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19 luglio 2024

Final Communique of the 2024 Chaldean Church Synod

By Chaldean Patriarchate

The Synod of the Chaldean Church held its regular annual meetings from July 15-19, 2024, under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch Louis Raphael Card. Sako, at the Patriarchal Headquarters in Al-Mansour / Baghdad.
Synod Fathers sent a letter to His Holiness Pope Francis, requesting his paternal blessing and his prayers for a fruitful Synod’s discussions for the well-being of the Church and the country.
After the opening address, Synod Fathers went through items listed in their agenda, in an atmosphere of familiarity, democracy, and fellowship, that enabled them to shed the light on few things and made some decisions, such as:

Gratitude to the Prime Minister

Since the Synod was held right after His Beatitude’s return to his official Patriarchal Headquarters in Baghdad, the Chaldean Bishops appreciated and expressed their gratefulness for the legal and courageous initiative of the Prime Minister, Mr. Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, by issuing a decree confirming the designation of Patriarch Sako as a Head of the Chaldean Church, and being in charge of its endowments.
Moreover, the Patriarch and Bishops expressed their hope that the government, along with official and political parties, would take concrete steps in building peace and stability by implementing law and justice; restoring national unity; strengthening the concept of citizenship; and providing adequate public services to ensure a decent life for all citizens. Also, by giving priority to Iraqi people interests rather than that of any “limited” sectarian interests.
His Beatitude, along with the Synod Fathers, visited His Excellency the Prime Minister, Mr. Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, on Thursday evening, July 18, 2024. He welcomed them and participated in a friendly conversation about the general national concern of Christians.

Agony of Christians
Our authentic Christian people (rooted in this land) have suffered a lot in the past two decades from the deprivation of their rights, marginalization, exclusion, and the acquisition of their property and assets, which forced many of them to emigrate searching for a better environment. Therefore, we call upon our esteemed government to be fair in treasuring them through: building confidence, enhancing national cooperation, and benefiting from their skills in developing this country. We also demand that their rights be fully respected as citizens with equal representation and employment, and we refuse the seizure of their properties through the “exclusivity” of any political party.

The War in the Holy Land and its Consequences on the Region
Chaldean Synod Bishops expressed their deep concern about the international conflicts and wars taking place in the Middle East, especially the Holy Land. They condemned violence in all its forms and call the international community to protect and affirm peace always, by making a decision to end the destructive war on people and stones immediately. They believe that the best solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is to establish two neighboring states that live in peace, security, stability, and mutual trust.

The Future of Oriental Christians
Regarding this issue, Synod Bishops renew Patriarch Sako’s call for unity and solidarity. The main thing that should unite us is our faith and our land. We are committed to each other and to our common destiny with other citizens of the regional countries; concerning about public issues, citizen’s worries, rights and requirements for a decent life. We express our fraternal sympathy with Bishops of neighboring countries, stressing that the Church needs a new vision about the future as much as we need courageous practical steps, to stabilize Christians in their land, preserving their identity, also to enhance their role and presence.
Unity is our strength and salvation. Despite the wounds, we continue to love our countries and our citizens, and we would like to cooperate with them in spreading a culture of coexistence, respecting the differences of others, and consolidating hope, within a fair and civil society.

