Catholic charity gives boost to Iraqi Christian students on eve of papal visit

On the eve of a historical papal visit to Iraq, the Catholic University of Erbil celebrated the launching of a $1.8 million dollar donation from Aid to the Church in Need which will support scholarships for 150 of their students. Archbishop Bashar Warda, who founded the university in December 2015, celebrated the announcement and what it will mean for the young institution which has come to symbolise hope in a country ravaged by violence in recent years. Most of the current student body at the university have arrived in Erbil after displacement from surrounding regions and will greatly benefit from the scholarship support. “Helping the CUE financially by means of scholarships will be an immense support,¨ shared the archbishop ¨and this aid will not only benefit a limited number of young people, who are hoping for a better future, but at the same time it will be a powerful gesture of solidarity towards the Christians and all the other minorities and the disadvantaged in the region.” Aid to the Church in Need’s International Executive President Thomas Heine-Geldern said: “We believe that this project will support the pope’s message in favor of social cohesion and reconciliation.” He continued: “The Catholic University of Erbil is a project of crucial importance for those Christians who wish to stay on in northern Iraq and Kurdistan, since it will help them to remain. The Christians would not think of abandoning their country if they did not feel obliged to do so by forces beyond their control.”