Cardinal Cormac to celebrate Mass for people of Iraq
LONDON - 4 June 2008
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor is to celebrate Mass in Westminster Cathedral (Monday 16 June, 5.30pm) in support of Iraqi Christians and all those still suffering violence in the country.
At a time when many of Iraq's Christians have been forced to flee the volatile and dangerous situation in their homeland, the Mass will offer an opportunity for bishops and worshippers to come together to stand in solidarity with Iraq's Christians. It will also be a time to pray for peace in Iraq and also for Iraqi communities here in England and Wales.
Bishop Crispian Hollis, Bishop of Portsmouth, will be preaching at the Mass and Bishop Alan Hopes, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster, with responsibility for Ethnic Chaplaincies, will concelebrate together with other Catholic bishops.
During the Mass, special prayers will be said for Archbishop Faraj Rahho of Mosul who was killed in March 2008 having been kidnapped after leading prayers at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Mosul, for Margaret Hassan and for the many others who have lost their lives in Iraq.
Just a month ago, Bishop Crispian Hollis of Portsmouth and Bishop William Kenney, Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham visited Erbil, Kirkuk, and Sulemaniyah in northern Iraq, at the invitation of the Chaldean bishops and shared in the experiences of the people, priests and religious of the area. The bishops also spent time at the Chaldean Seminary of St Peter in Ainkawa, a Christian town near Erbil.
Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk, who hosted the bishops, said: "Many people have left their homes, their property and their jobs and they are losing their patience so this visit was very helpful to encourage us to continue with courage and hope for a better future."
Recently, the Catholic charity for suffering Christians, Aid to the Church in Need, spoke to Fr Habib Jajou, who will play a part in the Mass as chaplain for the London-based Iraqi Chaldean Christian community. He referred to the volatile situation in Iraq: "What we want to do is just let people know how serious the situation is for our communities in Iraq not just Christians but other minorities."
The Gospel will be sung in Arabic and the Our Father will be said in Aramaic the language closest to Christ's dialect.
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/irq213.html
For more information on organisations supporting the local Church in Iraq see:
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)
Iraqi Christians in Need (ICIN)
Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS)
Source: Archbishops House
© Independent Catholic News 2008