NZ Catholic Bishops: We can no longer watch ISIS from the sidelines

by NZ Catholic staff

New Zealand Catholic Bishops urged government to extend support to Iraqi people who continue to suffer from the hands of the Islamic State.

“New Zealand can no longer watch from the sidelines as the Islamic State continues to inflict immense suffering and brutality on the people of Iraq. They must not be left to face such unjust aggression on their own,” said the New Zealand Catholic Bishops in a statement.

The bishops stopped short of supporting a war against ISIS, calling instead for more humanitarian support for the people of Iraq.

“Pope Francis has said that it is ‘licit to stop an unjust aggressor’. If by providing training to the Iraqi Army we can assist them to stop the aggressor in their land, then as a matter of promoting the common good we should provide that assistance. Substantial humanitarian support should also be part of New Zealand’s involvement in Iraq,” said Cardinal John Dew, on behalf of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops.

They also called for sanctions against those who are supporting ISIS.

“At this moment our membership of the United Nations Security Council gives us a unique position in global affairs and could be used to advocate strongly in the UN forum for further sanctions and other actions which will stop the flow of arms to ISIS, and prevent it making money from Iraqi assets it has captured,” Cardinal Dew says.

“We urge Christians to pray unceasingly for the people of the Middle East and we pray for global leaders in their efforts to stop those who inflict this brutality on others.” Cardinal Dew says.

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  1. John Shone says

    Thank goodness (and Our Lord Jesus Christ !) that our Catholic bishops have finally spoken up against the evil of Islamic State. Just a pity they couldn’t go beyond the usual generalised labels – i.e. speaking in terms of, for instance, “the people” of Iraq – and actually mention the very words that identify our besieged “cousins-in-faith” – namely, Chaldean Catholic, Syriac Catholic, Coptic Christian, and so forth. After all, it is the various Christian communities of the Levant that are suffering the most (and, as history confirms, have suffered the longest). Equally, I look forward to strong words of condemnation from our bishops in defence of the embattled Church in Africa – especially in Nigeria – that is doing it tough because of widespread jihadist brutality in form of the Boko Haram and their copycat devilish cronies. Yes, the servants of Satan are indeed on the prowl; and, as the secular world cares not (let alone believes), so it behoves Christians everywhere – clergy, religious, and laity – to be vigilant and steadfast in defence of the True Faith.

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