New York Encounter 2016: "Your Love Is Better than Life" (Psalm 62)

A testimony on the life of Christians facing terror and death in the Middle East with Archbishop Amel NONA, Exiled Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Iraq, A refugee family in Erbil, Kurdistan (video), Fr. Pier Battista PIZZABALLA, Custos of the Holy Land, and Marta ZAKNOUN (moderator), Journalist

Presented by Crossroads Cultural Center and Communion and Liberation, in collaboration with the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation, Inc.

What is the situation of Christians today in Iraq, Syria, and other parts of the Middle East? In that situation, is it still possible to look for happiness without being dominated by fear and hatred? Can one look at people of a different religion or culture without distrust or indifference, but rather as an occasion to deepen one’s own identity? One of the most overwhelming human tragedies of recent decades are the terrible consequences that the conflicts in Syria and Iraq have on civilian populations as well as on cultural heritage. Millions of people are in a distressing state of urgent need. They are forced to leave their native lands. There are many victims of this conflict: I think of all of them and I pray for all. However, I cannot fail to mention the serious harm to the Christian communities in Syria and Iraq, where many brothers and sisters are oppressed because of their faith, driven from their land, kept in prison or even killed. For centuries, the Christian and Muslim communities have lived together in these lands on the basis of mutual respect. Today the very legitimacy of the presence of Christians and other religious minorities is denied in the name of a violent fundamentalism claiming to be based on religion. Yet the Church responds to the many attacks and persecution that she suffers in those countries by bearing witness to Christ with courage, through her humble and fervent presence, sincere dialogue and the generous service in favor of whoever that are suffering or in need without any distinction.
~Pope Francis, excerpt from the Address of the Participants of the Meeting organized by the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” on the Iraqi-Syrian humanitarian crisis, September 17, 2015 The event is open to the public and free of charge. Click here for New York Encounter's Official Website

About this Event

Date: Sunday, January 17, 2016
Time: 4:00 pm
Location: Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street (btw 6th and 7th Ave)
New York, NY 10011
Click here for directions.

About the Speakers

Archbishop Amel Nona
Exiled Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Iraq

Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM
Custos of the Holy Land

Marta Zaknoun
Journalist

Invitation

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Transcript

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Video

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Photos - click on image below