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AMMAN, Jordan – Seen as allies of the West, Christians and their institutions have become targets of extremist Islamic groups in Iraq, say Iraqi Christians. “Christians are facing a big problem in Iraq. Maybe all Iraqis are facing big problems, but I am talking about the Christians now,” said Ra’ed Bahou, the Pontifical Mission for Palestine’s regional director for Jordan and Iraq. Saddam Hussein’s regime – no matter how cruel and despotic – kept the lid on any sectarian violence, said one Iraqi Catholic refugee in Jordan, who asked that his name not be used. He said Saddam, a secular leader, was especially good for Christians, as long as they stayed out of the way. “Saddam (controlled) everything. Nobody could say anything bad especially (about) us Christians,” he said. “Christians in the Middle East are very good people. We are peace-loving people.” Another refugee said that after years of living in fear and daily bombings many Iraqi Christians felt they were actually safer with Saddam.

On Sunday we were preparing to welcome some 850 new Catholics to the Church when the weather turned nasty: we canceled the ceremonies, which normally are events of great joy. The sanctuary overflows with the participants, each full of anticipation. They look forward to Easter and being received into full communion at the Easter Vigil. The Rite of Election marks the beginning of the final, more intense phase of their preparation. Based on the testimony of godparents, sponsors and catechists, the Church “elects” the catechumens and candidates to continue the journey of faith toward full communion. This election by the Church is founded on the election of these individuals by God who acts in and through the Church. You should rejoice with me that the Church continues to grow! The numbers indicate that our priests and RCIA teams are hard at work: there are 269 new catechumens (those seeking Baptism) and 581 candidates (those already baptized Christian), the largest number since 2004.

JERUSALEM – Catholic biblical scholars and an Israeli archaeologist rejected filmmakers’ claim that a tomb uncovered nearly 30 years ago in Jerusalem is the burial site of Jesus and his family. Dominican Father Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, a biblical archaeologist and expert in the New Testament at the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem who was interviewed for the film two years ago, said he did not believe there was any truth to the claim. “It is a commercial ploy that all the media is playing into,” he told Catholic News Service Feb. 27.

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Long before Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Chris Capuano reported to spring training this year he was doing his homework, working out and preparing for what he hopes will be another All-Star season. Mr. Capuano has always done his homework. The words hard worker and intelligent are used all the time to describe the 1996 valedictorian of Cathedral High School in Springfield. In an interview in his family home, the left-handed pitcher agreed that he is focused and driven.

All season long, top-ranked Towson Catholic High School, Towson, focused on teamwork. It was a challenge for boys’ basketball head coach Josh Pratt, who had the tough job of balancing superstar-quality athletes with the greater good of a promising season, but he found a way to make it happen. “What can I say,” said Coach Pratt. “We’ve just preached togetherness all season long and the kids have really responded.”

It was a game that will go down as one of the most exciting, well-played contests in the history of the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland. Delayed a week by the slippery conditions that plagued the area, the IAAM basketball tournament finally got underway Feb. 20. Where the premier A Conference was concerned, all eyes were on the top four all-metro prep teams: St. Frances Academy (23-4), Towson Catholic (18-6), Seton Keough (21-5) and McDonogh School (21-5).