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Church in the WorldDeath sentence for Archbishop’s killerIraq Timothy Lavin - 31 May 2008The Iraqi Central Criminal Court sentenced an al-Qaida leader to death for the murder of a Chaldean archbishop last week, drawing praise from the US Government but angry opposition from Iraqi Catholic leaders, writes Timothy Lavin. Ahmed Ali Ahmed, known as Abu Omar, was convicted of murdering the Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul, Paulos Faraj Rahho, and will face execution. Archbishop Rahho was kidnapped by masked gunmen as he left Mass in Mosul in late February and found killed in March. "If he were still alive, Archbishop Rahho himself would not permit that someone would die for him," Auxiliary Bishop Shlemo Warduni of Baghdad said, according to Asia News. "This conviction does not meet Christian values," Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk told AFP. "We are not satisfied with this decision because the Church is against the death penalty." The US embassy in Baghdad said the verdict was just. "Reiterating our condolences to the archbishop's family and community, we commend the Iraqi authorities for bringing the perpetrator of this brutal crime to justice," an official statement said. |
 In this week’s issueMaking markets moral Iron and velvet Love in a Catholic climate Someone to talk to A good Lent takes planning South American surprise Can the Church support abuse victims on its own terms? Elena Curti Is the Church too slow in recognising that academies are the future for Catholic schools? Christopher Lamb Goodwin the scapegoat Elena Curti The pain of being a coeliac Catholic Sr M, guest contributor The Church's moral obligation to victims of clerical sexual abuse Speeches from this week's conference in Rome This week in Rome bishops and religious superiors met at the first Vatican-backed symposium devoted to forging a global response to the crisis of clerical sexual abuse that has disgraced ... Archbishop voices 'shame and sorrow' after priest's abuse trial Longley to visit parishes 'damaged' by Walsh Today, Tuesday 7 February, Bede Walsh, who served as a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Birmingham, has been convicted by a jury, following a 10-day trial at Stoke-on-Trent ...
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