By Baghdadhope
It’s a time of hard work for the Chaldean hierarchy in Iraq. After the inauguration of the new building of the major seminary of Saint Peter on October 1 there was the one of the new academic year of the only Christian theological faculty in the country, the Babel College the original seat of which is in Baghdad and the activitis of which had to be transferred to Ankawa on January 2007 due to the danger of the Dora neighborhood in the south of the capital where it is. Absent the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church, Cardinal Mar Emmanuel III Delly, in Rome to attend the Synod of the Bishops called by the Holy Father and Mgr. Shleimun Warduni returned to Baghdad to perform his function of Patriarch vicar and to attend the opening ceremony of the course of catechism dedicated to children in his church of the Virgin Mary, the ceremony was conducted by who since years ago is the soul of the college, its rector and Patriarch Vicar for Cultural Affairs Mgr. Jacques Isaac.
Also present were Mgr. Louis Sako, Archbishop of Kirkuk, Mgr. Andraos Abouna, vicar patriarch for the Affairs of the clergy, Father Bashar Warda and Father Fadi Lyon, respectively Rector and Vice Rector of the major Chaldean seminary, Father Denis Como, spiritual father of the seminarists, priests from different dioceses, a large group of Chaldean nuns, teacher and students.
The ceremony was marked by a liturgy of the word officiated in the Aula Magna of the college by Mgr. Isaac who, on the occasion of the year dedicated to Saint Paul started from his letters to reflect on the theme of vocation and making a comparison between the path of study of the seminarists and the stay of St. Paul in Arabia, both periods of reflection, strengthening of faith and preparation for the mission. Just To Saint Paul the session for the students who will get the baccalaureate this year – the 13th in the history of Babel College – will be dedicated and named.
In an interview with Baghdadhope, Mgr.Isaac said he was very pleased with the day and confident about the future of the institution "a great resource for our people and the church of Iraq. In our faculty there are Chaldeans and Syriac Catholics students, but also students belonging to the Church of the East and to the Ancient Church of the East and the atmosphere is of real ecumenism. Even the organization of the faculty has improved since the early days of confusion following its transfer from Baghdad to Ankawa. The courses are regular, the study guide has already been distributed, we have organized a cultural week dedicated to the study of the life and works of St. Paul and we have the dream to organize a pilgrimage to the places of Saint Paul in Syria and Turkey."
Questioned about a possible reopening of the Baghdad still occupied by US soldiers the bishop could not specify a date. The Dora area is still dangerous and U.S. soldiers have not communicated their intentions but, "we could reopen in Baghdad, in the Church of the Sacred Heart, the headquarters of the Institute of Religious Sciences for the teaching to the future catechists and that will be led by Father Sa'ad Sirop Hanna. A great sign of courage, hope and faith for all Iraqi Christians ."