Al-Sudani: Diversity in Iraq is a source of strength and a factor of stability

By INA (Iraqi News Agency)
July 18/07/2024

Photo Chaldean Patriarchate

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani stressed, today, Thursday, that diversity in Iraq is one of the constants that call for pride in what it represents as a source of strength and a factor of stability while stressing the necessity of maintaining the state of institutions and citizenship and ensuring that everyone practices their rituals and worship with complete freedom.
The Prime Minister's Media Office said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani received today the Patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq and the World, His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako, and a number of Chaldean bishops participating in the annual session of the Chaldean Church Synod Conference, hosted by the capital, Baghdad.".
Al-Sudani welcomed "His Beatitude the Cardinal and the delegation of bishops," expressing his support for "the convening of the Chaldean Church Synod Conference in Baghdad, which celebrates all the fraternal Iraqi components, foremost among them the authentic Christian component that carries important civilizational and humanitarian contributions to the history of Iraq and the building of the state.".
During the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed that "diversity in Iraq is one of the constants that calls for pride; as it represents a source of strength and a factor of stability", praising "the position of the religious leadership of the Iraqi Christian component, which was present in all challenges, endured tragedies and terrorism, and participated in repelling attempts to create a rift between Iraqis".
He continued, "The government aspires for the return of all Christians to Iraq, within the framework of its keenness to maintain the cohesion of the Iraqi social fabric, and its commitment to this position of the Christian component, stressing, "that duty now calls - after two decades of change and victory over terrorism - to maintain the state of institutions and citizenship, and to ensure that everyone practices their rituals and worship with complete freedom".
He stated that "Iraq's great resources must be employed to confirm stability". The Prime Minister touched on the effects of terrorism and aggression in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, stressing, "Iraq's endeavour at all levels to end this crisis; Because the security of the region is an integrated and indivisible unit.”.
For their part, His Beatitude Patriarch Sako and the attending bishops expressed their thanks to the Prime Minister for his patronage and support for holding this conference in Baghdad. They also renewed their support for “the government’s steps within the framework of building peace and stability, providing public services to ensure a decent life for all Iraqis without exception or discrimination, and giving priority to the interests of the Iraqi people over any secondary factional interests.”

16 luglio 2024

Patriarch Sako’s Address at the Opening of the Synod (July 2024)


Foto Patriarcato caldeo

I am pleased to welcome every one of you and to thank you for being here to participate in this Synod, in spite of the challenges that our Church is currently facing and the overall complicated social, political and security circumstances, in a hope that this meeting will bring to live Psalm (133/ 1) “How pleasant it is, when brothers dwell together”, especially when our gathering is for the benefit of our Church and our people.
First of all, I thank God for giving me strength, wisdom, and determination that enabled me to go through the crisis of withdrawing Presidential decree (147) of 2013 as well as several malicious complaints. However, most of you may know that I, personally was not the target (as being told by some officials), but the purpose was rather to seize Church properties.
On this occasion, I feel speechless, cannot find the right word to thank you for your reliable stances aligning with the Episcopal Conference, and for your honorable interventions in this regard. I feel wordless as well in showing my gratefulness to all those who supported the Church by their prayers for revealing the truth and showing solidarity to strengthen the Church rather than dividing it. Even though, the Church is stronger now.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Prime Minister, Mr. Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, for his courageous initiative in restoring our Church’s right by issuing an “Administrative Order” confirming the designation of the Patriarch as the custodian of its endowments.

Dear Blessed Brothers,
We sense in your presence at this annual assembly a number of apostolic indicators, such as giving the priority to the well-being of our Church and our people above all other considerations, far from arguments and criticisms that float on the surface and do not match reality.
The Lord expects us, together with faithful, to think in a responsible way toward contributing in our Church and our country. Since, we are called to bear our ecclesiastical, humanitarian and national responsibilities in order to face major challenges in the society as well as the accelerated changes in our country and around the world.
Subsequently, we should be keen not to waste our time in “disagreements” that harm the reputation and the status of our Church, resulting in misrepresenting of our testimony. Nevertheless, our limited time is for nothing but to serve, give and love generously and in harmony. It is an hour of honesty and truth.
On one hand, the core of our call is to be open to what is happening in the Church and to follow the “progress” taking place and not to be “satisfied” with the information we acquired during our academic study, since our world is changing. It is different from the world where we were born, raised and educated, and will be gradually different for generations to come. The progress of the Church and the society is linked to modernism, and there is no progress without it.
It is normal for everyone to present his opinion and be open to accept that of the “majority”, by moving together towards the fullness of communion. This way. We will be able to rise above our personal desires with love, wisdom, and humility. Such team work in the Church advances when we do it and when we are united in listening to the call of the Holy Spirit within us.
Unity is strength when it stems from awareness and respect of the point of view of others and leads to the common good. This unity can be enhanced by listening and prayer, as long as it is based on truth to reflect our credibility, and consolidates people’s confidence in us and our testimony.
On the contrary, division is destructive, creates doubts among faithful and is not on favor of anyone. Problems may inevitably arise, but could be addressed through the Synod in a responsible and honest dialogue, instead of “boycotting”.
I would like to conclude with a paragraph quoted from Pope Francis’ speech on Thursday 27 June, 2024, when he met with the ROACO community: “I beg you, with heart in hand, to persevere in your support for the Eastern Catholic Churches, assisting them, in these dramatic times, to remain firmly rooted in the Gospel. Urge the clergy and religious to be ever attentive to the cries of the flock, exemplary in faith, putting the Gospel before all forms of dissension or self-interest, and united in service to the common good, since all those in the Church belong to Christ”.
We must return to the source of our vocation, direct our attention to Christ and to our mission in loving our Church and our people to the end, sacrificing ourselves as Jesus the Savior did (John 13/ 1).

15 luglio 2024

Sinodo caldeo: dati

By Baghdadhope*


Inizia oggi a Baghdad e terminerà il 19 luglio il sinodo della chiesa caldea. 
Di seguito l'elenco dei componenti del sinodo. 

1. Al Mekko Thabet Habeb Yousif (1976)
14/12/2021 Vescovo coadiutore diocesi di Alqosh con diritto di successione.

2. Al Naufali  Habib (1960)
24/01/2014  Arcivescovo di Bassora e del Sud

3Anar Sabri (1966)  
24/05/2023 
Arcivescovo di Diarbekir dei Caldei (Turchia) 

4. Audo  Antoine (1946)
8/01/1992  Vescovo di Aleppo. 

5. Garmou  Ramzi (1945)  
05/05/1995 Arcivescovo  coadiutore  di Tehran
07/02/1999 Arcivescovo di Tehran
20/07/2013 
Visitatore Apostolico per l’Europa
19/11/2016 Dimissioni dalla carica di Visitatore Apostolico

22/12/2018 Arcivescovo di Diarbekir dei Caldei (Turchia) 
24/05/2023 Emerito

6. Ibrahim N. Ibrahim (1937)

11/01/1982 Esarca Apostolico USA

07/03/1982 Vescovo titolare Anbar dei Caldei

03/08/1985 Vescovo USA est (San Tommaso Apostolo)

03/01/2014  Vescovo emerito

7. Jammo  Sarhad Yausip (1941)
21/05/2002  Vescovo USA ovest (San Pietro Apostolo)
07/05/2016 Vescovo Emerito

8. 
Jarjis Robert (1973)
22/12/2018 
Vescovo ausiliare di Baghdad e titolare di Arsamosata
03/06/2019 Vescovo ausiliare per gli affari culturali
14/12/2021 Vescovo del Canada

9. Kalabat Francis (1970)
03/05/2014  Vescovo USA est (San Tommaso Apostolo)
09/08/2017 - 31/10/2017 
Amministratore Apostolico del Canada

10. Kassab Jibrail (1938)

24/10/1995 Arcivescovo di Bassora

21/10/2006 Arcivescovo di Australia e Nuova Zelanda (San Tommaso Apostolo)

15/01/2015 Arcivescovo Emerito

11. Kassarji Michael (1956)

18/01/2001  Vescovo di Beirut

12. Khoshaba Imad (1978)
10/11/2023 Vescovo di Tehran (Iran)

13. Maqdassi Mikha P. (1949)

06/12/2001  Vescovo di Alqosh. 

