WASHINGTON—The chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’
(USCCB) Committees on Migration, Religious Liberty and International Justice
and Peace, along with the board of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) issued a
joint statement expressing solidarity with Christians and all those who suffer
in the Middle East.

The full statement follows:

A statement from Archbishop
William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious
Liberty; Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, New Mexico, chairman of the
Committee on International Justice and Peace; Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of Austin,
Texas, chairman of the Committee on Migration; and Bishop Gregory J. Mansour of
the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, chairman of the board of Catholic
Relief Services

Our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East need
our solidarity, and the Middle East needs our Christian brothers and
sisters. A concern for our Christian
brethren is inclusive and does not exclude a concern for all the peoples of the
region who suffer violence and persecution, both minorities and majorities,
both Muslims and Christians.

A recent USCCB delegation visit to Iraq confirmed once again
that what has happened—and continues to happen—to Christians, Yezidis, Shia
Muslims, and other minorities in Syria and Iraq, at the hands of the so-called
“Islamic State,” is genocide. It is
important for Syrians and Iraqis of all faiths to recognize this as genocide,
for that recognition is a way to help everyone come to grips with what is
happening, and to form future generations that will reject any ideology that
leads to genocidal acts and other atrocities.
Likewise, a particular focus on minorities is essential to forming
communities that respect the rights of all, including members of the majority.

What can our nation do?
The United States can:

Accept our nation’s fair
share of the most vulnerable families of all religions and ethnicities for
resettlement as refugees,
including special consideration of the victims of genocide and other atrocities;

Encourage both the central
government in Baghdad and the regional government in Erbil to strengthen
the rule of law based on equal
citizenship and ensure the protection of all, including vulnerable
minorities; U.S. assistance
should help local and national efforts to improve policing and the
judiciary, while encouraging appropriate self-governance at the local
level; similar actions will also be needed in Syria; and

Provide generous U.S. humanitarian and development
assistance to refugees, displaced persons and communities in Iraq and
Syria as they rebuild, including funding for trusted faith-based
non-governmental agencies like Catholic Relief Services and local Caritas
agencies so that aid reaches all groups, including majority and minority
communities.

To focus attention on the plight of Christians and other
minorities is not to ignore the suffering of others. Rather, by focusing on the most vulnerable
members of society, we strengthen the entire fabric of society to protect the
rights of all.

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Keywords: USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, peace,
Middle East, refugees, genocide, humanitarian, Catholic Relief Services, Christians,
Yezidis, Shia Muslims, U.S. assistance, rule of law

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Norma Montenegro Flynn
O: 202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops