Catholics Killed at Mass in Iraq: Extremist Muslims invade Church, Murder Priests

By Deacon Keith Fournier
11/2/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

We urge the global readers of Catholic Online to pray for the dead, pray for their families, pray for the wounded and pray for - and stand in solidarity with - our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq.

One report concerning the state of the Church after the security forces stormed in to attempt to rescue the Christians is particularly horrifying. It came from a police officer, "It's a horrible scene. More than 50 people were killed. The suicide vests were filled with ball bearings to kill as many people as possible. You can see human flesh everywhere. Flesh was stuck to the top roof of the hall. Many people went to the hospitals without legs and hands." It is time for an international outcry of Catholics and other Christians. We must stand with our Christian brothers and sisters.

Our Lady of Salvation Church before it was besieged by Muslim Extremists

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BAGHDAD, Iraq (Catholic Online) - They gathered in Our Lady of Salvation Catholic Church for an evening Mass. They are members of an increasingly besieged and forgotten minority in Iraq, Catholic Christians. Their herosm and love for the Lord has inspired them to continue to practice the ancient faith in the midst of what is a steadily deteriorating situation for them in this land they have called home for centuries.

Our Lady of Salvation Church is no stranger to violence. Churches have been bombed before in Iraq, including Our Lady of Salvation. The Christian faithful have had to contend with an increasingly hostile culture. However, never before have they experienced the horror of what happened this past Sunday when terrorists invaded a Church as the Holy Mass was set to begin, killed the priest and held the worshippers hostage for four hours. It ended with at least 52 dead, others injured, and our brothers and sisters in Iraq devastated.

Reports confirm that 120 of the faithful had gathered to hear the Gospel proclaimed, participate in the Liturgy, and receive the Holy Eucharist. There were women, men and children. One eyewitness who had been inside the Church when the terrorists entered the sanctuary told European news sources that the armed terrorists "came into the prayer hall and immediately killed the priest". Out of fear the witness would not identify himself. However, he also attested to the brutality of the terrorists. He indicated that they beat the worshippers and then herded them into an inner hall.

Late Sunday evening a statement was posted on a militant site claiming responsibility for the evil attack. The group called itself the "Islamic State of Iraq". If this is the responsible group, sources affirm that it is linked to Al-Qaida in Iraq. The writers of the posting threatened to "Exterminate Iraqi Christians" if two Muslim women were not freed. The women referenced by the extremists are the subject of two very different claims.

Muslim Extremists claim the two women were Muslim converts. Christians maintain they were Christians kidnapped by Muslims. Reports indicate that the women in question have already been found by the police. They have denied any conversion to Islam and are in hiding. However, the Muslim militants demand the release of the women and declared in the message "We direct our speech to the Vatican and say that as you met with Christians of the Mideast a few days ago to support them and back them, now you have to pressure them to release our sisters, otherwise death will reach you all."

An Iraqi man whose wife was inside the Church and escaped harm told reporters he believed this act of terror was just the beginning of a new wave of violence against Christians in Iraq, "I expect the coming attacks will be worse in the future since the government is doing nothing to protect us. We are peaceful people and never harmed any of our fellow countrymen, so we do not understand the reasons behind such evil attacks.Many Christians now believe that they do not have any hope in Iraq and the best thing to survive is to seek another country to live in."

The Muslim extremists held the 120 Christians in their Church for four hours. The Church was finally stormed by Iraqi security forces. When the entire horrid affair was over, at least 52 people were dead and many others severely wounded. Once again, as can be expected, there are conflicting reports concerning just how the deaths occurred, whether at the hands of the terrorists, or in the rescue operation.

The Iraqi minister of defense, Abdul-Kader Jassem al-Obeidi, told sources that the hostages were killed or wounded by the Muslim terrorists who had set off suicide vests in the sanctuary. He said "This was a successful operation with a minimum of casualties, and killing all the terrorists." Another government official indicated the police arrested eight of the terrorists and confirmed they were associated with the "Islamic State of Iraq" affiliated with a terrorist group which calls itself "Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia".

The Iraqi force who attempted to rescue the Christians from the Muslim terrorists is an anti-terrorist unit referred to as "The Golden Force". Reports indicate that after four hours they "swarmed the church by helicopter and sent in grenades and smoke grenades, but were rebuffed by the terrorists.." So, they then stormed the Church from the ground.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Iraq, Al-Qaida, Catholics, Muslims, extremists, militants, Anti-Catholics, Jihadis

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1 - 10 of 55 Comments

Steve
2 years ago
WE must pray for all of those who lost their lives,as we must pray for the strength of those who remain there living their faith.
O'Connor
2 years ago
Wow. I see this and I can't help but think what the Lord would have me do in this situation? Would he have me turn a blind eye, or my left cheek?

What is the difference between revenge and avenge? Is there none? All that I can say is that we settle our differences and join together in song - let's bring peace upon all. Even those that we do not think deserve it.

As for some of the comments I see... It is time for the blame game to stop. Let us not be as simple minded, and think more in terms of what it would mean to be on good terms with all our friends and enemies. You can not put out a fire by blowing heat onto it.
Paul
2 years ago
May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. may perpectual light shine upon them. In God through Christ Jesus evil be crush and destroy for who ever has done this barbaric act shall be destroy in Hell.God will prevail above all.In Jesus Mighty Name we Pray Amen.
marytee
2 years ago
vance said, in part,: "The ant-American Liberal Left are cheering and dancing in their livingrooms. Al Qaeda is their blood brothers. They want us to be tolerant of them?"

