TREASURES FROM OUR TRADITION Fasting may be a priority in your Lenten spring?cleaning regimen. Almost every religious tradition recognizes that fasting is a key to heightened spiritual awareness. You know this from your own experience. When you are engaged in a hobby, painting a room, keeping vigil near a delivery room, or standing watch at…
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Bulletin: February 22, 2015 First Sunday of Lent
(Vatican Radio) Bishop Shlemon Warduni described the grave situation of violent extremism in Iraq and the Middle East as “the struggle of the world.”
In an interview with Vatican Radio, the Chaldean auxiliary bishop of Baghdad said “the situation is always tragic” because the so-called Islamic State fighters “do what they want” and also because “there are obviously many people around the world that are helping them” by selling them arms.
Listen to the report :
The killing that is happening at the hands of Islamic extremists in the Middle East and elsewhere in Africa is a genocide, he said, agreeing with the term used by United States President Barack Obama to describe the ongoing killing.
“The international forces could do something, if they wanted,” said Bishop Warduni.
“We have cried out and we always cry out: do not sell arms,” he emphasized. “There is no need to bomb, but there is the need to stop selling arms and to dialogue.”
He said Christians want to leave the country and the majority of Iraq’s population does not want violence and terrorism. He also said most do not want a fanatical Islam but a moderate Islam, so as to live peacefully and with tranquility.
“We hear that they say: moderate Islam is better; we do not want a fanatical Islam, which makes life hard for everyone, not just Christians or for other religions but also for Islam, because many of them are killed. For this reason, the majority prefers a moderate religion, in order to live peacefully on this earth.”
The bishops of Iraq have repeatedly warned about the dangers of entering into armed conflict, even prior to the war that broke out about 15 years ago, he said.
“War destroys everything. War sows terror, hatred, and no one gains anything,” he said. “Despite all the good counsel at the time from the Holy Father and from people who love humankind, there was war.”
He recalled the two commandments Jesus gave: “Love God and love your neighbour. These can save humankind,” he said.
“Only prayer can do something,” he continued, calling on all Christians this Lent to do all they can to ask God for peace and security in the world.
(Interview by Fausta Speranza; article by Laura Ieraci)
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Bishop Shlemon Warduni described the grave situation of violent extremism in Iraq and the Middle East as “the struggle of the world.” In an interview with Vatican Radio, the Chaldean auxiliary bishop of Baghdad said “the situation is always tragic” because the so-called Islamic State fighters “do what they want” and also because…
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The Coptic Orthodox Church has announced that the murder of the 21 Egyptian Christians killed by the so-called Islamic State in Libya will be commemorated in its Church calendar.
Pope Tawadros II announced that the names of the martyrs will be inserted into the Coptic Synaxarium, the Oriental Church’s equivalent to the Roman Martyrology. This procedure is also equivalent to canonization in the Latin Church.
Listen to Junno Arocho’s report:
According to terrasanta.net, the martyrdom of the 21 Christians will be commemorated on the 8th Amshir of the Coptic calendar, or February 15th of the Gregorian calendar. The commemoration falls on the feast day of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple.
Militants of the Islamic State released a gruesome video entitled “A Message Signed in Blood to the Nation of the Cross” in which they released a warning saying they were “south of Rome.” They then proceeded to behead the Christian men, some of whom were seen mouthing the words “Lord Jesus Christ” moments before their death.
While the killings have stirred fears of the Islamic State’s close proximity to Europe, they have also strengthened many in their faith.
In an interview with Christian channel SAT-7 ARABIC on Wednesday, Beshir Kamel, brother of two of the Coptic martyrs, even thanked the Islamic State for including their declaration of faith in the videos before killing them.
“ISIS gave us more than we asked when they didn’t edit out the part where they declared their faith and called upon Jesus Christ. ISIS helped us strengthen our faith,” he said.
Beshir said that he was proud of his brothers Bishoy and Samuel, saying that their martyrdom was “a badge of honor to Christianity.”
Kamel’s interview with SAT 7-ARABIC went viral, receiving over 100,000 views within hours of its posting online. When asked what his reaction would be if he saw an Islamic State militant, Kamel recalled his mother’s response.
“My mother, an uneducated woman in her sixties, said she would ask [him] to enter her house and ask God to open his eyes because he was the reason her son entered the kingdom of heaven,” Beshir said.
(from Vatican Radio)…