In this undated photo Pope Benedict XVI meets with Chaldean Catholic archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, left, and Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon for Chaldeans of Iraq. The body of Rahho, kidnapped in Iraq last month, was found just outside the northern city where he was abducted. Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho was seized in Mosul and three of his companions were killed Feb. 29 when gunmen attacked them after they had celebrated the Stations of the Cross . (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)
Referencing the murder of Bishop Rahho in Iraq, Pope Benedict XVI delivered this greeting after Palm Sunday Mass to the thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square in Rome:
"At the end of this solemn celebration in which we have meditated on Christ's Passion, I would like to recall the late Chaldean archbishop of Mosul, Monsignor Paulos Faraj Rahho, who tragically died a few days ago. His beautiful witness of fidelity to Christ, to the Church and his people, whom he did not want to abandon despite numerous threats, moves me to cry out forcefully and with distress: Enough with the bloodshed, enough with the violence, enough with the hatred in Iraq! And at the same time I make an appeal to the Iraqi people, who for five years have endured the consequences of a war that has provoked upheaval in its civil and social life: Beloved Iraqi people, lift up your heads and let it be you yourselves who, in the first place, rebuild your national life! May reconciliation, forgiveness, justice and respect for the civil coexistence of tribes, ethnic groups and religious groups be the solid way to peace in the name of God!"
The Pope had already voiced his pain of Chaldean Bishop Rahho's death and a Chaldean bishop in the U.S. has laid the blame for Rahho's death at the doorstep of the administration of President George Bush.
A loyal reader writes:
ReplyDeleteConcord Pastor: I want you to know I am not being overly critical with my comments. I hope you accept the comments in the spirit they are intended.
Although I am sure it is difficult at times, I for one would ask that you please refrain from discussing any blatently political issues or making direct or inferred political statements on your blog.
I know this is your blog, and I enjoy reading it, and you can write whatever you want to write, but I, and I am sure others, visit here for spiritual guidance and thought, not a political debate.
The comment that seems unecessarily politically inflammatory is "..a Chaldean bishop in the U.S. has laid the blame for Rahho's death at the doorstep of the adminstration of President George Bush." I think this addendum was unnecessary and believe that the Pope's comments from his homily spoke for itself.
To be clear: I am not a supporter of the president myself.
Dear Concord Pastor,
ReplyDeleteI for one diasagree with the previous comment. I look forward to all different types of topics that I read and chose to comment on or not. I fing the blog to be very open, sometimes controversial, but always very interesting.
thanks for keeping it going.
Happy Holy Week.
My sense is that if we are truly to follow our Baptismal call and live as disciples of Jesus, we cannot help but be involved and to develop informed opinions about all things political. Jesus was very political in his own right. The way to inform ourselves so that we can develop opinions steeped in the peace and justice teachings of our church is to read/hear/view the issues from every position on the spectrum. I do not think Concord Pastor posts what he does to be controversial but to challenge us each to think deeply and pray steadfastly for all involved in every facet of politics; he invites us see and be aware of the the impact political views and decisions have on the WHOLE body of Christ. To be effective Catholic Christians I do not think we can divorce our faith from our politics.
ReplyDeleteConcordPastor is reporting a significant story that American Catholics should be aware of. I come here for "spiritual guidance" as well. The guided path can take many different directions, often ways that we would prefer not to explore. Perhaps this blog isn't the place to debate our favorite candidates but it certainly could and ought to be a place to debate what's happening in the world that effects how we live our lives as baptized Christians.
ReplyDeleteAnne
Not only the death of this bishop but the deaths of our soldiers, the Iraqi soldiers and the Iraqi civilians can be laid at the doorstep of President Bush. He has to live with his conscience for taking us into this preemptive war, which was completely unjustified. Thus far, he shows no remorse for his unwise decision. We can only pray that someday he will see what his arrogance has wrought.
ReplyDeleteI thought our church was one of forgiveness, not one in which we are taught to "lay blame".
ReplyDeleteI certainly take the first comment above in the spirit I believe it's given.
ReplyDeleteMany Catholic blogs become battle grounds where those on the left and right of issues have at each other, often generating far more heat than light. I have studiously tried to avoid letting this blog become like that.
The masthead on my blog indicates that I will comment on life and ministry in my parish, in the Roman Catholic Church and in the world around us. The kidnapping and death of Bishop Rahho certainly falls into those categories and the comments of the Pope and another Chaldean bishop are certainly the comments of recognized Church leadership, not folks on the political fringe.
I don't find their comments unnecessarily political or inflammatory - nor did I post or link to them to that end.
The Church is a political institution itself which engages, by virtue of its gospel mission, with the political world in which it lives: to do otherwise would be to ignore or even to abandon the work of God's reign.
Any reader knows that the thrust of this blog is spiritual, scriptural and liturgical - especially when the seasons of Church life call on us in special ways. That won't change here.
While I'll continue to make every effort to keep this a charitable and civil corner of the blogosphere, I will continue, on occasion, to post items of a political nature.
Anonymous wrote: "I thought our church was one of forgiveness, not one in which we are taught to "lay blame".
ReplyDeleteIn discerning what is just, the Church must often lay blame on those persons, institutions and structures responsible for injustice.
I can forgive the one I blame for injustice and I can blame the one I forgive. These two are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, sometimes true forgiveness can only be offered after blame has been fully assigned and the wrong confronted.
Is it wrong to blame those who abuse and do violence to innocent victims? Of course not. Are we called to forgive such perpetrators? Yes we are.
The Holy Father's closing words go right to the heart of so many conflicts in our world.
ReplyDelete"May reconciliation, forgiveness, justice and respect for the civil coexistence of tribes, ethnic groups and religious groups be the solid way to peace in the name of God!"
Thanks for this post and the helpful links.