Kerala Church grieves for dead in Bagdad church attack

(Nov. 02,2010) Christians in southern India’s Kerala State, who have close ties with the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq, have strongly condemned the massacre of Baghdad faithful. “My heart is burning with pain and grief,” said Syro-Malabar Church, SMC spokesperson Fr. Paul Thelakat. “Our brothers in faith have lost their country and have become the hunted in their own land,” the priest added.
SMC is one of the two Oriental Catholic rites in India with liturgical patrimony from the Chaldean Catholic Church. Two priests and 56 Christians died on Sunday (Oct. 31) in a raid by security forces on Our Lady of Salvation Church, one of Baghdad’s largest, as they tried to free more than 100 Iraqi Catholics captured by Al-Qaeda-linked gunmen. Fr. Thelakat urged everyone to work hard to eradicate the curse of terrorism to make the world a safe place for humans. The Syro-Malabar priest also blamed the United States for the present situation in Iraq. “They have to take full responsibility for this,” he said.
Two Christian advocacy groups in Britain have also joined in the widespread condemnation of the attack. “Our prayers of comfort and solidarity are with the bereaved and Christians across Iraq,” said Andrew Johnston, advocacy director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide. “Our heart goes out to the persecuted Christians following this latest tragedy,” added Neville Kyrke-Smith, national director of the charity Aid to the Church in Need in London.
Vatican .