LONDON - 10 March 2008 - 120 words
Iraq five years on - call for remembrance, prayer and action
March 20 marks the fifth anniversary of
the war with Iraq - a war which has cost tens of thousands of
lives, displaced millions and brought fear and destruction to
all communities. In recent months, Christians will also be aware
that the minority Christian community has borne its own share
of this violence. The destruction of churches, the targeting of
church personnel leading last week to the kidnap of Chaldean Archbishop
Rahho of Mosul.
The Pax Christi and Fellowship of Reconciliation are calling on
Christians throughout the country to make 19 March, the eve of
the start of the war, a day of remembrance, repentance and prayer
for the people of Iraq and the role that our nation has played
in this war.
In London there will be a vigil at Downing Street between 5.00
- 6.30 pm on Wednesday 19th. During the vigil prayers will be
shared and names of the dead will be read out in public. This
will include the names of Iraq people as well as of US and UK
military personnel who have been killed in this war. A number
of similar public vigils will be held around the country, including
Oxford, Coventry, North London and Kent and there will be times
of prayer and reflection taking place as part of church- community
commemorations on the same day.
Pat Gaffney of Pax Christi said: " The vigil takes place
in Holy Week when we remember Jesus' path to the Cross - the betrayal,
the torture, the abandonment - and so too we remember the people
of Iraq and the years of suffering they have experienced through
wars, sanctions and now occupation. We will be urging our Government
to make reparation for the destruction we have caused and calling
on all people of good will to join efforts to being stability
and peace to Iraq."
For more information go to: http://www.paxchristi.org.uk/events.HTML
© Independent Catholic News 2008
Contact Independent
Catholic News tel/fax:
+44 (0)20 7267 3616 or email
Chaplain • Latest news • Archive • Listings • Pictures •