RU 44/2010 - IRAQ, MISSION OF THE MUSLIMS
- IRAQ (ru, Nov. 9th, 2010) - UNEC published today the following communiqué: »We have been able to gather 6000 Euro (USD 8,300), from France and Germany, which are now routed - via the nuncios of Paris and Ankara - to the Catholics of Iskenderun in Turkey (where the bishop has been ritually killed on June 4th, 2010 by a Moslem), as a sign of brotherly help between Catholics. - In the light of the carnage of the weekend of All Saints, 10 days ago, in the Catholic cathedral of Baghdad (58 deaths, including 3 priests, plus more than 30 wounded), we can’t avoid to start immediately a new collection for the Roman Catholics, this time in Iraq, the land of new martyrs for Christ because of the appalling persecution by Islam, which does not stop the slaughter of Christians - and always more savagely - since 13 centuries. For distributing this help to the Catholics of Baghdad we’ll choose the small monastery of the Carmel, in the 'green zone’ which is particularly attacked by daily shelling, that we have already been able to support five years ago. They are only 7 Carmelites, including 3 priests, all Iraqis; they have only 50 faithful left, coming to Sunday mass, (before: 300!), following the flight of the Christians from Baghdad, and they are involved in helping some 40 very poor families... They are living virtually from nothing. We’ll channel our donation, via a friend Carmel in France, through a Lebanese bank which holds a subsidiary in Baghdad (even if the superior of the Baghdad Carmel intimated to us that it’s quite risky to take money from that bank, because the terrorists are observing the clients before the door of the bank in order to know where cash money is still existing in the city…). The French Superior, Father Michel, died of a heart attack, and we know personally the new Iraqi superior since his visit to Paris. These are men of prayer and sacrifice, perhaps soon they will be martyrs... We really want to show our friendship to the persecuted Catholics of Baghdad, remaining faithful to our principle: "Crocodile tears are worth nothing in the Kingdom of God". Dear friends, let’s be guided by the Charity of Christ, caritas Christi urget nos ! The collection is therefore opened: your fraternal gift, even if it’s minimal, can be given by check to the order of UNEC, BP 70114, F-95210 Saint-Gratien (mentioning on the rear side of the check: "for the Bagdhad Carmel"). We’ll keep you informed regularly. If we can transmit the collected sum for Christmas, it would be great.» End of this urgent message received from UNEC. “ - O.A.M.D.G. -
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