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Last Updated: 17 February 2015

Father Basel Salim Yaldo, an Iraqi-born Chaldean Catholic priest who until recently ministered in Detroit, was ordained a bishop in Baghdad on February 6. He will serve in the patriarchal curial of the Chaldean Catholic Church.

In 2006, Bishop Yaldo, now 44, was kidnapped in Iraq, beaten by his captors, and released after three days, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The ordeal “brought me closer to God and strengthened my faith,” he said. “It also pushed me to be more serious and be more involved. [The] Virgin Mary was the one who helped me when I was kidnapped, and I’m sure she will help me in Iraq.”

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Last Updated: 17 February 2015

CWN - Contrary to reports published by various news agencies, the Islamic State has not blown up the Church of the Immaculate Virgin in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, according to Mosul’s Chaldean Catholic archbishop.

The church, also known as the ancient Tahira church, dates back to at least the seventh century.

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Last Updated: 17 February 2015

CWN - The bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic eparchies in the United States have asked the priests, religious, and laity entrusted to their care to pray and fast for peace.

The bishops requested prayer for “the president and elected officials of Ukraine, for the conversion of the aggressors, for the Ukrainian army, for those who protect citizens, for the souls of the deceased, and for [the] unity and independence of Ukraine.”

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Last Updated: 17 February 2015

ugcc.ua - Appeal of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Head of the UGCC, to the priests of pastoral care in the condition of war

Dear brothers in the priesthood of Christ!

During the last year pastoral practice we often face challenges and questions that we have not dealt with: mass deaths of activists at Maydan, the war in eastern Ukraine, the atmosphere of anxiety, uncertainty and fear, and therefore - the symptoms of depression and despondency in society. But at the same time we can trace in Ukrainian nations the authentic awakening of the human spirit and solidarity, the desire to work for the common good, the demonstration of worth wondering self-organization and self-sacrifice.

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Last Updated: 17 February 2015

CWN - Yevgeny Petrin, an official of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, has been charged with treason for allegedly passing along information to the United States, according to the Interfax news agency.

Petrin had previously worked for Russia’s Federal Security Service, the successor agency to the KGB.

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Last Updated: 17 February 2015

CWN - The Vatican has issued a strong caution against escalating the conflict in Ukraine.

In a statement released on February 10, Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, said that the Holy See is “following attentively” the news from Ukraine, and noted that “the Holy Father Francis has renewed his appeal for peace on several occasions.”

While asking prayers for peace in Ukraine, Father Lombardi said, Pope Francis has also “underlined the urgency of resuming negotiations as the only possible way out of the logic of mounting accusations and reactions.”

The papal spokesman went on to stress that the Pope’s appeal for peace was addressed to “all interested parties.” He said that the Pontiff was “trusting in the sincere efforts of each one to implement agreements reached by common consent and invoking the principle of international law.”

Father Lombardi concluded his statement by saying that the bishops of Ukraine are due in Rome later this month for their regular ad limina visits. Their presence, he said, would give Pope Francis the opportunity “to be directly informed on the situation of that dear country, to console the Church and those who suffer and to evaluate together paths for reconciliation and peace.”