Speech of Patriarch Sako at the Opening of the VII Colloquium of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS)

By Chaldean Patriarchate

In the presence of His Highness Prince El Hassan Bin Talal, the seventh Colloquium of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS) commenced its 2-day program in the morning of May 8, 2024 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Amman – Jordan,

The Jordanian Royal National Anthem announced the start of the opening ceremony, followed by the speech of His Beatitude Patriarch Louis Raphael Card. Sako (included below). Then a speech of His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan, Bishop Giovanni Dal Tazo.

In a welcoming speech, His Highness Prince El Hassan mentioned that “Iraq and the ancient Chaldean family”.

Here is the text of Patriarch Sako’s address:

Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS) Amman – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

The 8th of May 2024

First, I would like to thank His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, his government, and the people of Jordan for receiving many displaced Iraqis and others in Jordan. I hope that the displaced will never forget these gentle humanitarian touches.

On behalf of the Vatican delegation, I extend my thanks and gratitude to The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS), His Highness Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan, the director of the institute and its staff. We appreciate their exceptional efforts and initiatives in promoting awareness of the dynamic interfaith dialogue between religions in all its dimensions, in order to achieve harmonious coexistence and preserve social peace, religious and cultural diversity in the region.

Dialogue, I mean courageous dialogue, is the guaranteed way to solve problems and achieve comprehensive and lasting peace against war that destabilize human fraternity. Our hope is that people of good will contribute to establishing peace. We cannot disregard the death of thousands of innocent people and millions of displaced, as is the current situation in the Holy Land, Ukraine and other countries. There is an urgent need for international balance to provide the opportunity for peace, security and safety all over the world.

I would like also to highlight the role of the Catholic Church and Pope Francis’ stance addressing the importance of peace, preserving human rights, freedom and dignity. His focus on respecting and having dialogue among religions has become a fundamental value for the Church.

Consequently, the Document on Human Fraternity for world peace and living together, signed by Pope Francis and Sheikh of Al-Azhar Dr. Muhammad Al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi on February 4, 2019, is a unique historical achievement between both Christian and Islamic religions.

Human fraternity is no longer an idea, but rather a necessary “life-long project” that we need to grow up with and apply it on daily basis, since life is an art of humanization, principles and morals that requires courage. War intersects with peace! Our world is in need leaders who work hard to make peace.

Man is the Center of Religions at Both Times of Peace and War

Christ instructed His disciples: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6/ 31). Almost similar phrase is found in “Al – Hadith El – Sharif”: “No one of you shall become a true believer until he desires for his brother what he desires for himself”. This is the golden rule for dealing with people and establishing harmonious coexistence.

God, the Creator, calls us to work diligently to reduce injustice and pain, change people’s conditions, turn off all forms of conflict and war, spreading concepts of life, love, fraternity, tolerance, common good, mutual respect and peace, instead of hatred, separation and fighting.

Caring about people is an evidence of our love and true worship for God the Almighty. Since God created us different, we must respect His design, and not set ourselves up as judges to classify people.

It is unfortunate that the region has been drawn into a widespread extremism, so there is now, more than ever before, a need to create a strong, shared mutual feeling about the importance of spreading a culture of moderation, peace and coexistence, as well as preserving the rights of citizens on the basis of their fraternity bond in creation and their unity in faith. Therefore, the difference in religions, as we mentioned, is a divine design, and extremist ideology does not help us dealing with challenges and rounding corners.

Awareness and Education

I believe that the current problem with divergence and extremism lies in the “lack” of our religious and societal awareness and education. For instance, if our education is sensible, coherent, and open to others, recognizing and accepting them as brothers / sisters in humanity and as a citizen, it will certainly lead to real positive results away from disagreements and bad actions.

Education is our path to future and peace. Let us teach our children using words of love and respect instead of words of infidelity “takfir”, betrayal, and exclusion, which are generally not based on the message of religion that aims to bring people closer together and not to divide them. Thus, implementing an integrated strategy to renew religious “TEXT” and discourse in the region will spare conflicts and disputes.

In fact, current circumstances fuel the pace of violence in the Arab region, due to wrong “inherited” opinions about others who are different from us, and judged absentia. Especially because we people of the East in general, tend to oppress, accuse each other, take revenge by force as well as seeking control over power, money and people instead of relying on justice, dialogue, and understanding.

This kind of “strict” stance toward others, generates a state of instability and tension, and may lead to a long lasting war, a war that destroys what man has accomplished over the centuries. Not to mention the enormous human, material, civilizational and cultural losses resulting from such absurd wars, as happened in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and what is happening in the Holy Land today. The scene is very dangerous and very disturbing.

Message of the Cleric

Clerics must have an enlightened mind because he carries an uplifting message. Clerics plants love in the heart of people instead of hatred, because love is the food that nourishes coexistence, cooperation, peace and stability. Whereas, war is not consistent with the message of religions nor with the will of God.

A cleric is someone who speaks in the name of God and does what God wants. Hence, he should dare to say what others cannot. Otherwise, it would be disastrous, if the authority of the clergy deviates from the scope of advising good morals and spreading human and spiritual values.

