The suffering Church in Iraq



Aid to the Church in Need carries a report: Three priests killed in attack on Baghdad Church.

Our Lady of Salvation Syrian Catholic Church was attacked by nine armed men from a Sunni group "Islamic State of Iraq" which is close to Al-Qaeda. The men had suicide bombs attached to their belts and took the priests and many people hostage, demanding the release of Al-Qaeda members being held in Iraq and Egypt. They also made the preposterous claim that Muslim girls from Christian backgrounds were being held prisoner in Egyptian coptic monasteries and demanded their "release."

In response, the Iraqi security forces stormed the Church, killing eight of the terrorists. Unfortunately, the ninth activated his suicide bomb.

A total of 52 people were killed and 67 wounded. The wounded included seven members of the security forces. Father Wasim Sabieh and Father Thaier Saad Abdal were killed during the attack. The third priest, Father Qatin, was wounded and died later in hospital.

I had the privilege of meeting one of the Chaldean Bishops from Iraq during my recent trip to Rome. One of his party, a Chaldean priest working in the US was kind enough to talk to me in English from time to time as I could not participate in the Aramaic conversation round the table.

Our Lord asked Saul "Why do you persecute me?" He is being persecuted today in the suffering Church of Iraq. The Holy Father said today
Last night, in a very serious attack in the Syrian Catholic Cathedral in Baghdad, there were dozens of dead and wounded, including two priests and a group of faithful gathered for Sunday Mass. I pray for the victims of this senseless violence, the more ferocious as it has affected civilians, gathered in the house of God, which is home of love and reconciliation. I also express my affectionate closeness to the Christian community, struck again, and I encourage all pastors and faithful to be strong and firm in hope. Faced with the brutal violence that continues to tear apart the peoples of the Middle East, I wish to renew my appeal for peace: it is God's gift, but it is also the result of the efforts of men of good will, national institutions and international. May all join forces to ensure that all violence ends!
We can include those who died in our prayers during November and I recommend to your generosity Aid to the Church in Need which does such great work for the suffering Church throughout the world whilst fostering peace and reconciliation wherever possible.

Popular posts from this blog

1962 Missal pdf online

The Church Music Association of America and Jeffrey Tucker of the New Liturgical Movement have made available the 1962 Missal online in pdf format (72Mb). The file is hosted at Musica Sacra , the website of the CMAA, thanks to a generous gift from Fr Robert Skeris While you are at it, take a look at the articles clarifying the rules for music at Low Mass and music at High Mass .
Read more

Plenary indulgences not impossible

Dilexit Prior in Letters from a Young Catholic asked some useful questions today about indulgences. I thought it would be best to do a post here especially to cover the controversial question of detachment from venial sin. But first the other questions: The conditions for gaining a plenary indulgence Pope Paul VI set down a number of norms relating to indulgences at the end of Indulgentiarum Doctrina . Norm 7 states: To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfil three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent. If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will be only partial, except for the provisions contained in n.11 for those who are “impeded.” It is worth reading the other norms bec
Read more

Request for Novena to Blessed Pius IX

Image
A priest friend of mine is ill in hospital. He has a special devotion to Blessed Pius IX. Could I ask you, of your charity, to say a Novena for his speedy recovery. Novena In Honour of Blessed Pius IX Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX, who consecrated the Universal Church to you. (Our Father...) O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you Immaculate. (Hail Mary...) Saint Joseph, spouse of the most pure Virgin Mary, hear our prayer and glorify your servant Pius IX who declared you the Patron of the Universal Church. (Glory be...) Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Mary, our Hope, and Saint Joseph hear our prayers and glorify your servant Pius IX , granting to us through his merits and intercessions the graces which we ardently desire: that the glory of God be revealed through Father's illness. (Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory be
Read more

Saint Gabriel

Image
The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai
Read more

God bless America!

Image
I wish you all a very happy Fourth of July over there in the land of the free and the home of the brave. I thought I was a bit late but then realised that it is still early evening for you. I hope you had an enjoyable day. For the video this year, here is Kate Smith IN 1938 introducing the new composition "God Bless America."
Read more