Shrine at the Mazar Mar Eillia Catholic Church in Erbil, Iraq, December 2014. (Matt Cardy/Getty)
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April
15, 2018 by Ari Roul
NEW
HAVEN, Conn., April 15, 2018 – Connecticut Catholics – including high
school students – are coming to the aid of persecuted Christians and other
religious minorities in the Middle East in partnership with the Knights of
Columbus. This work was highlighted Sunday at a special Mass in New Haven
offered by Archbishop Leonard Blair.
The
effort by the Archdiocese of Hartford has included the participation of
Catholic students selling olive wood “solidarity crosses” made in the Middle
East and supplied by the Knights. The money raised will be will be used to help
assist Christian towns in Iraq and Syria that were devastated by ISIS and
fighting involving the terrorist group.
“We
are very grateful to the Archdiocese of Hartford for its support of those who
have been persecuted for their faith in the Middle East, and we have been truly
inspired by these high school students who have taken time and energy to learn
about this important issue and raise money to help,” said Knights of Columbus
CEO Carl Anderson. “We hope this program will be the first of many of across
the U.S. and Canada.”
Sunday's
Mass was held at St. Mary's Church in New Haven. The Chaldean Catholic Bishop
of Canada Bawai Soro was the homilist and also proclaimed the gospel in
Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus. Bishop Soro is a native of Iraq who has
ministered for many years to the Iraqi Christian community in North America.
Bishop
Soro thanked the students, other Connecticut Catholics and the Knights of
Columbus, and explained that the Christians of Iraq would not have survived the
past four years without the help of fellow Christians from around the world.
“The
message that I have for the Knights of Columbus is one of admiration, that you
people are amazing. We thank you,” the bishop said. “We are encouraged by your
model, please continue. I know many of the good things that have been done have
been influencing us and I know that what you see publicly is only ten percent
of the things that the Knights have been doing. We pray that this will continue
and God bless you all.”
The
Mass was followed by a reception and a question-and-answer session that
included Stephen Rasche, counsel to the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese in Erbil,
Iraq, Archbishop Blair and Bishop Soro, and Andrew Walther, vice president for
communications and strategic planning for the Knights of Columbus.
“Our
mission is to preserve the word and example of Christ in the Middle East, and
this we are committed to do, whatever the cost,” said Rasche. “In this, we are
grateful for the support and solidarity we have received from our brothers and
sisters in Connecticut and elsewhere.”
As
part of its advocacy on behalf of persecuted religious minorities in Iraq,
Syria and the surrounding region, the Knights led a major campaign urging the
U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of State to declare ISIS' terrorism an
act of genocide. To support the cause, it produced a nearly 300-page report on
ISIS' atrocities against Christians that was used by the department to support
its 2016 finding that a genocide was, indeed, taking place.
In
addition, the K. of C. has urged the U.S. government to ensure that communities
targeted for genocide not be overlooked in its aid programs and applauded Vice
President Mike Pence's announcement last fall that the Trump administration
would begin providing aid directly to religious minorities impacted by ISIS'
genocide.
About
the Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service
organization founded in 1882 to assist working class and immigrant Catholics in
the United States. Today, the K of C's nearly 2 million members and 15,000
councils (including 300 college councils) support a broad spectrum of
charitable causes locally, as well as internationally. In 2017, the Knights of
Columbus gave $177,500,673 to charity, and its members donated 75,112,694 hours
of volunteer time.
The
Knights of Columbus Insurance business allows the Order to continue to protect
the families of its members by offering life insurance, long-term care
insurance and annuity products. It has received an A+ (Superior) rating from
A.M. Best and currently has more than $60 billion of life insurance policies in
force.
To
learn more about the Knights of Columbus charitable initiatives, membership,
insurance and the legacy of its founder, Venerable Father Michael McGivney,
visit www.kofc.org.
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