On Sunday, May 15, the Sacred Heat of Jesus Church in Tla’ Al-Ali, northwestern Amman, in cooperation with the Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan, held a Requiem Mass marking the martyrdom of journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh which coincides with requiem Masses held in Palestine and Jordan during Sunday Holy Masses. The Mass was attended by the aunt of the martyr, a number of her relatives, journalists, and a large group of worshippers.
In his homily, parish priest and CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif’at said,“We are standing in front of a person we loved, and who experienced this love. She loved her Lord Christ and her Christian faith. She loved humans, defended them, and conveyed the suffering of the Palestinian people to all parts of the world.” He pointed out that her name will remain shining on the path of struggle, and in the entitlement of the Palestinian people to their independent state, as this is confirmed by His Majesty King Abdullah II, who personally offered condolences to the martyr’s brother, as he always leads the Jordanian diplomacy for the sake of Palestine, the holy city of Jerusalem, and its holy sites.
He pointed out that Shireen Abu Aqleh loved media and had a sublime message relevant to conveying human pain and hopes through sound and image. Fr. Bader said: “She not only conveyed the pleasant news of the people, but also the tragic news, the calamities, and the tribulations that the Palestinian people are experiencing under the occupation.” He also paid tribute to her love for humanity, for when she was martyred the entire Palestinian people alongside the Jordanian people and every honorable person pleaded that eternal rest be granted unto her, and making her a new symbol of the nonviolent struggle, namely the struggle of word and image.
In the name of the Church, the Latin Patriarchate, and the CCSM, Fr. Rif’at Bader conveyed condolences to the family of Shireen Abu Aqleh, her relatives and all those present at the Mass. He said, “The blood of Shireen is very dear and it was shed on the holy Palestinian land. As the fathers of the Church said in the early centuries of Christianity, when Christians were persecuted: ‘The blood of the martyrs is the seed of faith’, it is hoped that the innocent blood of Shireen will motivate the international community and every human being who loves Palestine and cherishes its holy sites to move forward for the sake of peace, tranquility, and the independence for the Palestinian people.”
By Munir Bayouk/ en.abouna.org
