Iraqi Christians grow frustrated by West’s unwillingness to oust Islamic State
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
Syriac Catholic Archbishop Yohanna Moshe of Mosul, Iraq asks for help in protecting religious minorities
There is a continuing frustration among Middle Eastern clergy about what they believe to be the West’s reluctance to commit to a full-scale intervention against Islamic State in the both Syria and Iraq. At the very least, if western nations are unable to oust ISIS, they should then welcome members of the Christian minority along with others seeking asylum.
‘I am calling on the international community: if they cannot protect us, then they must open their doors and help us start a new life elsewhere,’ Syriac Catholic Archbishop Yohanna Moshe of Mosul, Iraq said.
“I am calling on the international community: if they cannot protect us, then they must open their doors and help us start a new life elsewhere,” Syriac Catholic Archbishop Yohanna Moshe of Mosul, Iraq said.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) – “I am calling on the international community: if they cannot protect us, then they must open their doors and help us start a new life elsewhere,” Syriac Catholic Archbishop Yohanna Moshe of Mosul, Iraq said. “But we would prefer to be in Iraq and be protected in Iraq.”
High among his many other concerns, the archbishop expressed distress over reports of the destruction of religious artifacts and historic buildings by ISIS.
“All our heritage is in Mosul, in Qaraqosh, but especially in the monastery of St Behnam, which dates back to the fourth century AD,” he told the agency. “I have heard that some parts of the monastery, which is quite famous and old and contains thousands of Scriptures, were destroyed.
Speaking with the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need on the first anniversary of the Islamic State’s takeover of Mosul, Archbishop Moshe said that forcing out Islamic State forces was the “best solution” for the 120,000 displaced Christians who fled the city in June of last year, and nearby towns and villages that were seized in early August.
The archbishop reiterated that Iraqi Christians most of all want to return to their homes, “But we have no news about our churches and monasteries because we have no one left in Mosul to report on it.”
Calling on the world’s governments to oust ISIS militants from northern parts of the country, the archbishop says that the displaced have a right to return to their native land.
“The only solution that will make them happy and give them dignity is to go back to their homes,” he told the agency.
“We ask everyone to put pressure on the people who have the responsibility to free the [towns and villages] as soon as possible so the people can come back and live in peace in their . homes and continue their lives there,” the archbishop said.
Archbishop Moshe, who also was forced to flee Mosul, asked for prayers for the displaced Christians and “especially for our political leaders to help them find the solution that will allow us to go back to our cities.”—
Pope Francis: end world hunger through ‘Prayer and Action’
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Pope Francis Prayer Intentions for June 2015
Universal: That immigrants and refugees may find welcome and respect in the countries to which they come.
Evangelization: That the personal encounter with Jesus may arouse in many young people the desire to offer their own lives in priesthood or consecrated life.