Mass Of Solidarity: Spread the Word

There will be a Mass of Solidarity with the persecuted Christians of Iraq in St Teresa's Carmelite Church, Clarendon Street, Dublin, on Monday 18th August at 5.30pm. All are welcome. Spread the word.

A statement from the Iona Institute:

A Mass of Solidarity with the persecuted Christians and other religious minorities of Iraq will take place at 5.30pm this coming Monday (August 18) in St Teresa’s on Clarendon Street, Dublin 2.

What is currently unfolding in northern Iraq is one of the worst examples of religious persecution in many years. The Islamic State has driven tens of thousands of Christians and Yazidis from their homes. Many have been killed.

Christianity has existed in Iraq since before it arrived in Ireland. The Christians of Iraq are the descendants of the Assyrians, the pre-Arabic people of the region.

The persecution of Christians is now worse and more widespread than at any point in the history of Christianity. Christians and other religious minorities are being subjected to varying degrees of persecution in almost half of Africa and most of Asia.

The Mass on Monday will be an opportunity to show of solidarity with the Yazidis and with our suffering fellow Christian believers in Iraq.

Please spread the word so as many people will attend as possible.

There may be a collection for Aid to the Church in Need after Mass. 

A Just War?

There are many today who question the concept of the Just War, and some who dismiss it altogether. In theology circles sometimes the subject will come up and people will wonder if it is possible to have a Just War now given the advances we have made in technology and international relations. And then there are pacifists who say war is never just and never right and should never be contemplated. I often wonder what the solution to situations like Nazi invasions is then: do we just sit back and allow ourselves be invaded and killed? Do we allow innocent people be killed?  I have never heard a pacifist give a convincing answer to those questions, some of them seem very idealistic and think every problem can be solved by dialogue and cooperation and the elimination of social equality. 

Lest I seem anti-pacifist, I'm not, the above solution is the actually best in many if not most situations. Jumping on the tank all guns blazing should never be the first response to a crisis, nor any response. However there are times when the good and moral have no choice but to engage in conflict for the greater good. Making such a decision is agonizing (or at least it should be) and must be the fruit of much deliberation, discernment and prayer, and must be subject to law, reason, prudence and proportionality.

We are now in a situation where we may well need to consider if it is time for a Just War. This is the issue the editorial team at The Catholic Herald is considering today, and it has come to the conclusion that humanitarian aid and the US's limited airstrikes are not enough. The IS group is still making inroads in Iraq and Syria and its members are literally butchering the defenceless people they meet as they wage their campaign to establish a new empire for Islam. Perhaps many are not aware of what is actually happening on the ground. The media has concentrated on the plight of the Yazidis and mostly ignored the massacre of Christians. Initially claiming that tens of thousands of Yazidis were running in fear of their lives, they have now realised, as indicated at the start, there are about 4,000-5,000 Yazidis. There are, however, tens of thousands of Christians who are also running in fear of their lives, and a large number, perhaps well over a couple of thousand if not more, have already been executed by IS for refusing to convert to Islam - children among them. How do we respond to this? Or do we respond at all?

"Am I my brother's keeper", Cain asked God after he had killed his brother Abel and hid the body. Do we have a responsibility for our fellow men and women?  As we know we have the right, indeed the duty, to defend ourselves, do we also have the duty to defend others, particularly those who cannot defend themselves? And do we have the duty to defend the defenceless even if it means we may well end up losing our own lives? President Barack Obama has stated that he will not send US troops into Iraq - not one American soldier will die in this conflict.  Fair enough, he wants to protect his citizens, but how far do you go to do that? Does one close ones borders and let hell reign over the earth and let the innocent be massacred while all are tucked up safe in bed at home? Are we our brothers and sisters' keepers? I think today's feast may have the answer to that: St Maximilian went to the defence of a defenceless man knowing that it would cost him his life. The Jews have a saying from their writings: "To save one life is to save the world entire", and Jesus our Saviour says, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend".

So what do we do now? The US has said it will do no more; the EU has its head stuck in the sand; the Arab League will not fight against its own. The UN might pass a resolution or two in the safety of New York or Geneva. Is there a case for a Just War, and if so, who goes? What are the dangers? Will action end up in a global war were militant Muslims perceive an attack against Islam and rally the troops all over the world to fight? Such questions need to be considered. Some fearing such a conflict may well prefer to allow the Christians of the Middle East, and other non-Muslim minorities, perish rather than continence what could be World War III. After all, they are over there, why bring it over here if we can keep it there? But can we be so sure that it will stay there?  And can we stand by and let innocent men, women and children be slaughtered? Hard questions have to be asked, action is necessary, but when is the "international community" (if it still exists) going to do something?

