Pope Urges Protection for Iraqi Christians

[onehandle]

Source: AP

Pope Francis is calling for world governments to take measures to protect Christians driven from their villages in northern Iraq and provide them with humanitarian aid.

The pope's second appeal in as many weeks came Thursday as Iraqi militants from the Islamic State group overran a cluster of predominantly Christian villages alongside the country's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, sending tens of thousands of civilians and Kurdish fighters fleeing.

In a statement, Francis appealed to the international community to "put an end to the humanitarian drama underway, adopt measures to protect those who are threatened by violence and assure them necessary aid, especially urgent for those who are homeless and depend on the solidarity of others."

Now-emptied Christian communities in the region date from the first centuries of Christianity.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/pope-urges-protection-iraqi-christians-24876111

[dballance]

1. How about the Pope coming out for Palestinians?

Last I looked there are hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have been displaced or outright bombed out of their homes, schools, and hospitals.

Maybe the Pope should request a little humanity for them. I'm pretty sure that would be the "Christian" thing to do.

[onehandle]

2. Pope Francis Calls Israel And Palestine Presidents In Plea For Gaza Ceasefire

Pope Francis personally telephoned the leaders of Palestine and Israel, President Mahmoud Abbas and President Shimon Peres, on Friday in order to express his "very grave concerns" about the Gaza conflict, which escalated on Thursday when Israel launched a ground invasion.

The pope called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and emphasized to both leaders the need "to bring an end to hostilities, making efforts to promote a truce, peace and reconciliation in the hearts of those involved," according to a statement from the Vatican.

The pope is actively working towards peace in the Middle East, hosting Abbas and Peres at the Vatican in June for a prayer summit. "Peacemaking calls for courage, much more so than warfare," he said. "It calls for the courage to say yes to encounter and no to conflict."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/18/pope-francis-israel-palestine-gaza-ceasefire_n_5599268.html

[SnakeEyes]

3. He has

And he's speaking out about the larger crisis that exists in Iraq

[roguevalley]

4. he has been activist with both issues.

[Delphinus]

5. Glad to hear that.

Now, if only folks would listen.

May we all know peace.

[Baclava]

6. The Pope is sending one of his top archangels to northern Iraq

We got us a Holy War!