A Piece of Cake

Sometimes we ask ourselves: What did I do to deserve this?
Why does God let these things happen to me?
Here is the explanation…

A daughter tells her mother how everything is going wrong for her. She probably failed her Math exam or her boyfriend just dumped her for her best friend.

In times so sad, a good mother knows just the thing to cheer up her daughter. ’I’ll make a delicious cake.’ In that moment the mother hugged her daughter and walked her to the kitchen, while her daughter attempts to smile.

While the mother prepared the utensils and ingredients, her daughter sat across from her at the counter. Her mother asks, ‘sweetheart, would you like a piece of cake?’

Her daughter replies, ‘sure, mom, you know I love cakes.’

‘alright’ the mother said, ‘drink some of this cooking oil.’

Shocked, the daughter responded, ‘what?!? No way!!’

‘How about a couple of raw eggs?’ To this the daughter responded, ‘Are you kidding?’

‘How about a little flour?’

‘No, mom. I’ll be sick!’

The mother responded, ‘All of these things are uncooked and taste bad. But if you put them together, they make a delicious cake!’

God works in the same way. When we ask ourselves why does he make us go through these difficult times, we don’t realize what or where these events may bring us. Only He knows and he will not let us fail. We don’t need to settle for the raw ingredients, trust in Him and see something fantastic come about!!

God loves us so much He sends us flowers every spring.

He makes the sun rise every morning.

And anything you need to talk, he is there to listen!

He can live anywhere in the universe. But He chooses to live in your heart.

Happy Moments
Praise God.

Difficult Moments
Seek God.

Quiet Moments
Worship God.

Painful Moments
Trust God.

Every Moment
Thank God.

-- Unknown Author

Thank You Pope Benedict XVI

I always liked The Pope. But my respect and admiration to him has increased lately. Why? Because The Pope is not afraid to speak his mind when it comes to the plight of the Iraqi Christians. Since he has gone public with his concerns, the mainstream media -- for a change -- started to pay attention to this subject.

Yesterday, The Pope met with the patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East to discuss the current situation of the Iraqi Christians. Here's some of the Pope's concerns as reported by the media:

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI said Thursday he was greatly concerned about the fate of Christians in Iraq, returning to a theme he discussed with President Bush earlier this month.

The pope also denounced the slaying of a Catholic priest in Iraq as a "barbaric killing," and lamented the overall escalating violence in the Middle East for the second time in a week.

"Particularly in Iraq, the homeland of so many of the Assyrian faithful, Christian families and communities are feeling increasing pressure from insecurity, aggression and a sense of abandonment," Benedict said during an audience with the patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East.
[...]
"Many of them see no other possibility than to leave the country and to seek a new future abroad," the pontiff said. "These difficulties are a source of great concern to me, and I wish to express my solidarity with the pastors and the faithful of the Christian communities who remain there, often at the price of heroic sacrifices."

The Pope extends his concerns to the plight of all Christians in the Middle East:

Speaking of the Middle East on Thursday, Benedict expressed "pain and concern over the delicate situation" in the region, and said the Holy Land, Iraq and Lebanon were very much present in the church's prayers and action.

"The long-sought and long-awaited peace unfortunately is still largely offended," by violence, the pontiff said. Violence "often degenerates into war, whether or not declared, and ends up becoming a pressing international problem, as is today," he said.

"I knock on the heart of those who have specific responsibilities to ask that they adhere to the important duty of guaranteeing peace to everybody indistinctly, setting it free from the fatal disease of religious, cultural, historic or geographic discrimination."

In a pilgrimage Sunday in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, Benedict made one of his strongest appeals for an end to the "horrors" of fighting and terrorism in Iraq and the Middle East, and decried "the illusion" that force could resolve conflicts.

Thank you Pope Benedict for your concerns. It means so much for me and the other Iraqi and Middle Eastern Christians.

The Vatican's "Ten Commandments" For Drivers

Today, The Vatican issued a "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road" document. In case you missed it, here's the list:

1. You shall not kill.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

7. Support the families of accident victims.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

10. Feel responsible toward others.

Sounds good to me :-)

The Kidnapping of Fr. Hani Abdel Ahad

For the last week, I've been busy covering the details of Fr. Ragheed Ghanni's murder in Mosul, Iraq. Three days later, Fr. Hani Abdel Ahad was kidnapped in Baghdad. AsiaNews reports:

Baghdad (AsiaNews) – Another Chaldean priest was abducted in Baghdad today. Fr Hani Abdel Ahad, in his early 30s, was taken in a north-eastern section of the capital called Suleikh along with five boys who were going with him to visit the city’s minor seminar.

The incident has plunged the Christian community in a state of gloom. Some faithful have reacted to terrible news saying that they have “the impression that they are all alone, like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he felt abandoned by the Father.”

A day later, four of the kidnapped boys were released. AsiaNews reports:

Baghdad (AsiaNews) – Four of five Christian boys abducted yesterday with Chaldean priest Fr Hani Abdel Ahad were released today in good physical conditions. Sources told AsiaNews that the 33-year-old priest and the fifth boy are still in the hands of the kidnappers. All six were on their way to the minor seminar in Suleikh, in one of the capital’s north-eastern neighbourhoods.

It appears that the kidnappers are common criminals interested in money. Immediately after they took the priest and the five boys they sent a ransom note to Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly.

I'll keep you updated with the latest developments. Please, pray for the safe return of Fr. Hani and the fifth kidnapped boy.

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UPDATE I - June 17, 2007
Ankawa Online reports the release of Fr. Hani Abdel Ahad. Thanks God for his safe return.

Happy Father's Day to all the hardworking priests around the world.

The Murder of Fr. Ragheed and Three Deacons

Fr Ragheed Ganni
Source:www.ankawa.com

Another day, another act of cowardliness against an Iraqi priest and three deacons. AsiaNews reports:

Baghdad (AsiaNews) – An armed group gunned down and killed Fr Ragheed Ganni and three of his aides. The murder took place right after Sunday mass in front of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Mosul where Father Ragheed was parish priest. Sources told AsiaNews that hours later the bodies were still lying in the street because no one dared retrieve them. Given the situation tensions in the area remain high.
[...]
Father Ragheed himself had been targeted several times in previous attacks. The Church of the Holy Spirit has also been repeatedly attacked and bombed in the last few years, the last time occurred but a few months ago.

Father Ganni was a great friend of AsiaNews. He had studied in Italy and was fluent in Arabic as well as Italian, French and English. In 2005 he had visited Italy where he gave testimony during the Vigil to Eucharistic Congress in Bari.

Fr. Ragheed was born in Mosul in 1972. In 1993, He received his Civil Engineering degree from University of Mosul. He studied in Rome from 1996 to 2003 where he received a master degree in Theology.

My condolences to his and the three murdered deacons' families, friends and parishioners. May God gives them strength during these difficult times.

Read Fr. Ragheed Ganni's "Message of Easter" to know more about this remarkable priest.

Read Fr. Rageed's action to turn gunshots to fireworks during the first communion of 80 Iraqi Christian children last August. They may have killed his body; but his beautiful soul will always shine above his parishioners.

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UPDATE Jun. 4, 2007 - UPDATE I


Source: www.ankawa.com

The arrival of Fr. Ragheed's coffin to Keremlish for his final journey. Fr. Ragheed and the three murdered deacons will be buried in Keremlish on Monday Jun. 4, 2007.

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UPDATE Jun. 4, 2007 - UPDATE II
The Irish clergymen reaction to Fr. Ragheed's murder:

Rome, 4 June (AKI) - An Iraqi Catholic priest Ragheed Ganni, gunned down in Mosul after saying mass on Sunday, is remembered at the Irish College in Rome, where he trained for the priesthood.”as an exceptionally outgoing person, the sort of person that if you meet once you remember.”. “Even when he had just arrived and couldn't speak English or Italian he still managed to communicate with people here at the college” the rector Liam Bergin told Adnkronos International (AKI) in a phone interview. Rasheed Ganni, 31, was shot dead along with three deacons in their car, shortly after he had said mass on Sunday.

Phone calls and emails of condolence have been flooding in from those who knew the 35 year old priest. “This tragic violence has created ripples far afield. Even the Irish president who was in Rome at Sunday's canonisation had met Ragheed in Ireland and remembered him” Bergin told AKI.

During his seminary studies Ganni couldn't return to Iraq during the holidays so he often spent that time in Ireland. For that connection but also for his extrovert nature he was nicknamed “Paddy the Iraqi”. He had recently been given permission by his bishop to come to Rome to study for a doctorate in ecumenism.

It's been more than 24-hours and not ONE WORD from the American mainstream media.

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UPDATE Jun. 4, 2007 - UPDATE III
AsiaNews published a beautiful tribute to Fr. Ragheed:

He died yesterday, massacred by blind violence. Killed on his way home from Church, where his people, despite their decreasing numbers, bowed by fear and desperation, continued to come: “the young people – Ragheed told us just days ago – organized surveillance after the recent attacks against the parish, the kidnappings, the threats to religious; priests celebrate mass amidst the bombed out ruins; mothers worry as they see their children challenge danger to attend catechism with enthusiasm; the elderly come to entrust their fleeing families to God’s protection, they alone remain in their country where they have their roots and built their homes, refusing to flee. Exile for them is unimaginable”. Ragheed was one of them, a strong father figure who wanted to protect his children: “It is our duty not to give in to despair: God will listen to our prayers for peace in Iraq”:
[...]
Dearest Ragheed, with a heart which cries in pain, you leave us your hope and your certainty. By taking you they aimed to wipe out the hope of Iraq’s Christians. Instead your martyrdom nourishes and gives new life to your community, to the Iraqi Church and the Church throughout the world. Thank you, grazie Ragheed.

Read more...

I'm trying to make sense of his death. But, I'm lost in this darkness.

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UPDATE Jun. 4, 2007 - UPDATE IV
Ankawa.com published pictures from the funeral of Fr. Ragheed and deacons Basman, Ghazwan and Waheed. They're heartbreaking.


Source: Ankawa.com

Thousands of people attended the funeral of Fr. Ragheed and the three deacons.


Source: Ankawa.com

Cries and tears during the funeral of Fr. Ragheed.


Source: Ankawa.com

Two nuns and a layman carry the pictures of the three deacons who were murdered with Fr. Ragheed.


R.I.P Fr. Ragheed,
R.I.P. deacon Basman,
R.I.P. deacon Ghazwan,
R.I.P. deacon Waheed.

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UPDATE Jun. 6, 2007 - UPDATE V


Source: Middle East Online

Fr. Ragheed took this picture during his visit to Rome last November. The picture was taken at the Terrorism Victims Square in Rome. Fr. Ragheed told his friend who took the picture [Source: Middle East Online]:

Take my picture please. We are the victims of terrorism. I appeal to civil and church authorties to intervene and act seriously to save Christians left in Iraq, who are daily victims of terrorism.

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UPDATE Jun. 8, 2007 - UPDATE VI
Zenit Catholic News Agency translated a letter from a Muslim friend of Fr. Ragheed. I thought to share with you too:


Source: Ankawa Online

Fr. Ragheed Ganni's body during his funeral in Keremlish, Iraq.

In the name of the compassionate and merciful God,

Ragheed, my brother,

I ask your forgiveness for not being with you when those criminals opened fire against you and your brothers. The bullets that have gone through your pure and innocent body have also gone through my heart and soul.

You were one of the first people I met when I arrived to Rome. We met in the halls of the Angelicum and we would drink our cappuccino in the university's cafeteria. You impressed me with your innocence, joy, your pure and tender smile that never left you.

I always picture you smiling, joyful and full of zest for life. Ragheed is to me innocence personified; a wise innocence that carries in its heart the sorrows of his unhappy people. I remember the time, in the university's dining room, when Iraq was under embargo and you told me that the price of a single cappuccino would have satisfied the needs of an Iraqi family for a whole day.

You told me this as if you were feeling guilty for being far away from your persecuted people and unable to share in their sufferings …

In fact, you returned to Iraq, not only to share the suffering and destiny of your people but also to join your blood to the blood of thousands of Iraqis killed each day. I will never forget the day of your ordination [Oct. 13, 2001] in the [Pontifical] Urbanian University … with tears in your eyes, you told me: "Today, I have died to self" … a hard thing to say.

I didn't understand it right away, or maybe I didn't take it as seriously as I should have. … But today, through your martyrdom, I have understood that phrase. … You have died in your soul and body to be raised up in your beloved, in your teacher, and so that Christ would be raised up in you, despite the sufferings, sorrows, despite the chaos and madness.

In the name of what god of death have they killed you? In the name of which paganism have they crucified you? Did they truly know what they were doing?

O God, we don't ask you for revenge or retaliation. We ask you for victory, a victory of justice over falsehood, life over death, innocence over treachery, blood over the sword. … Your blood will not have been shed in vain, dear Ragheed, because with it you have blessed the soil of your country. And from heaven, your tender smile will continue to light the darkness of our nights and announce to us a better tomorrow.

I ask your forgiveness, brother, for when the living get together they think they have all the time in the world to talk, visit, and share feelings and thoughts. You had invited me to Iraq … I dreamed of that visit, of visiting your house, your parents, your office. … It never occurred to me that it would be your tomb that one day I would visit or that it would be verses from my Quran that I would recite for the repose of your soul …

One day, before your first trip to Iraq after a prolonged absence, I went with you to buy souvenirs and presents for your family. You spoke with me of your future work: "I would like to preside over the people on the base of charity before justice" -- you said.

It was difficult for me to imagine you a "canonical judge" … And today your blood and your martyrdom have spoken for you, a verdict of fidelity and patience, of hope against all suffering, of survival, in spite of death, in spite of everything.

Brother, your blood hasn't been shed in vain, and your church's altar wasn't a masquerade. … You assumed your role with deep seriousness until the end, with a smile that would never be extinguished … ever.

Your loving brother,

Adnam Mokrani
Rome, June 4, 2007
Professor of Islamic Studies in the Institute for the Study of Religion and Culture,
Pontifical Gregorian University