As we are pondering all this, breaking news: IS has released its projections for the next five years.

A Christian Holocaust

Are they coming to a town near you? Or are they already there?

The last few weeks have been awful for Christians the world over as we look helplessly on what is happening to our brothers and sisters in the faith in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. The self-styled "Islamic State" group have been slashing their way through Christian villages, homes and churches, forcing people to flee for their lives, stealing their belongings and presenting the ultimate ultimatum to those unable to get away from them: convert or die.  This is a Christian holocaust. And it has been happening for the last number of months.

There has been a response from the west, the US has sent the air-force in to hamper IS's progress towards Kurdish territory and some supplies are being dropped to thousands of refugees, the UK air-force is assisting in this. While supplies are needed, these military actions will not stop IS: the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church has expressed his disappointment with the anemic response from the west.  When you listen to the news, certainly here in Ireland, the emphasis is on the unfortunate Yazidis and the humanitarian crisis facing them, the massacre of Christians for the last number of months is hardly referred to, so much so that many do not even know Christians are being obliterated. 

But of course those who see the reality of the problem know that we are now facing the most serious problem with militant Islam in recent times.  With the west's head firmly stuck in the sand, and with such a late and paltry response, one which may well convince these militants that the west is fast asleep, there is a danger that this radical group's progress will not be hampered. One of the problems the west may not have thought about is the real possibility that radicalized Muslims around the world, seeing the effectiveness of this group, may well rally to IS's cause. IS has already proclaimed a Caliphate, the dream of so many radical Muslims, particularly young disillusioned ones, and though it may sound silly and anachronistic to us, it may not to young men ambitious to turn the world into the realm of Islam.  So far, I have been told, IS controls an area as large as Great Britain.

And lest we think this progress is confined to the Middle East, we have to remember that IS has its sights set on Europe and eventually the US. They have to reestablish Istanbul as their city - members of the group have already said they are planning a campaign to take Istanbul, and after that undo the defeat at Vienna. If they were to seek to invade in the usual way they may not achieve those aims - people have said that the west's military ability will be well able to stop them. But how will the west stop members of IS already present in Europe and the Americas who wage a guerrilla war as the first stage of an invasion campaign? Lest we fool ourselves it is sobering to remember that IS flags have been seen at pro-Palestinian marches in recent weeks.

That said, the appalling truth is that the west, the US, EU, UN, have stood by as thousands of Christians in Iraq have been forced out of their land, many of them executed in a most brutal way. It seems from this lack of response that when Christians are being killed it is of no interest to the secular governments of the "free world", however, when a group like the Yazidis are in danger, then it is okay to come to their rescue, that is acceptable. And I am sad to say leadership in the Catholic Church has been no better: pious words, calls for peace and an envoy will not achieve much; they will not stop IS terrorists hacking the head off another Christian child.

The Yazidi are getting the help they need, thank God for that. On Mount Sinjar supplies are being distributed and journalists are crawling around like ants. But in the refugee camps outside Ibril where Christians are taking refuge, people are starting to die. As one person working there tweeted to me a couple of days ago, they need so much and are getting so little, no one seems interested.

I note with some chagrin that our government here in Ireland has said next to nothing. The Americans may complain about their President off playing golf on his holidays, at least he sent the air-force in and yes, more needs to be done. But our lot here are doing nothing. Our Senate was recalled a few weeks ago to give Senators an opportunity to condemn Israel in the conflict with Gaza. No sign of any of them being recalled to propose and consider what to do to assist Christian men, women and children in Iraq who are facing annihilation. Alas they will not, there are no votes in it, and after all, what are martyred Christians in comparison with an American Country singer?

"Crucified Again"

Here in Ireland not a day passes without someone in the media attacking the Catholic Church or Christian teaching. When I used to get The Irish Times I could always be sure that there would be at least one letter most days in the letters page denouncing the Catholic faith.  Things have got to the stage now where the media and our critics do not even bother to pretend to be objective or fair, they just pander their prejudices as if they were normal, good and true. As one Catholic involved in media told me during the weekend, now programme makers no longer call on orthodox Christians to balance out their discussions, they regard them as bigots and deem it right to exclude them from public discourse. Strangely in the last decade those of us who seek to remain Christian and practice our faith have got used to being the pariah in Irish society.

