March 22 – September 7, 2025
Migneault Gallery
Separated by 2,781 miles and on two different continents, Iraqi and Nigerian Christians share similar stories of persecution. From 2014-2018, portions of Northern Iraq were under the control of the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and many religious minorities, including Christians, experienced persecution and violence from them. In the northern and central portions of Nigeria, violence towards Christians and other minority groups has increased in recent years at the hands of Boko Haram and other groups.
While the persecuted of Iraq and Nigeria share similar struggles, they also share a similar story of perseverance, unwavering faith, and determination to maintain their beliefs and way of life. The Blessed Michael McGivney Pilgrimage Center is honored to share the stories of those displaced through this collection of photographs of Iraq and Nigeria by Stephen Rasche for this exhibit, Among the Displaced. The Knights of Columbus has sponsored some of Rasche’s work in Iraq and Nigeria, bringing to light the atrocities inflicted on those persecuted for their faith.
About the Photographer
In 2014, American Catholic lawyer Stephen Rasche took the role of Legal Counsel and Coordinator for displaced persons for the Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil, which was largely responsible for the care of homeless Christians who had fled their homes in Nineveh Governorate. For four years, Rasche lived and worked in service to the displaced Iraqi Christians. Beginning in 2020, Rasche extended the scope of his work to include visits in Nigeria, helping support Catholic run healthcare, education, and Catechetical teaching among the displaced.
Rasche, who is a member of the Knights of Columbus, currently serves as Director of the Institute for Catholic Humanitarian Service at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. He is also a Senior Fellow for International Policy at the Religious Freedom Institute in Washington D.C., a contributing scholar at the Kukah Centre in Abuja, Nigeria, and a lay advisor with the National Catholic Secretariat in Nigeria working in multiple dioceses throughout the country. In Iraq, Rasche continues to serve as counsel to the Archdiocese of Erbil and as senior advisor to the Catholic University in Erbil.