Washington D.C., Feb 6, 2006 / 22:00 pm
The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops shared his concern about the Jan. 29 targeting of Christian churches in Baghdad and Kirkuk and the bombing near the Vatican Nunciature with the patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church.
“We are greatly saddened by the deaths and injuries of the innocent victims of these heinous acts,” said Bishop William Skylstad in a Feb. 2 letter to His Beatitude Emmanuel III Delly. The bishop assured the patriarch of the U.S. bishops’ continued solidarity and prayer for the people of Iraq.
“We condemn all of the violent attacks against innocent people in Iraq without regard to the religion or political identity of the victims,” Bishop Skylstad wrote on behalf of the U.S. bishop. “It is particularly reprehensible when terrorists attack religious communities at times of worship or religious events.
“This contempt for God and for human life must yield to genuine religious freedom and respect for the life and dignity of all. We hope that these recent attack are not a new sign of a pattern of attacks against Christians, who are not only an ancient presence within Iraqi society, but who are also essential participants in creating a truly democratic future for Iraq,” he stated.