Iraqi refugees appeal for help and offer Francis a gift of a hand-sewn chasuble
Iraqi refugee women who fled Islamic State group violence have appealed to the Pope for help, sending a hand-sewn chasuble and imploring him to pray for them and for peace in their country.
“One of the most precious items is the vestment of a priest, bishop or Pope serving at the altar during the most sacred of times, the Mass,” said Fr Rifat Bader, director of the Catholic Centre for Studies and Media in the Jordanian capital Amman, from where the chasuble was sent.
“This has been made with hearts of love and with a special touch by refugees who suffered, forced to flee to maintain their Christian faith,” Fr Bader said.
The chasuble was designed and made by more than a dozen Chaldean Catholic women, sewn together from the “remains of altar cloths” as they wanted to produce “something useful and beautiful to glorify the Lord from whatever is rejected and detested” by ISIS and other Islamist militants, he added.
‘Brexit’ debate based on self-interest
Britain’s debate on withdrawal from the EU has focused entirely on self-interest and portrayed immigration as an unwelcome problem, the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN) executive has said.
Criticising the tendency to gloss over why Europe is facing a migrant crisis and to treat migration as a political football, the NJPN urged that votes in the June 23 referendum should be considered in line with the principles of Catholic social teaching, recognising the common good of all people – not just British citizens – as paramount.
“What must decide our vote is not just our dreams and aspirations, but the answers to the very practical consequences to the least advantaged,” the executive has said, recalling the Christian duties to proclaim Gospel values and serve others.
Increased security for Christians in Pakistan
Pakistani Christians are ramping up security measures following a June 4 shooting at a Catholic church.
Christians in the Punjab capital Lahore say they cannot rely on police to protect them after two gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on St Joseph’s Church in the Dhup Sarry Christian neighbourhood. Although the church and a nearby school experienced minor damage, nobody was hurt in the incident.
Speculating that the attack had been intended “to stoke sectarian tensions in the area”, police have described attacks on places of worship as “wicked” and launched a hunt for the gunmen while placing the church under 24-hour guard.
Christians have, however, decided to improve their own security through the use of closed-circuit television surveillance, armed guards and security barriers around the church, according to the parish’s curate Fr Asif Sardar.
Citing how the church’s windows were broken during riots last year after a mentally-ill man was accused of burning pages from the Koran, Fr Sardar said, “I have asked people not to be afraid and refrain from any retaliation. We need to be careful and think of our children. God is the greatest protector.”
Marists open playground in face of Aleppo shelling
The Marist Brothers have opened a playground inside their property in Aleppo, despite the relentless shelling and air attacks on the beleaguered Syrian city.
The playground was funded by two charities, and is located in the city’s largely Armenian Maidan district. It was opened on the feast of St Marcellin Champagnat, founder of the Congregation of the Marist Brothers, and was attended by a large number of families.
