Archbishop Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales, has expressed his horror at the massacre of worshippers attending Mass at Our Lady of Salvation church in Karada, Baghdad on Sunday night (31 October).
“I want to express my horror at the atrocity that occurred at Our Lady of Salvation Church in Karada, Baghdad and my solidarity with those who suffered and died. This massacre has taken a terrible toll on a vulnerable and diminishing Christian community that, along with other religious minorities, continues to suffer persecution. My thoughts and prayers are with all those Iraqis who struggle against violence and extremism. The Christians of the Middle East have a special vocation as peace builders, as the recent Synod emphasised. I know that they will continue to be faithful to that mission and that Catholics in this country will continue to support the Iraqi Church”.
The Christian Churches for the Iraqi communities in the UK arranged a joint remembrance service for the worshippers killed at Our Lady of Salvation for the Syrian Catholic Church in Baghdad. It took place on Friday 12 November 2010, 7pm at the Syrian Catholic Church, Brook Green, London.
