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A group of ten French Catholics to accompany 20 Iraqis
from Kirkuk to WYD
Five young French men and women came to Kirkuk in order to show
their closeness and solidarity to local Christian families
and spend a day with them.
Yesterday, they took part in a Mass celebrated by the local bishop,
sang with the church choir
and dined with local Catholics of the same age.
It was a moment of great ecclesial communion for everyone.
Kirkuk (AsiaNews):
The ten young French Catholics who arrived yesterday in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk are spending Monday with Christian families.
Meeting their hosts will allow them to learn more about the hardships Christians endure, especially the 20 young local Catholics with whom they will participate in World Youth Day in Madrid, next month.
The French group, five women and five men, came to Kirkuk to bear witness and show solidarity to the Christian families.
They brought 30 kilograms of medical drugs, which they will give out in the places they will visit. In fact, they are scheduled to travel to Soulaymaniya, Erbil, Karakosh (Nineveh Plains), Alkosh, Dohok and Amadiyia.
It was a moment of great ecclesial communion for everyone. The young French men and women took part in the Mass celebrated by Mgr Louis Sako. They also sang with the church choir.
After the service, the young visitors met local Christians of the same age
in a large hall for a meal prepared especially for them.
During Mass, the young French guests gave a boost to the local Christian community when some of them spoke about their own faith experience.
Others described instead how they discovered the beauty of the eastern service and the courage shown by local Christians against the backdrop of the difficulties they have to face.
Kort samengevat gaat deze boodschap over een aantal jonge Franse
katholieken die in voorbereiding van de wereldjongerendagen,
die volgende maand plaats vinden in Madrid,
te gast waren in Kirkuk in het noorden van Irak.
Daar bezochten zij de plaatselijke christen gemeenschap,
families en vooral de jongeren met wie ze samen
naar Madrid zullen gaan.
Ze namen er deel aan de H.Mis en hebben kunnen vaststellen
hoe moeilijk het is voor christenen in het Midden-Oosten,
zeker ook in Irak.
Ze namen ook medicamenten mee, die er schaars zijn,
om tijdens hun bezoeken uit te delen waar nodig.
Ze verbleven in gastgezinnen.
Een mooi voorbeeld van Christelijke solidareit en inzet van jongeren.
Louise
Ik wens hen veel moed en sterkte toe.
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