(November 16, 2010) Prompted by the rash of violent attacks on Iraqi Christians,
the bishops of the United States are reminding President Barack Obama of the country's
moral obligation "not to abandon those Iraqis who cannot defend themselves." Cardinal
Francis George, archbishop of Chicago and president of the United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops, sent a letter last week to the U.S. president, in which he referred
to the Oct. 31 attack on Baghdad's Syriac Catholic Cathedral, which left 58 dead and
75 wounded, as well as other violent outbreaks in the city. On Monday the letter gained
the support of the entire US bishops' conference, who are meeting this week for their
fall assembly. Cardinal George said that "seven years have passed and Christianity
is still bleeding." "Where is the world conscience?" he asked. While Cardinal George
commended the U.S. troops for their brave service, and expressed approval for the
end of combat in Iraq, he said that the United States has failed to protect the Iraqi
people and has a moral obligation to assist displaced and defenseless Iraqi's. "Having
invaded Iraq," Cardinal George wrote, "our nation has a moral obligation not to abandon
those Iraqis who cannot defend themselves." Earlier on Friday a Rome hospital as
accepted 26 injured survivors of the Oct. 31 massacre in Baghdad's Syriac Catholic
Cathedral. The wounded including 16 women, three children and seven men were admitted
to Gemelli Polyclinic. They were flown in from Baghdad together with 21 relatives.
The Rome hospitalization was organized by the Italian foreign affairs ministry in
collaboration with the polyclinic, following a special request from Vatican Secretary
of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The Holy Father on Friday expressed his gratitude
to the Italian government for the gesture when foreign affairs minister Franco Frattini
led a delegation of Italian ski instructors for an audience with him.