day the sea of thy love
and water us with plenteous streams
from the riches of thy grace
and from the most sweet springs of thy kindness.

Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace,
enkindle in us the fire of thy love;
sow in us thy fear;
strengthen our weakness by thy power;
bind us closely to thee and to each other
in our firm and indissoluble bond of unity:

Syrian Clementine Liturgy (in: For all God’s people; p. 73)

The full text of Patriarch Sako’s prayer for peace follows:

Lord,
The plight of our country
is deep and the suffering of Christians
is severe and frightening.
Therefore, we ask you Lord
to spare our lives, and to grant us patience,
and courage to continue our witness of Christian values
with trust and hope.
Lord, peace is the foundation of life;
Grant us the peace and stability that will enable us
to live with each other without fear and anxiety,
and with dignity and joy.

Glory be to you forever.  Amen.

Litany for Iraq

For lasting peace in this ancient land – From you, O Lord.
For wisdom and compassion for all in authority – From you, O Lord.
For comfort for families separated or bereaved – From you, O Lord.
For the release of captives – From you, O Lord.
For safety and security for minority communities.
For refreshment for the weary and healing for the sick – From you, O Lord.
For continuing faithfulness of the ancient churches of this land – From you, O Lord.
For tenacity of spirit for small Christian groups – From you, O Lord.
For the mutual enrichment and support of those of different Christian traditions – From you, O Lord.

You, Lord of all, we confess;
You, Lord Jesus, we glorify;
For you are the life of our bodies
And you are the Saviour of our souls.

The response in the litany and this hymn both come from the Chaldean liturgy. The ancient hymn celebrates Christ the source of resurrection in all situations of death and deprivation. (in: With All God’s People, p. 21, 22)

From Anonymous:

Father God, Our Savior and King,

We come to You in despair over the evil being done to our Middle East Christian brothers and sisters. We ask that You would put Your hand of protection upon them and that You would sustain them as You did the Israelites in the desert. Lord, cause our brothers and sisters to cry out to You for help and show them the peace that only You can give in answer to their needs. In their darkest moments, Lord, keep them, strengthen them, and comfort them. When they despair that no one is coming to help them, Lord, reveal Your glory and restore their souls.

We ask you these things in the blessed name of Your precious son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.


11 posted on 05/13/2015 3:03:28 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: NYer

Wasting her time talking to the republicans.

We all need to be talking to God and nobody else.


12 posted on 05/13/2015 3:12:57 PM PDT by VerySadAmerican (I'm very sad for my country. Personally, I've never been happier.)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

I still say we need to re-activate the Knights Templar. To protect Christians from jeehady muzzies——and Congress. And never mind the horses. This time they need Warthogs and 30 MM butt busters.


13 posted on 05/13/2015 3:13:09 PM PDT by cherokee1 (skip the names---just kick the buttz)
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To: cherokee1
Check out the story from last February in the Religion forum “Iraqi Christians Form Militia to Fight ISIS” http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3253915/posts The story has a link to the Nineveh Plains Protection Units. This goes to Restore Nineveh Now, http://www.restoreninevehnow.org which also has links (About Us > The Coalition) to various groups supporting the Christians and Yezidis in Iraq. So you can contribute for guns or food or both as your conscience dictates.

For other ways to give nonmilitary aid, see comments at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3286292/posts?page=19#19

14 posted on 05/13/2015 4:58:28 PM PDT by omega4412 (Deus lo vult)
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To: NYer

Pray on this, please, freepers.


15 posted on 05/13/2015 9:18:13 PM PDT by CPT Clay
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To: VerySadAmerican

NEED to TALK TO BOTH GOD and OTHER CHRISTIANS.


16 posted on 05/14/2015 5:01:17 AM PDT by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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