Bishop Bashar Warda ordained in Erbil, Northern Iraq

[5Loaves]

After almost five years without a bishop, the Chaldean priests and faithful of Erbil, Northern Iraq, are celebrating the ordination of Bishop Bashar Warda!

Axios, Axios, Axios!

May God grant Bishop Bashar Warda many years in His service.

Joan Lewis is back in Iraq for this ordination and covering it on her blog today July 7, and yesterday, July 6. I heard her this morning, July 7, on Catholic Connections Live. That program should be archived at that link in the next day or two I imagine.

Joan visited Iraq for the first time back in Feb. 2010 in response to a letter from the Bishops there asking western reporters to come see the terrible situation for Christians there. There is, as we know, almost never anything about the situation of Eastern and Oriental Catholics, and Orthodox, in their homelands. Joan’s coverage is one voice in that silence. Via EWTN she is broadcast worldwise on radio and television. I hope people will thank her for traveling there and providing this coverage. She has already a great love for the people there she has come to know and she wants to share their story effectively.

On the radio she mentioned visiting an Orthodox monastery in the mountains. She also mentioned that she offered to return for a month long stay when she could teach English and would study Arabic

Thanks be to God that the Chaldean clergy asked her to go to Iraq, and she, at great personal risk, gladly went and now has returned there. I do believe she is in a position to bring to the attention of many Latin/Roman Catholics the situation of Christians in Iraq. Latin Catholics mostly don’t know about the Chaldean Church and about Oriental Christians and Orthodox in Iraq, what few are left there. From my experience with Russian Catholics and Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox I can say they also have no idea what is going on with Christians in Iraq, and other deeply troubled areas. In this we can still be very “ethnic”, concerned about the plight in our own lands of origin… LORD save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.

May God keep Joan safe in her travels in Iraq and returning now to Roma.

 

[Chaldean_Rite]

Praise be to God!

 

[Shiranui117]

Many blessings upon him! It also disappoints me how many (okay, everyone) in my family think that Arab=Muslim. More should be done to recognize the rich liturgical, theological and spiritual heritage of Christians in the Middle East! And more people should recognize that these brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus are suffering and badly need more recognition and support.

 

[malphono]

Many blessings upon him! It also disappoints me how many (okay, everyone) in my family think that Arab=Muslim.

Well, if it’s any consolation, the Assyrian people are not Arabs. Nor, for that matter, are most of the faithful of all the Syriac Churches (both Eastern and Western).

 

[Shiranui117]

Thank you for that information.

 

[5Loaves]

The blog of this trip to Iraq actually began with her July 2 blog which I didn’t realize when I posted my original post. I see the interview on Catholic Connection - Archive July 7 is also available now. In my browser I see no minute indicator. If I slide the slider to just under Teresa’s left wrist that is where the interview with Joan in Iraq begins.

Has anyone seen any other photos of this ordination?

I was also very touched by Joan’s story of and photos of the four Daughters of Mary taking their perpetual vows. God grant them many years! I have been blest to be at diaconal, priestly and Episcopal ordinations and profession of first vows for brothers but never at perpetual vows to religious life. Sadly not many of those happening around here (Latin Church, No. CA) these days…
I *think *I recognize two of these Sisters (the one on the left and one on the right) from my visit to the Cathedral two years ago, but I could be wrong.

 

[5Loaves]

Joan Lewis has added a number of wonderful photos of both the Ordination of Bishop Bashar Warda, before, during and after , and the perpetual vows ceremony for the Daughters of Mary Immaculate which I mentioned previously.
Blogs for July 2, 6, 9, 12, 13, 14 have photos from Iraq. Some of these days you need to scroll down to get to the right section.

Joan was again on Catholic Connection today July 14. She speaks of her experience in general with Iraqi Christians in that first section. (Again, I see no minute indicator. If I slide the slider to just under Teresa’s left wrist that is where the interview with Joan in Iraq begins.)

In the second part of this interview (move the slider to under the word “home”) Joan speaks of being asked to present to the Institute of World Politics after her first trip to Iraq. Katherine Cornell Gorka Executive Director, Westminster Institute heard a recording of this unscripted 45 minutes presentation Joan gave on Iraqi Christians. Katherine brought the concerns she heard back to her director. He had the Institute provide funds for Iraqi clergy to come to Washington. As a result Iraqi Chaldean clergy are in DC this week where they are meeting with State Dept, USCCB, Congress, US commission for Religious Freedom and others. Thanks be to God.

Please check out these blog entries and the wonderful photos she’s posted there and take a few minutes to listen to these two segments on the Catholic Connection radio program especially the second part of the interview there.

This program potentially reaches millions of Latin Catholics, and it’s evident from other shows there are many non-Catholics listening to Catholic Radio who may here these messages about the Chaldeans in Iraq.

Additionally listen here at Vatican Insider with Joan Lewis (fast forward to minute 10:13)
151. 6/12/2010

This week Joan interviews now Bishop Bashar Warda of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. He received his episcopal ordination last Saturday and was installed as Erbil’s bishop on Sunday, July 4. He is no stranger to Vatican Insider. He was last interviewed when he was rector of St. Peter’s Seminary. You won’t want to miss this very special program.

If anyone else knows of sites with other photos of Bishop Bashar’s ordination please post those.