Iraqi Christians Ask for Our Prayers

The American Forces and its allies will be pulling out from Iraq this year leaving the war-torn country desolate with continuous threats of violence from warring faction often Christians caught in between.

Let us pay heed attention to the request of Archbishop Louis Sako, the Archbishop of Kirkuk, offering our prayers and sacrifices for them.

I wish to urge also our peace-loving Muslim brethren to add their voices to spare Christians from sectarian violence in the region. This is the right time for them to show true solidarity with the Catholic Church in its desire to promote peace and tolerance between our religions.

Iraqi archbishop warns minorities could be 'scapegoats' after US withdrawal

Rome, Italy, Aug 26, 2010 / 07:31 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Civil war could be on the horizon in Iraq, according to a high-ranking Catholic prelate in the country. Minorities, including Christians, would suffer most if that were the case, Archbishop of Kirkuk Louis Sako told SIR news on Thursday.

Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk, Iraq (Source: CNA)

As President Barack Obama brings the number of American troops in the Middle Eastern nation down to 50,000 by next Monday, Archbishop Sako told the Italian bishops' news agency that the future looks grim for the country's minorities.

"The war of 2003 turned Iraq upside down," said the archbishop, referring specifically to the nation's army, security, economy and national unity. He also lamented that the country has become polluted, corrupt and "intellectually impoverished" in recent years, the latter due to the loss of teachers who have been killed or fled the violence.

While granting that there is generally greater liberty in the country, he said that the movement towards democracy is "slow" due to the long-term plans of the U.S. government.

"It seems to me that the U.S. may have never wanted to resolve the problems of Iraq (by) fostering and protecting the formation of a strong government," he noted, adding that the pressure being exerted on the local government by neighboring nations is "worrying."

And with the U.S. withdrawal, he told SIR, "Iraqi fear of a civil war that could bring ethnic and religious division to the country is increasing."

He predicted that Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish factions would each be able to gather an army, while leaving the minorities as "the scapegoats of this situation."