This antipathy against Christianity has grown in a climate where most Christians on this island have become apathetic about the faith. There are many reasons for this, and one of them has to be the failure of the Church in Ireland to catechize properly; the withdrawal of Church leaders to the trenches and the surrendering to fear of preaching the Gospel as Christ taught it lest it offend: such actions leading people to think that perhaps the professional Christians do not believe the very Gospel they are supposed to be teaching, so why should anyone? 

Why this reflection - you have heard it from me before? Well, it comes to mind as I reflect on what is happening to our brothers and sisters in the faith in the Middle East. Fr Z wrote a most disturbing piece yesterday revealing the true horror being brought down on the heads of Catholics and other Christians by Muslims in Iraq, Syria and now Lebanon. I would recommend you read it, but be prepared. When you see what other Christians are enduring for the sake of Jesus Christ and the faith it makes you ashamed to see how casual our approach to our faith is. 

In the face of what we have done to Christianity, our failures to stand up for it, live it, indeed in the face of our rebellion against its teachings, Christian men, women and children are being crucified in the streets. They are being beheaded, mutilated, shot because they will not renounce Christ. 

I find more Christianity in their refusal to dialogue, in their profession of the Gospel in the shedding of their blood than I do in all the pastoral talk which dominates Church life in this country and in the west. There are no trenches for the Christians living under the sword of Islam. What would they make of our public embarrassment of Christian teaching? What would they think of Catholics who regularly attack the faith, belittle its faithful pastors and religious, or shrug their shoulders when called to embrace Christ because we are all going to heaven anyway? Well, we have forgotten that heaven is hard won: the Christians of the Middle East are winning it by their agonizing deaths, we cannot expect to get it with our presumption, our fear or our apathy.

And in the face of this suffering we remain silent. Most of those in the upper echelons of the Church remain silent. There is something rotten in the Church today, something wrong. I think the only ones who are getting it right are those who today hang from their crosses on the streets of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. God help us should we ever face them in eternity. What has happened to St John Paul's New Evangelisation? Where is the courage he displayed in the face of fear and persecution? Is it really the case, as someone said to me, that we now need to face a persecution to force us to realize what really matters, to blow us out of our apathy? I hope not. 

Christ is being crucified again. 

Persecution In The Middle East

As the world focuses its attention on Gaza, there is another atrocity happening in Mosul and Iraq. As you all know our Christian brothers and sisters are being persecuted - told to convert, pay the dhimmi tax, flee or die. On Christian homes the Arabic letter "n" is being scrawled to show that "Nazarenes" - followers of the Nazarene, live within. It reminds me of the scrawling of the Star of David on the homes and properties of the Jews in the 1930s. The Archbishop of Mosul said a short time ago that his diocese no longer exists.

No doubt you are praying for our Christian brothers and sisters. So far they have shown great courage and have refused to convert to Islam, remaining true to Christ. And of course we pray for peace in the Middle East - for an end to hostilities. The Israel defensive (media call it an offensive, but in reality it is a response to thousands of missiles routinely fired into Israel every week from Palestine, albeit a ferocious response) has led to the deaths of numerous Palestinians - many children among them. Some sources maintain that children and women are used by Palestinian combatants as human shields, and if that is true it is despicable. Israel herself lives under daily threat of annihilation - Hamas has as its declared aim that the Jews and Israel be wiped out. So there is plenty of fuel on both sides to keep this conflict going. And in the middle of all this are Christians.

Today is the feast of St Lawrence of Brindisi, Capuchin priest and Doctor of the Church. Lawrence, among many other ministries, was an army chaplain and he led the Christian armies against the invading Muslim Turks at the battle of Székesfehérvár, Hungary, in 1601 - it was one of the notable battles which saved Christian Europe. Armed only with the crucifix he ran out into battlefield. May this courageous saint, preacher of the Word of God, defender of Christians, intercede for our suffering brothers and sisters in the Middle East in these difficult times. Through his intercession may we have peace and may the Archbishop of Mosul return to his diocese with his flock to continue living the Christian faith which has been lived in that part of world since early times.

Meriam Charged Again

The story of Sudanese Catholic Meriam Ibrahim has taken another twist as the authorities have now charged her again, this time with document fraud. Authorities have claimed that her travel documents have been falsified: because she uses her Christian name rather than the Muslim name she had when a child, the authorities claim this is fraud. It may well have been lack of prudence on her part, but these charges seem as ridiculous as the original ones which saw her condemned to death. She will not be permitted to leave Sudan and will probably face trial again. She's out on bail for now.