Forming people is an inspirational mission, through education programs in the curriculum of religion and history in schools, Mosques, Churches, workshops, and media. Also, adopting a sound interpretation of the “sacred texts” in their historical, cultural and social contexts is necessary to close the door on those who interpret them outside their framework and “fill /wash” people’s minds with distorted interpretations. Thus, such an open and enlightened way, is enough to dismantle extremist ideology, combat terrorism, prepare the future, and ensure better conditions for human beings.

Kurdistan Region of Iraq forms committee to address Christian property disputes

By Syriac Press

Following a recommendation by Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) President Nechirvan Barzani, the Inquiry Committee on Christian Affairs has commenced its duties to address complaints regarding property disputes involving Chaldeans–Syriacs-Assyrians in northern Iraq.

Abdul Rahman Bilaf, head of the Committee at the KRI Ministry of Interior, affirmed, “The concerns of Christians will be heard based on the directive of the KRI president.”

Speaking to Kurdistan 24, Bilaf emphasized the significant role Christians have played in the liberation movement of the KRI, highlighting their sacrifices akin to those of the Kurds.
“The Baath regime [of Saddam Hussein] also perpetrated atrocities against Christians,” he added.

According to statistics from the Directorate of Christian Affairs at the KRI Ministry of Endowments, the Christian population in the KRI is estimated to range between 275,000 and 300,000 individuals.

Northern Iraq is home to 240 churches, shrines, and monasteries, located in cities and towns including Ankawa, Shaqlawa, Soran, Koy Sanjaq, Merke Sur, Sulaymaniyah, Nohadra (Duhok), Zakho, Amadiya, Akre, Sheikhan, Sarsank, Simele, Bamarni, Zawita, Barwari Bala, Deraluk, and Bakir.

Cristiani in Iraq: esodo e rinascita. Incontro con Mons Felix Dawood Al Shabi

By Ciaocomo.it

Persecuzione, esodo… e ora rinascita, dentro il filo della speranza. Si racchiude in queste poche parole la storia di una Chiesa, quella in Iraq, che ha attraversato gli ultimi vent’anni pagando duramente la fedeltà al Vangelo, fino al martirio.
Non si possono dimenticare, a questo proposito, il giovane parroco Ragheed Ganni, l’Arcivescovo di Mosul Paul Faraj Rahho, o i 58 fedeli uccisi durante una Messa a “Nostra Signora della Salvezza” di Baghdad. Una Chiesa, però, rimasta salda, «come albero piantato lungo l’acqua […], che non smette di produrre frutto» (Geremia 17,8), quel frutto che oggi si incomincia a vedere.

Era l’ottobre 2006 quando, in seguito alla fondazione dello Stato Islamico d’Iraq, divenuto poi Stato Islamico d’Iraq e Siria (ISIS), iniziava la più feroce oppressione degli ultimi cento anni contro una minoranza cristiana in Medio Oriente.
L’apice fu raggiunto tra il 2014 e il 2016 con alcune centinaia di miliziani, provenienti dalla Siria, che costrinsero gli abitanti dei villaggi della Piana di Ninive alla fuga immediata, dopo aver instaurato il Califfato a Mosul.
Ai cristiani fu dato l’ultimatum di convertirsi all’Islam, pagare una multa (500 dollari per adulto) o scappare. La morte era l’alternativa.

E così, fino al 2017, circa 120.000 persone sono vissute in campi profughi, come sfollati interni, mentre centinaia di chiese, edifici religiosi e scuole venivano distrutti o gravemente danneggiati. Sconfitto l’ISIS in Iraq, la vita per i cristiani è ricominciata, anche se solo metà dei rifugiati è rientrata nelle proprie case, preferendo gli altri stabilirsi in luoghi più sicuri e con maggiori possibilità (specialmente a Erbil), oppure emigrare negli Stati Uniti, in Australia, in Europa. A fronte di un milione di fedeli nel 2005 (circa 2,5% della popolazione totale) si è arrivati a non più di 250.000 (circa lo 0,4%).

E oggi? Qual è la situazione? Quali difficoltà permangono?

Il Centro culturale Paolo VI e la Parrocchia di San Fedele di Como, in collaborazione con la Fondazione di diritto pontificio “Aiuto alla Chiesa che Soffre”, propongono l’incontro Cristiani in Iraq. Esodo e rinascita, in programma mercoledì 8 maggio, alle ore 21, presso la basilica di San Fedele in Como.
Porterà la sua testimonianza il Vescovo di Zakho dei Caldei (Iraq), Sua Ecc.za Mons Felix Dawood Al Shabi.
Al termine, il dott. Maurizio Giammusso, referente di Aiuto alla Chiesa che Soffre – sezione di Milano, esporrà alcuni interventi umanitari, pastorali e di edilizia (scuole, asili, Università cattolica di Erbil), messi in atto dalla fondazione pontificia a sostegno della Chiesa in Iraq.
Solo nel 2023 sono stati finanziati ben 32 progetti di aiuto, per un valore complessivo di circa 1.300.000 euro. Ingresso libero.

Si raccolgono offerte a sostegno della Chiesa in Iraq.
Per informazioni: segreteria@ccpaolosesto.it