The establishment of security in Iraq is uppermost in the minds of local Iraqi Chaldean Catholics who hope and pray for peace in their native country. The ongoing threat of kidnappings since sovereignty was handed over by the U.S. Coalition Provisional Authority continues to raise concerns about the welfare of Christians in the predominately Muslim country.
"The majority of my parishioners are concerned about security," said Father Noel Gorgis, pastor of St. Paul Church (Assyrian Chaldean) in North Hollywood. Recent arson fires of Christian-owned liquor stores in the cities of Baghdad and Bakoba have added to the anxiety felt by Iraqi Christians.
"Now it is more difficult for Christians in the south due to radical Muslims who think Christians are loyal to the West," explained Father Gorgis, 38, who immigrated to the U.S. in his late 20s after spending time in a refuge camp in Van, Turkey.
Another source of concern is the dearth of Christian representation in the new Iraqi government. According to the Father Gorgis, only one Christian is among the 30 new government officials recently chosen in Iraq. Also, no Christians are represented among the 47 Iraqi Ambassadors.
While "a good number of Christians" in Iraq would like to leave, said Father Gorgis, the church doesn't encourage immigration right now because of difficult conditions endured by Iraqis currently living in refuge camps in neighboring countries. Also, there is the concern that massive Christian immigration would further reduce the Christian presence in the region first evangelized by St. Thomas (the "doubting apostle") who brought Christianity to Mesopotamia (the ancient name of Iraq) around 35 A.D.
"We hope and pray for a better situation in Iraq," said Father Gorgis.
St. Paul Church parishioner and parish council member, Peter Zarah, 65, who spent 45 days in jail under Saddam Hussein before eventually immigrating to the U.S. in 1979 at age 42, said he thinks the current situation will improve in Iraq. "All they need is a chance," said Zarah.
"I appreciate the efforts of the Americans over there," Zarah declared. "It's not easy in Iraq right now, but it has to be better than before. It just takes time."
Father Michael Bazzi, 66, pastor of St. Peter Chaldean Cathedral in San Diego, said church officials are concerned that the new Iraqi government did not identify Chaldeans as one of the official minorities in Iraq. Numbering 600,000 people, Chaldeans are descendents from ancient Babylonian civilizations that rose from the indigenous people of Mesopotamia.
"It's the worst thing that can happen because there's no Chaldean representation in the government," said Father Bazzi. Traditionally, the Chaldeans were spokespersons for the Iraqi Christian community, which also includes close to 20,000 Assyrians, noted the priest. According to Father Bazzi, the Chaldeans in Iraq, led by eight bishops and the Patriarch of Babylon, are lobbying to regain schools that had been confiscated under Hussein's rule.
"We pray that America will understand the situation of the Christians in Iraq. They shouldn't be second class citizens," said Father Bazzi.
St. Peter Chaldean Cathedral parishioner, Wason Jarbo, 44, said she feels the U.S. administration needs to work with other countries to help increase security in Iraq. The 14-year church member, whose sister's family of five children lives in a predominately Muslim neighborhood in the center of Baghdad, characterized the current situation in Iraq as "a big mess."
Confined to their home for months due to fears of war-related injury and post-war abductions, Jarbo's relatives currently experience power and water outages on a daily basis. While the children have just returned to their neighborhood school, life is a constant challenge compounded by shrinking family income due to the father's out-of-work status. Fear of kidnappings keeps many from work and the marketplace where Christians are easily singled out because they don't wear traditional Muslim head coverings.
"Right now, their hope gets slimmer," said Jarbo. |