The authorities in the Sudan are determined to get this woman one way or another and it seems to me, and to many others, that the source of their animosity is her being a Christian. The extreme Islamic regime in Sudan will not permit freedom when it comes to religion, and certainly not to those Muslims who hear the call of Christ and seek to enter into his Church. Meriam's story is just another example of what many Christians are suffering in many parts of the world. 

Let us continue to remember her in our prayers. For us in countries where many Catholics drift through their lives barely acknowledging what Christ has done for them, Meriam's faithful witness to the Lord and his Gospel is a wake up call. 

Meriam Arrested Again

Just hours after she was released, Catholic woman Meriam Ibrahim has been arrested again, this time with her husband and their children, son Martin, 21 months, and month old daughter Maya, born in prison. The family had been waiting at Khartoum airport for a flight out of Sudan. According to reports the family were taken into custody by forty National Intelligence and Security Service agents, dubbed the "Agents of Fear".

As you know Meriam was condemned to death by a court in Sudan having being found guilty of apostasy and adultery. Meriam's father was Muslim, and even though she was baptised and brought up as an Orthodox Christian, under Islamic law she is considered a Muslim and so she is considered an apostate. For marrying a non-Muslim man, she is considered an adulteress. Meriam entered the Catholic Church prior to her marriage to American Daniel Wani.

No reason has been given for the family's arrest. Let us pray for this poor woman, our sister in faith, who has given tremendous witness to her Catholic faith. Whatever is going on, let ask Our Lady to assist this family and ensure that they can get out of Sudan and back safely to the US. We should also invoke St Josephine Bakhita, Sudan's Saint.

Following this story over the last number of months I am puzzled by one thing: why the silence from the White House? Given Barack Obama's concern for human rights, why has he and his wife, also well known for her activism, particularly in area of women's rights, said nothing? See Fr Longenecker for some thoughts on this one. I presume now that an American citizen has been taken into custody someone in Washington will have to do something.

UPDATE: News is coming through that Meriam, Daniel and their children have been released. Let's pray that they will be free to leave the Sudan as soon as possible. A prayer of thanksgiving to Our Lady and St Josephine, and continued petition for their safe exodus.

Crucifixions In Egypt

Shocking news coming through from Egypt: from what I see members of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood, or their supporters, have started crucifying their opponents - and I do not mean in a metaphorical sense.  A number of those who oppose the new president of Egypt were stripped naked and crucified in front of the presidential palace.  It seems the so-called "Arab Spring" is turning sour as the push for democracy seems to be turning into a persecution for those who do not support the new administration. 

Concerns are growing for Christians in Egypt - the Copts, but also Catholics and other Christians, is it possible that the Muslim Brotherhood will start a persecution against them: will our Christian brothers and sisters be crucified alongside the new administration's political opponents.  Time for prayer. 

So far I see only Christian news channels are reporting this, the mainstream media have not given any indication that this is happening, so we need to have these stories confirmed. 

Denial: A Swamp In Ireland...?

It is a fact that persecutors never consider themselves persecutors - their campaign against a certain group makes utter sense to them, and if people are complaining or objection, then they are just creating trouble.  We know this attitude to be "denial", and it seems The Irish Times is in denial when it comes to the fact of aggressive secularism and its mission to exorcise religion from society.

David Quinn takes the paper to task in his column in The Irish Catholic.  It is a must read.  Living in Ireland in these times we meet this denial every day.  Catholics can be treated badly, made fun of, attacked in the media, and yet the media and some public representatives cannot actually see that they are being prejudiced.

On Tuesday night, as I was coming back from our Film Club, I was listening to Marc Coleman on Newstalk.  He is a fine broadcaster, one of the fairest in Ireland.  At one point he raised the issue of prejudice against Catholics, citing some of the points David Quinn makes in his article above.  The reaction was most interesting: his guests were taken aback that such treatment of the Church was unjust or prejudiced; after all, they said, the Church abused children and the Vatican covered it all up. 

Coleman did his best to explore their reaction, but it was obvious the anti-Catholic prejudice was so deep his guests could not see that there was anything wrong.   The old anti-Catholic myths are well engrained, and thanks to the growth in aggressive secularism in Ireland (and, I suspect, knee jerk reactions against the Church's moral teachings - many Irish are now happily contracepting, cohabiting, aborting).  They are desperate to believe that all evil is now found in the Catholic Church, they will not listen to anything that contradicts their prejudice or might shake them out of their denial.