14. Meram  Thomas (1943) 
30/11/1983  Arcivescovo di Urmia e Vescovo di Salmas, amministratore patriarcale di Tehran. 
10/11/2023 Emerito

15. Moussa Najib Mikhael O.P. (1955)
22/12/2018 Arcivescovo di Mosul

16. Nona Emil S. (1967)

13/11/2009 Arcivescovo di Mosul

06/02/2015  Arcivescovo di Australia e Nuova Zelanda 


17. Sako Louis (1948)

27/09/2003 Arcivescovo di Kirkuk

01/02/2013 Patriarca di Babilonia dei Caldei
Cardinale 28/06/2018

18. Shaba Azad Sabri (1966)
24/12/2021 Vescovo di Dohuk

19. Shabi Felix (Saeed) Dawood (1975)
 27/06/2020 Vescovo di Zakho

20. Shaleta  Emanuel Hana (1956)
06/02/2015 Vescovo del Canada (Sant'Addai)
09/08/2017 
Vescovo USA ovest (San Pietro Apostolo)

21. Sirop Saad
 (1972)
24/01/2014 Vescovo di curia patriarcale
19/11/2016  Visitatore Apostolico per l’Europa


22. Soro Bawai (1954)
11/01/2015 Vescovo in servizio pastorale  presso la diocesi degli Stati Uniti Occidentali 
(San Pietro Apostolo)

31/10/2017 
Vescovo 
dell'Eparchia di Sant'Addai (Canada)
14/09/2019 Consultore della Congregazione delle Chiese Orientali
14/08/2021 Nomina a capo del Comitato per la laicità in sostituzione di Mons. Robert Jirjis e di quello per la Famiglia 
12/09/2021 Accettazione delle dimissioni per motivi di salute da parte del Santo Padre

23. Thomas Yousif  Mirkis(1949)
24/01/2014 Arcivescovo di Kirkuk e Sulemaniya

24. Warda  Bashar M.
 (1969)

24/05/2010  Arcivescovo di Erbil

25. Warduni  Shleimun (1943)

12/01/2001 Vescovo titolare Anbar dei Caldei e Vescovo di curia patriarcale
07/05/2016 
Amministratore Apostolico sede vacante dell’Eparchia Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego dei Caldei
09/08/2017
 Vescovo titolare Anbar dei Caldei e Vescovo ausiliare emerito

26. Yaldo  Basel (1970)
06/02/2015 Vescovo ausiliare di Baghdad e titolare di 
Bethzabda
03/06/2019 Vescovo ausiliare per gli affari pastorali

*In virtù della decisione sinodale approvata da papa Francesco il 15 febbraio 2022 i vescovi ultraottantenni non avranno più diritto di voto in ambito sinodale. 
Per il 2024 si tratta di: Monsignor Ibrahim N. Ibrahim; Monsignor Jammo  Sarhad Yausip; Monsignor Kassab Jibrail; Monsignor Meram Thomas e Monsignor Warduni Shleimun.  

*I vescovi  Yaldo Basel; Moussa Najib Mikhael O.P; Maqdassi Mikha P e Kassarji Michael sono i membri del sinodo permanente che domenica 14 luglio si è riunito, presieduto  dal patriarca, Cardinale Mar Louis Rapheel Sako per discutere i temi dell'imminente sinodo.  

6 luglio 2024

Ten years after Islamic State group’s invasion, church is ‘still alive’ in Iraq, say archbishops

