Iraqi archbishop: ‘our vibrant Church life is dissolving before our eyes’
August 12, 2015
The Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Erbil, Iraq, has told the Fides news agency that “our vibrant Church life is dissolving in front of our eyes” because of mass emigration.
“We who are part of the Church hierarchy are very often tempted to encourage our parishioners to stay – keep the presence of Christ alive in this special land,” said Archbishop Bashar Warda. “But truly I and my brother bishops and priests can do no more than to advise young mothers and fathers to take all the necessary considerations into account and to pray long and hard before taking such a momentous, and perhaps perilous, decision.”
“It is no secret that hatred of minorities has intensified in certain quarters over the past few years. It is difficult to understand this hate,” he added. We are hated because we persist in wanting to exist as Christians. In other words, we are hated because we persist in demanding a basic human right.”
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Further information:
- "We are hated because we persist in wanting to exist as Christians", testimony of Mgr. Warda (Fides)
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