ASIA/IRAQ - Being a priest in Iraq today, amidst difficulties and hopes

Erbil (Agenzia Fides) – “The Role and Identity of the Priest in Iraq Today: this was the theme of a recent meeting organized by the Babel College for Philosophy and Theology, the Chaldean Seminary in Ankawa, Erbil.
The seminar, which lasted for three days, was attended by 170 people including bishops, priests, and laity, as well as seminarians. Opening the sessions was Cardinal Emmanuel Delly III, Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, promoter of the initiative, who explained how the meeting intended to provide useful tools for analysis and new pastoral suggestions to Iraqi priests, during the Year for Priests proclaimed by Benedict XVI.
The key issue - a priest present at the seminar told Fides - was that of the ministerial priesthood, examined in a human, spiritual, theological, and biblical sense, and all lived within the reality of Iraq today, which has among its most pressing challenges to face: violence, forced emigration of Christians, and the critical security conditions of Christian communities.
The conference also stressed the importance for the Church as a whole to accompany the priests during their journey of formation and during their pastoral life, as every priest needs to feel the community's support in the form of concrete aid and prayer.
The Chaldean assembly, upon the completion of the sessions, recommended organizing such a seminar every two years and to prepare and propose an annual retreat for the clergy. Furthermore, in order to promote and protect the seeds of vocations, they also hope to organize a spiritual encounter for Catholic families, so boys and young men can become aware of and discern possible vocations to the priesthood. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 04/26/2010)