Oddly enough, he didn’t say anything about the “dialogue” upon which his brother bishops in the West are staking the future of the Church and its people. Archbishop Yohanna Mouche has been forced by the rush of events to take a more sober, realistic view, and drop the politically correct fantasies that his brother bishops are using to stifle discussion of just what has happened to the Christians of Mosul and the surrounding areas.
“Mosul prelate calls for liberation of city, Nineveh Plain–or mass asylum in the West,” by John Pontifex, Aid to the Church in Need, June 13, 2015:
NEW YORK (June 11, 2015)—A leading Iraqi prelate has called on world governments to increase their efforts to defeat ISIS and restore land and property to some 120,000 exiled Iraqi Christians.
Marking the first anniversary of ISIS’s capture of Mosul, Syrian Catholic Archbishop Yohanna Mouche called on “people who have the responsibility” to come to the rescue of the ousted Christian communities, whose people, he added, long to go home.
In an interview with international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, the archbishop said that military action is the “best solution.” “We ask everyone to put pressure on the people who have the responsibility to free the [towns and villages] as soon as possible so the people can come back and live in peace in their homes and continue their lives there,” he said.
The archbishop’s comments reflect ongoing frustration felt by a number of senior Middle East clergy about what they perceive as the West’s reluctance to commit to a full-scale intervention to confront and overcome extremism in the region—a move many Church leaders opposed until very recently.
Archbishop Mouche also said that if the West is unable to redouble its efforts in the fight against ISIS, it should open its doors to Christians and other minorities seeking asylum.
“I am calling on the international community: if they cannot protect us, then they must open their doors and help us start a new life elsewhere,” he said, adding, however that “we would prefer to remain in Iraq and be protected here.”
Speaking of his own hardship, the prelate said: “I am like someone who is dreaming or drunk. I can’t understand what is going on around me. It is a nightmare.”
Asked about widespread reports of destruction of religious artefacts and Churches buildings in Mosul, he said his contacts with the city had been severed. But he confirmed that “all our heritage is in Mosul, and in Qaraqosh,” on the Nineveh Plain. He singled out the monastery of St Behnam, which dates back to the fourth century AD. The monastery is rumored to have been partially destroyed by ISIS.
“We have no news about our churches and monasteries, because we have no-one left in Mosul to report on it,” the archbishop concluded.
JamesonRocks says
“Speaking of his own hardship, the prelate said: ‘I am like someone who is dreaming or drunk. I can’t understand what is going on around me. It is a nightmare.'”
Hmmm… Perhaps Bishop 90 Proof of Worcester, Massachusetts, will set him straight. A little dialogue and some COEXIST bumper stickers should do the trick…
Westman says
Here are a few appropriate bumper stickers and a cartoon for Bishop 90 proof:
http://thumbs1.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mWlTsWSXhvhstH6KcFrt_Sw.jpg
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2012/09/25/bumper-sticker-of-the-day-385/
http://ponderingprinciples.com/2012/01/
jewdog says
His advice is good. The only way to end the jihad and its resulting Islamic oppression is to take land back permanently. What the Christians should be doing is planning the retaking of those lands that have been taken from them over the centuries. The Muslim countries are in disarray, while the Christian countries are much more stable, prosperous and strong. Too bad that the West has lost faith in itself to such an extent that in all probability it will not act decisively.
Alex says
Good point. It’s sad to think that the region that is now represented by Lebanon & Syria was once a Christian region (under the Byzantine). Muslim savages had to come enforce their sharia on the native people of the region, which is pretty sad.
nicu says
Muslim INVASION wanted by our Western governments make a whole continent unstable – so they reach their goal !
Almost NO Christian comes to Western Christian countries !
Shame on our governments and the good – doers !!!
Georg says
“Oddly enough, he didn’t say anything about the “dialogue” upon which his brother bishops in the West are staking the future of the Church and its people.” Ah, champagne neoliberalism confronted by reality. His neck, a theory to Westerners, is a reality to him, and so he does what they will not: Behave in a pragmatic manner. I’ll bet our Saudi allies are broken up about the dissolution of Mosul Christendom.
Angemon says
Unless you’re all MMOMA (muslim males of military age) drifting in the Mediterranean sea on your way to Europe, I wouldn’t count on that…
Edgar Allen says
Now, the tolerant and compassionate “progressive” media, as well as our idealistic youth on college campuses, are going to carry the torch for the poor and persecuted. The rallying cry will be:
” ALL CHRISTIAN LIVES MATTER”
” IF WE CAN’T SAVE THEM, BRING THEM”
I can hardly wait. I just know their compassionate conscience will kick in any minute now.
Paul says
Talking of helping Christians in that part of the world gain asylum
in the West, I’d just like to take the opportunity to bring the following
link to everybody’s attention again. We can all play our part in
helping them in their darkest hour :
https://barnabasfund.org/appeals/Operation-Safe-Havens-Rescuing-Christians-in-Danger
Paul says
“gaining”
mortimer says
“How many divisions does the Vatican have?” asked Stalin.
Pope Francis needs to talk to politicians to motivate an international military response.
The Assyrian people are being sacrificed again on the altar of political convenience or inconvenience.
Thomas Hennigan says
The days when Popes organized cruzades and in the process helped save Western civilization from Islamic babaity are long gone. Now they are into dialogue and peace. However, the traditonal Church teaching of the Just War still stands. The Chuuch is afraid of promoting just wars as there is always the danger that they may begin just and end up badly.
Jerome says
It’s certainly unfortunate to have a leftist pope that seems to follow U.N. and current P.O.T.U.S. protocol.
EYESOPEN says
Concur.
Januk36 says
The desinterest in the fate of middle eastern christians is reflected by the low number of comments. Even on JW.
duh_swami says
It’s the ‘it’s over there, not over here’ syndrome…Gays also know what is going on over there to gays, but if it is not going on over here, it doesn’t interest them too much. With both Christians and gays, there is not the same kind of connections with those people over there, like Mahoundians have with the ummah.
With Islam, it’s all for one, one for all, with the west it’s more like it’s all for me…It’s not that they don’t care, they do, but there is no bonding between those over there and those over here, unless they know someone personally. It’s common to feel differently about the tragedy of a relative or friend than a stranger…
DP111 says
Granting asylum to Christians because of Islamic persecution will not take place, as it will show that Islam is NOT the Religion of Peace – which goes against all the beliefs of the multiculti equality pronciples of the Western polity.
Guest says
First, keep Islam out of our western countries. Grant asylum to Christians and other persecuted minorities. Second, begin push back against Islam in former Christian countries. How to do this? Spreading information about Islam is the primary means. Sane people will recoil IF they understand Islam.