Chaldean Patriarch: priests should not promote Christian exodus from Iraq
April 13, 2016
Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Raphael Louis Sako has said that the clergy should not be involved in efforts to organize the departure of Christians from Iraq.
Although individual Christians and families are free to leave the country in search of security, the Church should not support any plan for the exodus of Christians, the Chaldean Patriarch said. The Chaldean bishops, meeting in Erbil recently, cautioned against involvement with groups that are promoting that exodus for their own "economic, political, and media interests." The bishops also warned Iraqi Christians about the dangers of exploitation by unscrupulous organizations that promise to resettle families in other countries.
Those in greatest danger of exploitation are Christian refugees in the region of Mosul and the Nineveh Plains, where Islamic State offensives have displaced thousands of families, the Chaldean bishops noted. They called for action to liberate all of Iraq from control by Islamic fundamentalists, thus ensuring that Christians are again safe throughout the country.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
