06/29/2019 Afghanistan (International Christian Concern) – Today marks the seventh-round of talks between the U.S. and Afghanistan with the goal of bringing the 18-year war to an end. The only Catholic parish in Afghanistan has requested prayer for these talks, that peace may finally come to their country. Prayer was offered during the Sacred Heart of Jesus celebration on Friday, a day designated for remembrance of Christ’s compassion towards humanity and filled with prayer of healing for brokenness.
Father Giovanni Scalese, who is responsible for the church in Afghanistan, told Fides that, “Afghanistan being a Muslim country is irrelevant… The contribution that the small Christian community can give to peace and the reconstruction of this country is limited, even if the signs of its presence in this land are significant: the service to the poorest among the poor, assistance to the needy and education concerning the less fortunate. But in addition to humanitarian objectives, the Christian community has a secret weapon that can give unimaginable effects: prayer.”
There are only about 100 people attending the Catholic parish in Kabul. The church has a special mission to facilitate the spread of the Gospel message. As a Muslim country where extreme violence has become normalized, it is extremely challenging for Christianity to flourish. They constitute less than 0.3% of the population and often are forced to worship in private.
