By Karen Vance
Enquirer contributor

Lori Strauss works at Vine Books and Music in the Vineyard Community Church near Tri-County Mall. She and others heard of Saddam Hussein's capture at church.

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"People were amazed. They're relieved, and they're happy," she said. "I would think it's going to help things a lot. There's relief that he's not going to just show up again."

Most churches concentrated on rejoicing and preparation on the third Sunday of Advent. But many priests and ministers mentioned it in their announcements.

Dean James A. Diamond of Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) downtown said his message was two-fold.

"I said, 'Thanks be to God and congratulations to the military and the people responsible for his capture,'" he said. "At the same time, as Christians, we are taught to pray for those who wish us harm, and even though it is difficult, we should pray for him and for reconciliation."

Father Dennis Jaspers of All Saints Catholic Church said he added a few lines to his homily saying Hussein's capture was another cause for rejoicing.

"The liturgy tells us to rejoice, and we are citizens of the world community as well as citizens of the Christian community. We can find joy in the relief to the Iraqi people and the world," he said.

Muslims and Jews in Greater Cincinnati, who do not hold services on Sundays, watched news of the capture with close interest.

"I expected it, because sooner or later, they were going to find him. I'm pleased because there was no fight. That's sort of a relief that nobody was killed, and he was still captured," said Mohammed Matlib, a member of the Clifton Mosque.

But he worries about whether pro-Saddam fighters will retaliate against coalition forces and people in Iraq and whether a trial will drag things out too long.

"It has to be handled very delicately and very well, to satisfy the people in Iraq, in the Middle East and in the World," he said.

In Silverton, Diane Kabakoff's daughter woke her Sunday morning to share the news. Diane's husband, Maj. Alan Kabakoff is a Silverton police officer and a reservist serving as an MP in the Middle East. The family attends Adath Israel in Amberley Village.

"We're very excited. This is great," Diane Kabakoff said. "I don't think it's over, but I think it's a good stepping stone toward ending this. There's still a lot of work for the troops to do."

Robert Mendelsohn, who lives in Symmes Township and attends Ohav Shalom, said: "I think it's great that we captured him. I'm surprised we did. I didn't think we would, especially not alive."

Pastor Rousseau O'Neal, of Rockdale Baptist Church, said he and other church clergy discussed the capture but decided to preach about it next Sunday, to give them time to meditate on the subject as well as to have a larger crowd.

"My prayer is for our young men and women that are over in the region. Hopefully, they're safer now," O'Neil said. "And I pray for swift judgment of Saddam by those victims of his atrocities."

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E-mail kvance@fuse.net