CWN - The head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Holy See, has called for the formation of a “Chaldean League” to unite Catholic laity in a fragmented Iraqi society.

“Our presence in society is weak, fragmented in the field of politics, culture, social action,” Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako told the Fides news agency. “A ‘Chaldean League’ can help us give a more concrete and effective contribution to the civic life of our country.”

“The image I have is that of an elite group of lay people -- professionals, intellectuals, experts, people who have roles in public life -- that make the civilian and humanitarian contribution of the Chaldeans more effective and visible at the service of the whole society, to build bridges between Christians and with all Iraqis, not just at a religious and spiritual level, but also at a social and civil level,” he added.