This past week Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia (which includes UAE, Oman and Yemen), celebrated a Mass in memory of four Missionaries of Charity who were killed March 4, 2016. (See images at bottom of article.)
The Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, and was attended by a large group of Catholics of the region. It was celebrated in the midst of an increase in tension and violence, as missiles continue to fly throughout the area.
Despite the war that has begun, Bishop Martinelli explained in his homily that he found hope in the witness of the Missionaries of Charity:
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the death of these sisters today, at this tragic time for the Gulf and the entire Middle East, is a source of hope beyond human hope; a trustworthy hope, a hope that does not disappoint.
He explained how their love for the poorest of the poor is inspiring and how their faithfulness to the local people, even in the midst of violence, is an example that we should all follow.
Praying for peace
Bishop Martinelli also prayed that peace would return to the region, praying in a particular way through the intercession of these martyr-nuns:
May the intercession of the holy martyrs obtain for us the gift of peace and reconciliation in our region and throughout the world. May the war come to an end [and] peace prevail; may we all return to dialogue and to seeking the good of all peoples.
Bishop Paul Hinder, the former Apostolic Vicar, wrote similar words in a statement released on the 10th anniversary of the sisters' death:
Today, as we pass through a time of conflict in the region, we are reminded that being a Christian in service to the poor can become a form of spiritual struggle that may even lead to martyrdom. We remember all of them with gratitude for their witness and ask for their intercession, that we ourselves may not fail in giving a living testimony of love, which is the only path that leads to peace.
Let us remember their witness and ask the Lord for peace and justice for Yemen and for the whole region of the Middle East.
Check out the slideshow below of the Mass held in Abu Dhabi and the sisters' resting place:
