THURSDAYDECEMBER 24, 2015
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SPORTY CROSSOVER
RESCUED SEAL RECOVERING
Read about the latest model in today’s Driveway section
Pup was spotted in Nanoose Bay, then in Parksville, with net around neck
B5
A3
EFFORT STEERED BY CHURCHES
Refugees on the way Local Catholic parish raises $14K in four days CANDACE WU news@pqbnews.com
Parksville’s Church of Ascension is trying to raise $40,000 to sponsor a refugee family from Syria or Iraq. Since Sunday, Father Karam Alraban said parish members have “generously” donated $13,900. The money will help cover the costs of daily life for the refugee family, including clothing, food and rent for one year in Parksville. Alraban said the process is expected to take about six months. He said the Catholic church, which has an 800-family membership, has warmly embraced the idea of sponsoring a refugee family. For Alraban, the project hits close to home. “I am an example of being a refugee,” he told The NEWS on Wednesday. Alraban was born in Bagdad, Iraq and ordained as a priest in 2011 in the Syriac Catholic Rite. He was targeted in Iraq and fled to Canada in 2014. He received convention refugee status in Canada and was incarnated into the diocese of Victoria. He said he “understands” what it’s like to not be able to pray in your church and to be treated like a fourth class citizen in society. “There is a long-standing history of the persecution of Christians in the Middle East,” he said. “They are facing violence and the are victims... There is no country in the Middle East that will accept them.” Alraban called this “a grand opportunity” to make a difference in the lives of people with no prospects and little hope. He has formed an eight-member refuge sponsorship committee. See PROVINCE, page A4
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PETER MCCULLY PHOTO
MERRY CHRISTMAS: Above is the manger scene as depicted by the actors and stage crew of the Bethlehem Walk this year at Parksville Fellowship Baptist Church. From right to left are Tim Charbonneau, Alex Stickel, Jordan and Krista Fleuressaint and baby Amaya. See page 3 for a story about the Bethlehem Walk and visit our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/PQBNews, for more photos.
INSIDE TODAY AND IN THE NEXT THREE EDITIONS
Time to reflect on 2015 JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
Remember the debate over the distribution of marijuana-based products at a shop in downtown Parksville? How about the Island Corridor Foundation suing Regional District of Nanaimo director Julian Fell? Then there was outgoing MP James Lunney saying “militant atheists” were be-
hind the attacks on Christian pollticians like himself. How about the drought and water restrictions of the summer? And there was some kind of election in the fall, wasn’t there? It’s time to reflect on the year that was 2015. Inside today, starting on Page 5, and continuing in our next three editions. The NEWS presents
2015 — Year in Review. Our staff has been looking at the 104 newspapers we produced in 2015 and pulling out some of the news highlights and photographs, which will be presented in the next few editions. We would like to wish all of our readers and advertisers a Merry Christmas, a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year.
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Merry Christmas And A Very Happy New Year!
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