Threatened and hurt by systematic violence, but with vivid and strong faith. Thus Msgr. Crispin Hollis, managing the International Affairs Department of the English Bishops’ Conference, described the Iraqi Christian community. During a Mass “for the Iraqi Christians”, celebrated at Westminster Cathedral yesterday, in which he illustrated the stages of his recent journey to the North of Iraq, Msgr. Hollis recalled that “we think we know what’s going on in Iraq quite well, but our knowledge of facts derives from what we have read about military activities in progress in Baghdad or Bassora. But if we widen the horizon outside the military field, we shall realize how the Christian community is suffering and continuously threatened and subjected to violence”. This situation, explained the bishop, “has seriously wounded the community, depriving it of bishops, priests and laymen, killed by extremists of any kind. People have been systematically and endlessly killed”. In spite of everything, “I found bishops, priests and laymen with vivid faith. I didn’t see despair; I met people with strong faith. That experience was real blessing”. In the end, Msgr. Hollis asked the believers present, mostly Iraqi people living in London, to join the prayer for peace in the country and for the end of sufferings by the Iraqi people.

News by SIR