Really? I find your comment ridiculous and revolting.
Michael Hemet
2 years ago
Am I missing something here, where is the out cry from our Christian President? II have not heard one world condeming this atrocity from Washington. We must remember Islamic extremist do not represent Islam, any more than the KKK did not represent Christianity. I did not hear about people dancing in the streets of Latin America celebrating the killing of innocent people? An out cry from all catholics is need, but our prayers are need even more.
Anne
2 years ago
The killing of innocent people should never be celebrated by anyone for any reason - No excuses.
Muslims in the US are suing Oklahoma since citizens passed a State Constitutional amendment that - - - judges may not use international law or Sharia law in making their decisions.
tom alflen
2 years ago
I hope you all won't mind another comment. We (the whole human race) never seem to learn from our past, from our mistakes, from our sinfulness or even from our Savior who actually walked and taught among us!!! and of course, He knew this, which is why He made such a "GENIUS" plan through His only Son.
How many of us are really doing our "homework" and seeking the Truth? It's not much different from an alchoholic who needs to look in the mirror and take-hold of his life and change it!. After Christs' resurection, all humans born into the world, are born into Christs' Family. We're welcomed into His One, Holy, Catholic & Apostolic Church Family. Whether we choose to accept that fact and live as such, is a whole nother matter. Obviously, most of us don't. If you don't like what you're reading, get mad at Christ. He's the Teacher. I'm just trying to pay attention and change my ways. So, I've got my hands full just with me. I know it's easy for us to sit in the comfort of our living rooms and listen to someone like our president lie to us in so many ways, and to believe so many of such lies. We should be more careful of believing people who sound good, who say things and make promises, but don't adhere to them. Aren't the ACTIONS of man what we should watch more closely? We are called to be like Christ, but yes we have the right & the responsibility to defend ourselves against such people as these terrorists who are killing and wounding innocent people, yes we should be tolerant to other faiths, but NO, we are not to turn the other cheek in a way that simply ignores and impowers such violence. We need to DO OUR HOMEWORK folks! Read Holy Scripture, Pray often, attend the Holy Mass, be active in your faith, be all the things that Christ asks us to be. ".. go out and make deciples of all Nations". But most of all, Trust in Him. Then, Good will come from all these evil actions of man.
May God bless and guide us all and keep us in the palm of His hand.
Catherine McEntee
2 years ago
These radical elements are imbedded in Iraqi Society and must be eliminated by any means. They are killing innocent Iraqi people, as well as, promoting hatred by advocating spritual jihad, which is an oxymoron if ever there was one. How do you justify killing people in their house or mosque of worship.

There have always been radical elements in every faith because they use religion to try and justify their horrific acts.
Bulbajer
2 years ago
Pete, no. Just no. There are mainly two types of illegal immigrants in this country, if I may make a very hasty generalization: those here for drugs and crime (minority), and those here for the "American dream" they heard about (majority). Whether they deserve to be here, I don't think is relevant, but please don't associate illegal immigrants with anti-Americans and terrorists. It's morally and geographically incorrect.
Would the fact that America was 100% behind Hussein and his crimes (after all, he let us use his oil) until he made the mistake of invading Kuwait be "mindless musings?"
Also, I am not denying that there is an Islamic terrorist movement, nor that it is strong today. I am suggesting that the origins of this movement have more to do with anti-Americanism than Islam itself. Before our government and the CIA began stepping on other countries to beat the USSR to the top of the hill, there was no Islamic terrorist movement. The Islamic world had its share of violence, yes, but terrorism on the world-wide scale did not exist then, for it had no reason to. Now anti-Americanism is at its peak, why? Because our foreign policy has consistently been mildy concerned at best, inhumane at worst, and exploitive in general. Again, nothing justifies terrorism or any kind of killing or hatred. But it is a lie that Islam generated the terrorist movement. Fundamentalist Islam took ahold of it.
And many Muslims do repudiate physical jihad in general. "Jihad" actually exists on two levels - physical and spiritual. Physical is self-explanatory. Spiritual jihad is something that Judeo-Christianity shares with Islam - a war against the Devil. That many Muslims urge spirital jihad over physical jihad is no exaggeration, conspiratorial lie, or stupid myth. Just as there are violent Muslims, there are peaceful Muslims. Same with Christianity. Finally, the reason they don't speak up that much? Well, I agree, they should. But don't judge them; we Christians have not been much better in certain times when we committed the violence. In others, we have spoken up.
Rachel
2 years ago
It saddens me how ill-informed and misguided some of the comments in response to this article are. We should be praying for the victims and their families, and standing up to such violence--while remembering that these extremists and their actions are in no way indicative of the opinions of all Muslims. Islam is a peaceful religion when it is practiced the way that it should be practiced--and perhaps if more of the Catholics on here would open their minds and learn about other faiths such as Islam, they would realize that. It is not Islam itself that creates a culture of violence, but rather the degree of fundamentalism with which this small percentage of Muslims practice their faith.

Should we not already know this, as Catholics? Our holy leaders discourage extreme fundamental readings of the Bible, and yet we know that there are Christians who use Jesus Christ as a way to attack others just as there are Muslims who use Allah as a way to attack others. But are we defined on the basis of extremist Christians? No. So why should we define all Muslims on the basis of those in their faith who are extremist?

It's a double standard, and a deadly one. Remember that Jesus Christ preached Love. To evoke hatred for those who don't deserve it is going against His Word.

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