Knights of Columbus Sets Up New Fund for Christian Victims of Persecution in Iraq
A global fraternal organization has launched a new fund to help persecuted Christians living in Iraq.
Townhall reported that the Knights of Columbus has created a Christian Refugee Relief Fund to help Christians affected by war and terrorism in Iraq.
In a statement, the Knights of Columbus said they are "urging the public to donate to its Christian Refugee Relief Fund to help avert a crisis and will be matching up to $1 million in donations."
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The group's call for donations came after Pope Francis and U.S. President Donald Trump expressed their concerns regarding the plight of persecuted Christians in the Middle East, particularly Iraq.
Many religious leaders warned that unless immediate support is sent to the region, Christians in the war-torn nation could very well disappear.
The Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil said that only an estimated 200,000 Christians remain in Iraq from a thriving 1.5 million population in 2003. But even with that number, the archdiocese is already facing a monthly deficit of $600,000 in food aid alone.
Erbil Archbishop Bashar Warda told PR Newswire that Iraqi Christians are now facing a "new threat."
"Even as their hometowns are liberated, our people often cannot move home because there is not enough money for reconstruction or security," said the church leader. "What's worse, at this point we face a serious shortfall in the money needed just to cover the costs of providing food to the displaced Christians in our care."
"Having to decide between rebuilding homes or feeding the displaced is not a choice. It is a potential death sentence for our Christian communities," he added.
Since 2014, the Knights of Columbus has given more than $12 million in aid to displaced Christians who did not receive help from the U.S. government or U.N. The aid has covered food, clothing, shelter, and education in the countries of Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.
The group pledged to match donations received by July 1 up to $1 million and a 100 percent of it will go directly to food aid for displaced Christians in Iraq.
