ROCKFORD—“Is there any tabbouleh? I remember tabbouleh.”

Bishop David Malloy’s gentle teasing of the Syrians who had gathered with the staff of the Refugee Resettlement Office got them chuckling as they answered that no one had made the often-served vegetarian dish of tomatoes, parsley, mint, bulgur and onion.

But the multi-cultural potluck lunch on Oct. 19 did include a number of delicious dishes from Yugoslavia, Vietnam and elsewhere in addition to some from Syria. It provided an enjoyable setting for Bishop Malloy’s wish to meet Syrian families who have arrived in Illinois over the past few months.

Having served the Vatican in Dimashq (Damascus) for a year in 1995, the bishop told the gathering that he has watched the stories about the Syrian war and added, “I am very happy that we can help some (of you).” He told them that his experience in Syria as a Christian those 20 years ago was that all the different faiths got along and said that it is very sad to see the problems now.

“How much I loved my time in Syria, the people in Syria,” he said.

Meeting a multi-generational family from Dimashq that had arrived in Rockford only five days prior, Bishop Malloy chatted with them about the squares and streets and the old part of town. Besides mutually-familiar locations, the conversation between this Catholic bishop and the Muslim refugees included their former careers. One had been an electrical engineer, a couple were teachers, and the little group also included a small business owner, an accountant, a barber, a carpenter, a restauranteur and two youngsters who aspire to become a soccer player and a doctor.

“I’m particularly happy to have the children here,” the bishop said. “What we (all) want to do is to build a better future for those coming afterwards.”

Bishop Malloy gave each of the Syrian adults a holy card picture of Pope Francis. He said that when he met the pope two weeks ago in Philadelphia, he told the Holy Father that the Rockford Diocese had welcomed a few Syrians. Pope Francis, he said, gave him the cards to pass along to them.

Please pray for the pope, Bishop Malloy said, and the refugees solemnly nodded.

When he asked the families if there was a particular incident that prompted their migration, they agreed that they all left for the same reason: the war. One explained that he had lost his job, lost his home and felt unsafe. Even in cities and towns where the war is not raging, the impact is felt, they said.

The bishop noted he had read that the house he had lived in had been struck by a missile, “and that was an embassy.”

One woman shyly admitted she had studied French for four years, so Bishop Malloy began speaking to her in French. Obviously nervous, the woman said through the interpreter that she understood what he said, but couldn’t remember enough words to respond. The bishop noted that he had used French a lot in Syria, “because Arabic is too difficult.”

When the bishop asked if they thought they were ready for the upcoming winter, Ahmad Yousef mentioned he had a coat. Oh, you’ll need much more than that, he was told by the more seasoned refugee staff. Bishop Malloy spread his hands to explain “this much” snow, adding there would be more to follow. Another man said that in his hometown of Hama, they could see four seasons in one day, and the bishop shared he had seen snow in Dimashq once during his stay.

Before he left the gathering, Hiba Aldoori, a refugee office interpreter from Iraq, asked for Bishop Malloy’s blessing, which he promptly provided.

It was the first time that Hiba, a Muslim, had met Bishop Malloy. Talking later with Patrick Winn, director of Catholic Charities, she said that her reaction to meeting the bishop was simply: “He is a man of peace.”