Sooner Catholic www.soonercatholic.org November 29, 2015 www.archokc.org Go Make Disciples Jordan: A sanctuary for Christian refugees By María Ruiz Scaperlanda Syria. His town of Batnaya was For the Sooner Catholic once a thriving Christian commu- In many ways, Marios is exactly nity on the Nineveh Plane, a vast what he looks like, a typical 15 area in Iraq that has been home to year old whose boyish features Christians since the 1st century make him look much younger after Christ. than his age. As is true of most of the 8,000 But, it doesn’t take long to notice other Iraqi Christian refugees who the intensity and depth behind have fl ed to neighboring Jordan Marios’ green eyes and quiet smile, since the rise of ISIS, Marios and refl ecting his tragic story. other families live in uncertainty “We were forced to leave … if we and survive on hopeful expecta- wanted to survive,” Marios said, tion. looking down at his hands. “This “We lost everything. But, we [Bible] is the only thing I brought have our faith. No one can take with me,” he added, holding out that from us,” said 60-year-old the small book covered by a plastic Sami Yalda Jirjis, a Chaldean shopping bag. Catholic from the village of Ta- Marios is one of 125,000 Iraqi laskif. “Our village was made up Christians brutally pushed out of all Christians, and we were able of their ancestral homeland since to practice our faith without any last year by ISIS militants, the harm. When ISIS came, everything so-called Islamic State of Iraq and changed.” A secondary school teacher in his previous life, Sami volunteers at the Pontifi cal Mission Library in Amman, teaching English and tu- toring young refugees like Marios. Most refugees have no illusion of returning to their home coun- tries. Their hope is to build a safe home for their families somewhere in Europe, North America, Austra- lia or any country willing to host them. In the meantime, Jordan’s Chris- tian community does all it can to St. George Greek Catholic Church in Fuheis, a Christian town in Jordan. Photos continued on page 6 María Ruiz Scaperlanda. How to Help Read about the history of Christians in the Middle Pray, especially for the protection of refugees facing East, remembering that the Middle East is not one big persecution and death. Pray also for personal transfor- country or a homogeneous region. mation as we face the needs of refugees everywhere with the heart of a Catholic universal Church. Donate to accredited nonprofi t organizations re- sponding to the crisis, such as Catholic Relief Services Support refugees in the United States – especially the or CNEWA, the papal agency for humanitarian and most vulnerable who under no circumstances will be pastoral support. able to return home – through our local Catholic Chari- Marios, 15, standing outside the Pontifi- ties and the USCCB’s Migration and Refugee Services. cal Mission Library, Amman. Saint Charbel venerated in Norman By Ted King He had a great devotion to Our Lady For the Sooner Catholic that began when he was a young boy Relics of Saint Charbel Makhlouf tending the animals. At 23, he en- were on display Nov. 18-19 at Our tered a Maronite monastery and took Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Charbel as his name in religion. Mir- Church in Norman. acles were attributed to him during Maronites are Eastern Rite Cath- his life. Even some Muslims thought olics, mainly in Lebanon and in or of him as a miracle worker. He had from Syria, in union with Rome. Saint the gifts of clairvoyance and healing, Charbel Makhlouf was a 19th century and he once rescued his fellow monks Maronite monk in Lebanon. He was from a snake simply by asking it to beatifi ed in 1965 and canonized by leave. Paul VI in 1977. In 1853, Brother Charbel was Saint Charbel Makhlouf was born ordained a priest of the Monastery Youssef Antoun Makhlouf in the of Saint Maron, and in 1875 he was village of Biqa-Kafra, May 8, 1828. granted permission to live as a hermit His father died when he was age 3. in a hermitage apart from the monas- Rev. George Saab kneels in front of the relics As a boy, Youssef tended the family’s tic community in the monastery. of St. Charbel. Photo Theresa Bragg. animals and spent a great deal of time While saying Mass on Dec. 16, in prayer and contemplation. 1898, he suffered a stroke. He died continued on page 6 2 November 29, 2015 Sooner Catholic Sooner Catholic Commentary November 29, 2015 3 Put Out Into the Deep Luke 5:4 Find more Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary His mercy endures forever news on the Holy Day of Obligation – Dec. 8 website Although the dogma of the Immaculate Conception has This past Sunday, I had the privilege of ritually salvation. Mercy is the been held by the faithful for centuries, it was offi cially sealing a door at Our Lady’s Cathedral that has been heart of the Gospel. We By Sooner Catholic Staff designated as a “holy door” in anticipation of the Ju- can say this, and we proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854: bilee of Mercy, which begins on Dec. 8. might even believe it. Additional coverage of “The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the fi rst mo- What is a holy door? Each of the four major basili- But, all too often we fail Church and archdiocesan ment of her conception, by a singular grace and privi- cas in Rome has a holy door that remains sealed until to experience this truth. news and events, only on lege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus We fail to experience the the beginning of each Holy Year, which ordinarily www.soonercatholic.org: Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from occurs every 25 years. On Dec. 8, Pope Francis will joy of the Gospel, which unseal the holy door at Saint Peter’s in Rome, and in is the normal fruit of an all stain of original sin.” Check the website for subsequent days he will open the holy doors at the encounter with God’s Archbishop Paul S. Coakley See the Catechism of the Catholic Church 490-493. other three major basilicas. mercy. details on the Holy Year of Mercy, including informa- As a visible sign of the Church’s universal commu- This jubilee year offers each of us an opportunity to A fi refi ghter places a wreath on a tall statue of Mary overlooking the Spanish Steps nion, Pope Francis has granted permission for each encounter mercy, especially through the Sacrament tion on the Opening of the in Rome Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Rome’s fi refi ghters have cathedral to have a holy door as well as any other of Reconciliation, which is the preeminent sacrament Holy Doors. observed the tradition every year since 1857. CNS photo/Paul Haring. church that the diocesan bishop may so designate. I of mercy. will formally open the holy door at our cathedral on Mercy will undoubtedly be the special focus of hom- Dec. 13. ilies and catechesis throughout this year. The Jubilee When the Holy Father opens the holy door to in- of Mercy offers the opportunity and encouragement SAVE THE DATE augurate the Jubilee of Mercy, it will become a Door to rediscover and practice the traditional spiritual of Mercy. Those who pass through the Door of Mer- and corporal works of mercy as we reach out to those Sanctity of Life Mass: Archbishop Coakley calls for solidarity, cy throughout the duration of the Jubilee year are on the margins of society and on the peripheries of A Celebration of Life invited to “experience the love of God who consoles, the Church’s life and ministry. These forgotten ones, from Conception to Natural Death prayer and mercy in wake of violence the least of our brothers and sisters, are the ones “Th e shepherd pardons and instils hope,” as Pope Francis says in Wednesday, January, 20th at 6 p.m. “Acts of terror like those per- attempt to breed fear and divi- “Misericordiae Vultus,” the papal bull that formally that we are being called to recognize and embrace Our Lady of Perpetual Help petrated Friday on the innocent siveness throughout the world. announces this extraordinary jubilee year. with Christ’s own mercy. Who are the ones in our 3214 N Lake Ave., Oklahoma City, OK people of Paris have become all As Oklahomans, we have known cannot run at the Many thousands of pilgrims will travel to Rome communities who most need to experience mercy? In Presentations after Mass for Youth and too frequent. They are an as- violence and stood with resolve during the Jubilee of Mercy, which runs through what aspect of our own lives do we need to experience Adults sault on the dignity and sanctity in the face of hatred. fi rst sign of danger.” the Solemnity of Christ the King in 2016. They will mercy? With whom do we need to seek reconciliation? of all human life, and call us to May we continue to be a – Fr. Stanley Rother prepare during their pilgrimage to receive a special How can we become channels of mercy ourselves? stand in solidarity with the vic- beacon of hope, of healing and jubilee indulgence granted to those who pass through You will be hearing and reading much about the tims of this violent extremism, reconciliation for all those who the Jubilee Doors.