US bishops ask parishes to pray for Iraq on August 17

The Deacon's Bench ^ | August 7, 2014 | Deacon Greg Kandra

[NYer]

This release just arrived in my in box:

The chairman of the Committee of International Justice and Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) asked the U.S. bishops to invite the people of their dioceses to pray for peace in Iraq on Sunday, August 17. Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, made the request, August 6, sending the bishops the text of a prayer written by the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Iraq, His Beatitude Louis Rafael Sako.

Bishop Pates recounted the struggles of Christians and others in Iraq who have faced the destruction, burning and looting of churches, homes and businesses and, under threat of the Islamic State (ISIS) to join their extremist brand of Islam, have fled for their lives. Accordingly, he urged Catholics to let their elected representatives know of their concern that humanitarian assistance reach Christian and other religious minorities who are suffering in Iraq, Syria and other countries.

Bishop Pates also noted Pope Francis’ calls for peace in Iraq and his observation that “violence generates more violence; dialogue is the only path to peace.”

The full text of Patriarch Sako’s prayer for peace follows:

Lord,
The plight of our country
is deep and the suffering of Christians
is severe and frightening.
Therefore, we ask you Lord
to spare our lives, and to grant us patience,
and courage to continue our witness of Christian values
with trust and hope.
Lord, peace is the foundation of life;
Grant us the peace and stability that will enable us
to live with each other without fear and anxiety,
and with dignity and joy.

Glory be to you forever.

[Biggirl]

We NEED to pray for the CONVERSION of ALL to CHRIST!

[Biggirl]

Thank-you and God Bless!

[Biggirl]

Would it SURPRISE you that even St. John Paul II pleaded with then President George W. Bush NOT to go into Iraq to have removed Saddam Hussein, because although he was a horrible dictator, he left the Christians and other relgious minorities ALONE ?

[ebb tide]

I repeat:

May St. John the Baptist protect Islam...

Pope St. John Paul II

[ebb tide]

“Conversion to Christ”? By that do you mean conversion to Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church or are you into “the unity in diversity” ecumenical B.S.?

[Biggirl]

Did you not read post number 23?

[Biggirl]

” One Lord, one faith, one baptism “ as explained by St. Paul.

[ebb tide]

Do you believe in the dogma, “Outside the (Catholic) Church there is no salvation”?

P.S. Catholics” who deny any Church dogma are heretics.

[Biggirl]

I stand FIRM on post number 19.

[ebb tide]

What part of “one faith” do you not understand?

[Biggirl]

CHRISTIAN first, then Roman Catholic because of our common baptism.

[Biggirl]

You are starting to ACT like a TROLL. Do not post to me ever again PLEASE. Thank-you.

[ebb tide]

Sounds like something a heretic would say.

[Biggirl]

Told you to NEVER post to me again.

I am a Christian and a Catholic, thanks be to God.

[Biggirl]

That is why I call myself a Christian Roman Catholic.

[grania]

I would advocate that all civilized nations in the world put aside our differences and “dialog” with ISIS the same way they've dialoged their way in Syria and Iraq.

[Biggirl]

Which is like saying dialog with the nazis and were it got us!

[grania]

I don't think the world is in a place where everyone could convert to Christ. But I believe that everyone should accept the values which Christ bestows on mankind. Would you want all people to actually convert to Christianity?

I also think that if people accept and live those values they will gravitate to a Christian enviornment to share their religious values.

[grania]

You misunderstanding me. ISIS is incomprehensibly evil. By using “their methods of dialog” I mean blow this group of genocidal monsters off the face of the planet.

[ebb tide]

That’s not what I’d call you.