Posted on 08/07/2014 1:57:17 PM PDT by NYer
A priest prays at St. Bahnam Church at the town of Qaraqush in the northern province of Nineveh, Iraq, in May. Pope Benedict XVI has urged Iraqi leadership to work for the swift formation of a stable government and for protection of the Christian minority in the country. (CNS photo/Thaier al-Sudani, Reuters)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis asked Catholics around the world to pray for tens of thousands of Christians from villages in northeastern Iraq who were forced from their homes in the middle of the night by Islamic State militants.
The pope also made a “pressing appeal to the international community to take initiatives to put an end to the humanitarian drama underway, to take steps to protect those involved and threatened by violence and to ensure the necessary aid for so many displaced people whose fate depends on the solidarity of others,” the Vatican spokesman said Aug. 7.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, told reporters the pope was appealing “to the conscience of all people and every believer,” repeating what he had said July 20 after a similar forced exodus of Christians from Mosul: “May the God of peace create in all an authentic desire for dialogue and reconciliation. Violence is not conquered with violence. Violence is conquered with peace. Let us pray in silence, asking for peace.”
Overnight Aug. 6-7 fighters belonging to the Islamic State attacked the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh and other villages in Ninevah province, said Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad. “The Christians, about 100,000, horrified and panicked, fled their villages and houses with nothing but the clothes on their backs.”
In an appeal, the patriarch described the scene as “an exodus, a real ‘via crucis’” or Way of the Cross. “Christians are walking on foot in Iraq’s searing summer heat” toward Iraqi Kurdistan. “They are facing a human catastrophe and risk a real genocide. They need water, food, shelter.”
The central Iraqi government appears incapable of protecting its citizens, the patriarch said, and there is no cooperation or coordination with the regional government.
The Islamic State fighters, he said, are taking advantage of the power vacuum “to impose their rule and terror. There is a need of international support and a professional, well-equipped army. The situation is going from bad to worse.”
Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the former nuncio to Iraq and current prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, said the Islamic State militants are “chasing out thousands of Christians.”
“We are facing a serious humanitarian situation,” Cardinal Filoni told Fides, the congregation’s news agency. “These people have been left to their own devices with a closed border in front of them and they don’t know where to go.”
“The Christians had to abandon everything, even their shoes, and barefoot they were forced toward Iraqi Kurdistan,” a region already overwhelmed with displaced people, the cardinal said.
Chaldean Sister Luigina, a member of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, told Fides that Islamic State fighters “arrived in force last night at 11 and, using loudspeakers, ordered the people to abandon their homes. The people were forced to flee in their pajamas.”
“Qaraqosh, the largest Christian city in Iraq, and all the surrounding villages were emptied of their Christian residents,” she said. “We still do not have precise figures on the number of displaced, but keep in mind that the Ninevah valley was also sheltering Christians thrown out of Mosul in the last few weeks.”
Qaraqosh was home to an estimated 50,000 Christians. It is located about 20 miles from Mosul, which was captured by Islamic State forces in June.
The Christian Aid Program, CAPNI, issued a statement Aug. 7 describing how Islamic State troops overran other villages and towns throughout the area. The women and children from Alqosh, it said, were evacuated to Duhok, but the bishop, clergy, men and youth stayed behind “with the strong will to defend and protect it.”
Bishop Gregory John Mansour
Eparchy (Diocese) of St. Maron
If you are as frustrated as I am at the lack of response by the US to the plight of our christian brothers and sisters in Iraq, here is an opportunity to lend a helping hand. My bishop has announced a special collection on the weekend of August 16-17.
"As the world sits by and does nothing to help our brothers and sisters who are being openly discriminated against, displaced, and persecuted for no other reason than being Christian, we feel we need to do something to help."
Bishop Gregory will send that collection through the appropriate Catholic channels so that those suffering may directly receive the benefits.
Should you find it in your heart to participate, please direct your contribution to:
Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn
Collection for Iraq
109 Remsen Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
God bless you for your donation.
Ping!
Obama as a Muslim is definitely NOT interested in helping Christians.
Obama will at least pretend to be thinking about helping the Zoroastrians with aid and air support.
Obama won’t lift a finger for the disciples of Jesus Christ, though. He won’t even mention them by name.
There will be a terrible day of reckoning when Obama and his minions must answer for that decision.
Il Papa needs to start to think about where the money is going to come from to help these people before he spouts off his marxist redistribution and “social justice” tripe.
Good going, Pope. I’m glad you said something. Our fearless leader is never going to say or do anything.
Army? Preposterous! Violence never solved anything, and violence only begets violence. They need to end the cycle of violence, to give peace a chance. It's all we are saying.
NYTimes reporting we have made several air strikes in Northern Iraq, The Pentagon is denying.
Once again the war-mongering neocon military-industrial complex is oppressing people of color for oil. I fear for the children targeted by this fascist carpet bombing.
Want to bet if the Pentagon is denying the bombing, the NY Times just jumped the gun, and screwed up the operation.
Call on a crusade....in defense of the church once again.
dammit!!!!
Great and thanks for the address. So what is the response to our Pope? Constantine or Christ? Warrior or Martyr?
Willing to go in there without armor or weapons?
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)
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)
If dropping water and food to 30,000 trapped families who have neither is Marxist redistribution, COUNT ME IN! What a ridiculous time to argue political philosophy.
Shut up and send the water and food to the address above. You can throw apples at the oranges on another day.
Thank you, NYer! Will do.
I agree but without the wealth accumulation he demonizes, we would be unable to render assistance and do the Lord’s work.
Maybe he ought to call for a crusade.
of course not. the churches should provide money for weapons and armor
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