Iraqi archbishop affirms mission to bring hope

(January 29, 2010) The new Iraqi archbishop of Mosul of the Chaldeans is underlining his mission to bring hope to the persecuted and suffering Christians in his region. Archbishop Emil Shimoun Nona stated this to the charity, Aid to the Church in Need shortly after his Jan. 22 installation as head of Mosul Archdiocese, which took place two weeks after his episcopal ordination. "My new mission is to provide hope and confidence to the Christians in Mosul, making them aware of the presence of a father and a minister beside them in their present plight," the 42-year old prelate said. Christians in the country are currently undergoing another wave of violence, which has included 10 murders in the last two months, kidnappings, car bombs and attacks on churches. Archbishop Nona expressed concern that the Chaldean Catholic community in Mosul has decreased by two-thirds since anti-Christian violence began in 2003, and now they number only around 5,000 people. Warning that this decline may force Mosul Christians into obscurity, he said they need to lobby with the influential countries so as to exert pressure on the conflicting political powers in Iraq not to use Christians to gain some political benefits. He appealed that Christians be left in peace, kept out of the political struggles.