Gina Christian

Ten years after Islamic militants swept over northern Iraq’s Nineveh Plains, the Christian community there is “still alive,” and working to both rebuild and evangelize, two Eastern Catholic archbishops said.
“We are like an olive tree; no matter what happens to us, they can cut everything, but in the end, we are here, we stay here … and as a church, we do everything to give a sign of hope, to help the (Iraqi Christian) people stay here in this land,” said Archbishop Nizar Semaan of the Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Hadiab-Erbil.
“People are so attached to the church (in Iraq),” said Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil, Iraq. “The church is a reference point for everything.”
The Syriac Catholic and Chaldean Catholic churches, each with their own liturgies and hierarchies, are two of the 23 sui iuris (“of its own rite”) Eastern Catholic churches that along with the Roman Catholic Church comprise the universal Catholic Church.
Iraq, where approximately 98 percent of the population is Muslim, has been home to Christian communities for some 2,000 years, having been evangelized by St. Thomas the Apostle and his disciples.
Archbishop Semaan and Archbishop Warda spoke during a July 3 webinar hosted by Aid to the Church in Need International. Since 1947, ACN International has worked under the guidance of the pope to provide pastoral and humanitarian assistance to persecuted Catholics. At present, ACN — recognized as a pontifical foundation in 2011 — manages close to 5,600 projects in some 138 countries each year. The organization also stands ready to offer aid in times of natural disaster.
During the webinar, Archbishop Semaan and Archbishop Warda recalled the devastating 2014 wave of attacks against religious minorities launched by Islamic State group fighters, who seized Mosul and the surrounding Nineveh Plains. Christians and Yazidis (an ancient Indigenous community) fled toward Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, with thousands of Yazidi women and girls sexually enslaved by IS militants.
ACN International executive president Regina Lynch, who pointed out that her organization has supported projects in Iraq since 1972, said she remembered seeing “the shock on people’s faces” during her on-site visit to Erbil after the attacks.
Lynch said her organization has supported some 500 projects over the past few years, providing an estimated “56 million euros” (roughly $60 million) work of support, adding that ACN International will continue to “stand by” the church in Iraq “as long as help is needed.”
Iraq declared victory over IS in 2017, and the Chaldean and Syriac Catholic churches — which provided displaced minorities with critical humanitarian aid throughout the attacks — are part of ongoing efforts to restore the Nineveh Plains Christian communities and the church as a whole in Iraq, amid a historical trend of persecution that has seen the number of Christians in Iraq decline from an estimated 1.4 million in 2003 to about 250,000 today.
Archbishop Warda said that the Israel-Hamas war, now in its eighth month, has left “the whole region … worried,” including Iraqi Christians, who fear that in any expansion of the conflict, “Christians would be targeted or there would be collateral damage.”
Archbishop Semaan said that while Iraq has “a bit of stability now … ISIS is not just about (an) army, it’s about ideology,” one whose mentality — which rejects religious diversity — must be countered by cultivating “a moderate education system” that allows for human flourishing amid an atmosphere of “peace … and respect.”
As a second step to helping Christians remain in Iraq, he also stressed the need to develop a national constitution “built on … human beings, not on religion.”
Archbishop Warda, who in 2015 founded the Catholic University in Erbil, noted that with ACN International’s support his archdiocese had set up “eight schools right away” amid the massive displacement from the 2014 IS attacks, saying that providing education was crucial to demonstrating a commitment to human dignity and to stabilizing the Christian community.
He also said that while “there is no doubt” about a shared desire for “coexistence” between Christians and “the majority of the (nation’s) Muslims,” the lack of any apology from Muslim leaders and scholars to IS victims for atrocities committed “in the name of Allah” is troubling, especially since most Iraqi Muslims distance themselves from IS. More needs to be done to ensure that religious tolerance is broadly promoted in Iraqi society, said Archbishop Warda.
Archbishop Semaan agreed, warning that a trend in recent years for Iraq’s communities to become increasingly isolated from each other is “very dangerous” for the nation’s future.
“As Christians, we want just to be in peace, to live together (and) to share also what we have with other people,” he said. “We don’t want a closed church or a closed Christian community or closed villages. … You have to communicate with the people, with your neighbor.”
Pope Francis’ 2021 “remarkable” visit to Iraq helped to raise the domestic visibility of the nation’s Christians, garnering extensive media coverage and making “a really big difference,” said Archbishop Warda.
Trauma from the 2014 attacks remains an issue, said the archbishops, who added the strong sense of family and communal bonds among Iraqi Christians has helped to heal some of those wounds.
Catechesis and faith formation, particularly among the youth, can sustain that ongoing process and rebuild survivors’ sense of trust, they said.
“A strong faith will help you to forgive later on, and to just see … that what was meant to really destroy you is just strengthening you,” said Archbishop Warda.
Both archbishops said they find themselves fielding calls and requests from their communities at all hours, as the faithful look to the church for guidance in virtually every area of life.
“The faith here is everything,” said Archbishop Warda. “The church and the community here is a family.”
With his phone ringing nonstop and “lots of youth (dedicating) themselves to the service of the church,” Archbishop Semaan said the vibrancy of the Catholic community in Iraq “makes us feel as bishops that we are alive.”
“You have to go out, and open your doors to everyone,” he said.