Dear Confreres and friends,

All of us are very aware of the serious humanitarian crisis in Iraq. Not only must we pray for peace, and support international efforts to negotiate an end to the violence and war, but we are very aware of the needs of thousands of families who have been forced from their homes. As our confrere, Archbishop Bashar Warda, C.Ss.R., recounts in his letter, many tens of thousands are now refugees relying on the assistance of the Christian community of the Archdiocese of Erbil.

Again this week in his Angelus address, the Holy Father appeals to all people of good will not only to pray for peace, but also to offer concrete assistance to the suffering people of Iraq. Through Archbishop Bashar, we are offered the possibility of responding concretely to their needs. I encourage you to be as generous as you can in the face of this crisis so that the Archdiocese of Erbil and the whole Christian community can come to the aid of these refugee families. In their name, I thank you for your generosity.

May the God of peace and justice hear the cry of his people and respond through the efforts to restore peace to Iraq. May Mary, the mother of the oppressed and refugees, accompany these families. May God bless the Christian community reaching out to care for them in their hour of crisis.

Your brother in the Redeemer,

Michael Brehl, C.Ss.R.,

Superior General.

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As mentioned in the letter of Fr. General, Chaldean Archbishop of ERBIL, Bashar M. Warda C.Ss.R., has made an appeal to the Confreres and friends of our Congregation for financial assistance to support the Christians who have sought refuge in his archdiocese .The letter of appeal is given below.

The letter of the Archbishop Bashar M. Warda C.Ss.R.

Dear Confreres in Christ,

As you might know from the news media, the city of Mosul in the North of Irak, has been captured by fanatic militia, which persecuted the Christians, with the result that the Christian communities in Mosul, and the neighboring villages have been dispersed. Most of them have sought a refuge in our diocese, and more than thousand families from the Mosul area are now here in Ankawa, asking refuge and shelter. We are welcoming our brothers and sisters as good as we can. Many of our families are doubling up with relatives who have fled the violence. Additional displaced souls are in camps. These past few days the Kurdish Directorate of Immigration has been using Archdiocesan facilities to register applications for residence with in the Kurdish provinces.

Those communities still residing close to Mosul are expecting, within the coming weeks, additional threats to their safety as well. Shortages of water, food, and electricity aggravate the situation. Our struggle to meet the immediate needs of these most recent members of our refugee communities is going to be protracted.

I am approaching you, my brothers in the congregation, with a request for generous cash donations which will help us ease the suffering. Your gifts will allow us to provide food, housing supplies, things needed to allow more basic hygiene.

Many of us in the Archdiocese of Erbil arrived a few years ago. We have experienced what these most recently displaced families are going through now. As a Christian community we are suffering together, and we try to prepare for a long term. Whether those families emigrate or whether they remain in Iraq, our actual concern is their well-being, and we hope and pray for the stability and the Peace of Christ.

Those of us who choose to remain in Iraq do so because we love our homeland and believe that there is a future for us. Stability is essential to our survival, as is education and employment. All of us are striving to do our part to achieve a lasting peace, and life in a just, pluralistic society. Your charity will play a key role in allowing us to start again

Thank you for hearing my personal appeal.

In Christ the Redeemer,

Bashar M. WARDA CSsR

Chaldean Archbishop of ERBIL