Spiritual crisis led Oregon woman on journey to become consecrated virgin
- Dec 14, 2019
The Vatican said Monday a new letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad “expresses the deep concern of His Holiness Pope Francis for the humanitarian situation in Syria, with particular reference to the dramatic consequences facing the civilian population in Idlib.”
A torchlit rally was held in Rome Wednesday night for Jesuit Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, one of tens of thousands of people who’ve been “disappeared” in Syria since violence broke out in 2011.
In a wide-ranging interview, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis’s right hand man and top diplomat, spoke about the Vatican’s hope for the ongoing dialogue between the two Koreas and the concern over the situation in Syria.
In a joint statement issued by three Syrian patriarchs, they “condemn and denounce the brutal aggression … in our precious country Syria by the USA, France and the UK.”
Many Westerners express sympathy for Christian victims of the genocide conducted by ISIS in Syria and Iraq, but might find actually listening to them a surprise. They’ll challenge Western stereotypes on at least three fronts: Syria’s Assad is a bad actor and must go; Hezbollah is part of Jihadism Inc. and a threat to Christians; and today’s most profound refugee crisis is in Europe.