Cardinal Adam Maida, archbishop of Detroit, joins with his brother bishops around the world in expressing "profound shock and sorrow" following the death of Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho at the hands of kidnappers in northern Iraq on Thursday, March 13. The body of Archbishop Rahho, a respected and indefatigable spiritual leader for the Chaldean Catholic community, was discovered on the outskirts of Mosul. He is the ninth Chaldean cleric to be killed in Iraq since 2006.

"The number of Christian leaders martyred in Iraq is alarming and unacceptable," Cardinal Maida said. Archbishop Rahho "suffered for his faith," the cardinal added. "He was a good shepherd whose life was needlessly sacrificed by extremists."

Cardinal Maida offers his prayers and heartfelt condolences to the clergy and members of the Chaldean Catholic community in southeast Michigan. "They are grieving," the cardinal said, "and the priests and people of the Detroit archdiocese grieve with them."

"In the Detroit area, we have a good paradigm of cooperation and dialogue between and among spiritual leaders of different faiths," Cardinal Maida said. "Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others are known to come together in peace and respect," the cardinal noted. "We pray that our example can and will be followed in our own country and around the world, especially in those areas victimized by religious persecution."

Archdiocese of Detroit News Office
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