This is a photo of Father Ragheed Ganni, a Chaldean rite priest who was murdered outside of his parish church in Mosul, Iraq, in 2007 for refusing to acquiesce to armed thugs who demanded he accept Islam.
He was the friend and classmate of a good friend of mine who lived here until a few years ago.
Today, John tells us, would have been Fr. Ragheed's 41st birthday.
Nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. Three of his subdeacons were killed with him. One of the gunmen demanded to know why he didn't close the church as he had been ordered. Fr. Ragheed replied quietly, "How can I close the house of God?" Ragheed had been secretary to Archbishop Rahho of Mosul who was murdered nine months after they were.
"I understand his cause for beatification is being delayed on account of the current situation in that part of the world. But it will be introduced."
Sometimes we need to be reminded that this is real, and that these are real people this insane and evil stuff is happening to.
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