“God is the source of freedom and truth, and testifying Christ does not mean being fanatics. During the war, our churches have welcomed everyone, with no distinction of ethnic group or faith, and so did our schools and our welfare facilities. And this makes us known to our Muslim friends”. These are the words of mgr. Shlemon Warduni, auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, at the Scientific Committee of the International Study and Research Centre Oasis, which is closing today in Amman, Jordan, to describe the situation in Iraq. “One wants to empty the Middle East of Christians – stated the bishop –. The war has destroyed everything, even the tradition of cohabitation. One third of the Christians left the country to escape threats, abuse and violence. Not to mention the abductions of priests, as many as 16 priests abducted, some even killed, such as the bishop of Mosul, mgr. Faraj Rahho. Dora, a Christian neighbourhood of the capital, has emptied out. Our young people have no hope, they are not accepted, a fleeing Iraqi is a sort of taboo. The situation has become unbearable, not least because of everyday problems, little water, electricity, high prices. It is absurd, we have oil yet we are poor”. “Despite all this – concludes Warduni –, dialogue must go on. There are shared points from which we can start, prayer, fasting, eternal life, but we must not hide our differences either”. (Daniele Rocchi-Amman)

news by SIR