A New Age of Martyrs?
A few centuries back when the Catholic Church enjoyed (suffered?) tremendous power, that power was frequently misused and abused. Those desiring to push the anti-Catholic agenda are quick to draw historic images of the Crusades, the Inquisition, and even the obvious wealth of the Church today, a wealth that is most obvious in buildings and real estate, which frequently are far more of a liability than an asset.
Putting all that aside, however, it is necessary that Christians should become more sensitive to the fact that they are an oppressed people, not in the West, but across much of the globe. The Catholic relief agency (Aid to the Church in Need) estimates that 150,000 Christians die for their faith every year in locales ranging from the Middle East to Southeast Asia to sub-Sahara Africa and parts of Latin America. This means that every hour of every day roughly 17 Christians are killed somewhere in the world either out of hatred for the faith or hatred for works of charity and justice that their faith compels them to perform.
Look at Iraq for example. Prior to the first Gulf War, there were more than 2 million Christians in Iraq, the vast majority being Roman Catholic while today, there are between three and four hundred thousand. This is a tragic loss on the world scene and no one seems to be paying much attention to it.
Catholics should endeavor to ease up on their inner family conflicts between liberals and conservatives, and rekindle the missionary thrust that is so much a part of its essential nature. Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. Yes, that is true. But his coming greatly depends on the missionary element of his Church.
Bible
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Asia, Catholic Church, Christians, death, Iraq, killed, Latin America, Martyrs, Middle East, Roman Catholic, sacrifice
Themocracy
This is a problem that is rarely discussed in the media. I didn’t know that the numbers were so high!
In our free United States, it is easy to forget that not everyone has the freedom of religion.
-Scott (an Emmaus of Lakeway parishioner and friend of Monsignor McCabe before he passed).
Thanks for your kindness to Msg. McCabe- he is still watching us.