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More Iraqi Christians Killed by Religious Fundamentalists

Mosul, IRAQ - The Chaldean community in Iraq remain vulnerable victims of kidnap, torture, and murder by Islamic fundamentalists twisted by hatred. News of the torturous death of a 65-year-old doctor, Tariq Qattan, kidnapped recently by a terrorist group is being released by AsiaNews.   “The family paid a $20,000 ransom, but it was not enough to free Tariq,” say sources.

Tariq Qattan is one of the many Iraqi Christians kidnapped by fundamentalists for extortion. For the family of Nafi Haddad the outcome is just as unbearable. Haddad was also kidnapped and killed.

Despite assurances by the Iraqi government Christians remain vulnerable targets. “Iraqi police continue to ignore investigating or prosecuting those involved,” says relatives of the Haddad family close to the matter.

Chaldeans have all but fled out of Mosul or Iraq due to the dangers Christians specifically face. More than 75% of the Christians have abandoned their property and sought refuge. Within the past few months the funerals of Faris Gorgis Khoder, his driver, and Ramy and Samir, two of Bishop Rahho’s bodyguards occurred in Karamles, a Christian village near Mosul.

The Chaldean community has endured a series of attacks on Christian property. A wave of bombings struck the Chaldean church of the Immaculate Virgin, the Chaldean Church of St Paul, which was almost destroyed, the entrance to the orphanage run by the Chaldean sisters in al Nour, a Nestorian church, and the convent of the Dominican sisters in Mosul Jadida.

The continued killings of Christians in Iraq have left many moderate Muslims to question the sincerity and authentic leadership of Imams. Beginning the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, many moderate Muslims still remain mute in condemning the attacks and the Muslim leaders of the region. “They claim to be a religion of peace. Only killing in the name of their religion is what is happening,” says Hadeer Heso.

Pope Benedict XVI says that he is "embittered by this execrable new act, which profoundly affects the whole Church in the country, and in particular the Chaldean Church". He also expresses his "closeness" to the patriarch, Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly and to "that entire, sorely tried Christian community, and also to the family members of the victims". The pope, finally, invited the universal Church "to unite with its fervent prayer the intention that the Iraqi people may find the path of reconciliation and peace".

Filed in Law & Order, Government & Society, World News & Odds 'N' Ends :: By Amer Hedow on Wednesday, September 03, 2008 :: 1015 Views

Mar Addai Church, MI USA

Mar Addai Chaldean Catholic Church
24010 Coolidge Hwy.
Oak Park, MI 48237
Tel: (248) 547-4648
Fax: (248) 399-9089

Congregation Organizer:
Rev. Michael J. Bazzi

Church Founding Pastor:
Rev. Stephen Kallabat

Current Pastor:
Rev. Stephan Kallabat

Parochial Vicar:
Rev. Fadi Habib Khalaf

Parochial Vicar:
Rev. Sulemina Denha

Rev. Stephen Kallabat

Fr. Stephan Kallabat was born in Telkaif, Iraq. After completing seven years of scholarly work for the priesthood in Mosul, Iraq Fr. Kallabat was accepted at the prestigious university in Rome. There he spent six additional years of scholarly work in the areas of philosophy and theology and an additional four years in scriptural studies.

Ordained a priest in 1966 by Pope Paul VI he returned to Iraq to serve the Holy Family parish until his departure to Michigan, U.S. in 1979 to serve the growing population of Chaldeans. Fr. Kallabat was appointed assistant pastor, then pastor of Mar Addai Parish in Oak Park, Michigan.

Hitting the ground running, Fr. Kallabat is credited with raising the necessary funds to provide Chaldeans in the local area a church and community center of their own. Fr. Kallabat continues to serve the parish and Chaldean community as their pastor.

Rev. Fadi Habib Khalaf

Fr. Fadi Habib Khalaf was born in Baghdad May 10, 1974. Fr. Khalaf graduated from Baghdad University in 1997 and soon after joined the Chaldean seminary in Baghdad. While there Fr. Khalaf earned a scholarship to attend the Urbanian Pontifical University in Rome. There he earned another bachelor’s degree in theology and was ordained deacon in Rome on May 8, 2004.

Fr. Khalaf then returned to Baghdad where he was officially ordained as a priest. Afterward Fr. Khalaf returned to Rome to further his studies. In 2006 Fr. Khalaf was appointed to serve Chaldeans in the United States.

In the summer of 2006 he arrived to the Chaldean diocese of St. Thomas the Apostle and was cardinated into the Diocese and elected to serve at Mar Addai parish on March 15, 2007 as the Parochial Vicar.

Rev. Suleiman Denha

Rev. Suleiman Denha was born in Telkaif, Iraq. He began his priestly studies in 1951 in Mosul, Iraq and was ordained in 1959. Fr. Denha taught in Telkaif until 1961, when he was appointed pastor in Basra, Iraq in 1966.

After immigrating to the Unite States in 1979, he was appointed to serve the Chaldean community in Virginia. A year later, Fr. Denha was recruited to assist the much larger population of Chaldeans in Detroit.

Upon his arrival Fr. Denha assisted Fr. Yasso at Sacred Heart Church. In 1982 he was asked to temporally assist St. Joseph Church in Troy, returning a year later Sacred Heart.

In 1991, he was appointed to Mar Addai Church in Oak Park, Michigan as the Parochial Vicar, where he still serves the community today.