“Today, the people of God must speak up for our brothers and sisters facing genocide in the Middle East,” urges Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “I urge every Catholic to sign the petition at www.stopthechristiangenocide.org. As a people of faith, we must convince the U.S. Department of State to include Christians in any formal declaration of genocide.”
Pope Francis and concerned people around the world have strongly called for the protection of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East. The State Department is expected to make a decision within days. A resolution, H. Con. Res. 75, passed the House of Representatives Monday on a 393 to 0 vote saying that “that those who commit or support atrocities against Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities, including Yezidis, Turkmen, Sabea-Mandeans, Kaka’e, and Kurds, and who target them specifically for ethnic or religious reasons, are committing “war crimes”, “crimes against humanity”, and “genocide.”
“With each passing day, the roll of modern martyrs grows. While we rejoice in their ultimate victory over death through the power of Jesus’ love, we must also help our fellow Christians carry the Cross of persecution and, as much as possible, help relieve their suffering. By doing so, the Middle East and the world will be made safer for people of every faith to live in peace,” said Archbishop Kurtz.
Please, make sure your name is added to the witness. The very future of the ancient Christian presence in the Middle East is at stake.
To learn more…
Pope: There Are More Christian Martyrs Today than Ever