It seems denial is not merely a river in Egypt, but a swamp in Ireland.

Youcef Nadarkhani, his wife and children

In related news I see that the Iranian pastor convicted of apostasy from Islam (though he was never formally a Muslim, just from a Muslim background) is due to be executed quickly.   Youcef Nadarkhani was arrested in 2009, tried and convicted: his appeal was lost.  He was offered a chance to recant his Christian faith three times in order to save his life: he refused.  The order for his execution has been signed.

God grant him strength.  Please remember him, his wife and their two children in your prayers.  Martyrdom is glorious and brings an eternal reward, but it is difficult and the sorrow of loss is no less painful.  May the Lord grant him and his family the graces they need at this time.  If he is to shed his blood, may it bring about the conversion of those who killed him and of the whole of Iran.   There is no better "revenge" than to see one's enemies come to embrace Christ and be reconciled with those they have oppressed.

And here's something we all knew for some time.  Evidence of sex-selection abortions is coming to light and SPUC are trying to lobby David Cameron's government in the UK to cut its ties with private abortion providers.  Sex-selective abortions are the norm in China - with the one child only policy, many couples, when they discover they are expecting a girl, abort the child in the hope of having a boy next time.  This has led to a serious gender imbalance in China. 

Elective abortions tend to sex-based, and it is females who are being killed.  That is the ultimate irony: the radical feminists want abortion for the sake of their "liberation", yet it is females who comprise the larger number of those "terminated" - there's liberation for you!  If this continues we may not have to worry about feminism at all - women will end up as a minority gender, as in China, and guess what, we might just see the return of the old monster, Inequality. 

The same is true of black people: in the US the majority of those who are aborted are Afro-American - indeed 60% of Planned Parenthood clinics in the US are situated in Afro-American neighbourhoods even though Afro-Americans only make up 12.2% of the population - doesn't add up, or does it?  We might need to consult Margaret Sanger to understand that one. 

By the way I am told that, given demographic changes, the population of Afro-Americans in the US should be 16% by now, but it seems since Roe v Wade, the expected 3% never made it.    The Rev. Martin Luther King must be turning in his grave: I do not think this is the dream he was talking about - rather it seems to be a nightmare.

And to end on an upbeat note.  Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury is issuing a Lenten pastoral letter on Sunday in which he will deal with the reality of hell.  Bishop Davies is one of the more remarkable bishops in England and a wonderful teacher and defender of the faith.  In fact I think he may well be tipped for Westminster: he would make a fine Archbishop and Cardinal.

Hell is one of the "no-no" topics when it comes to homilies: I remember greeting a delegation seven months into my first appointment in Drogheda: the concerned delegation consisted of one man who felt he represented the whole parish.  The gentleman wanted to point out how dreadful a priest I was because I was always preaching about hell.  In the seven months I had only mentioned it once or twice, and then only in passing but it was enough to send this man over the edge.  I took note of his objections, and resolved to preach a full homily on hell the next time it popped up in the readings, which I did.  He was not impressed. 

I'd say there will be many who will not be impressed with Bishop Davies's letter, but thank God for his forthrightness in teaching the fullness of the faith.  Thanks to the prevalence of "therapeutic Catholicism", many people cannot accept that there is always a possibility that we may not make it to heaven: that we have to take personal responsibility for our lives in order to avoid damnation.  That's not being negative, it's just being real.

We are living in interesting times.  The new translation is bringing back reverence to the Mass, the HHS mandate in the US is uniting bishops and reminding Catholics of the inherent sinfulness of contraception, abortion and sterilization, and an English bishop is preaching the fullness of the faith: these may well be signs that the reform has started.  "From your lips to God's ears" as my friend Pat in New York would say: Amen!

New Martyrs

Today is the feast of our first martyr, St Stephen, and as we honour him and his sacrifice, we also remember all of those who have followed in his steps - all the martyrs of the Church.

As we were celebrating yesterday we heard the tragic news of the murder of many Christians in Nigeria by Muslims.   A Catholic Church, St Teresa's, was bombed as Christmas Day Mass was being offered - what an awful thing to do on one of the holiest days of the Christian year.

Our first reaction, being human, is anger.  How could they murder innocent people as they worship their God, these same people who come to Christian countries and demand that we respect their religious views, expect permission for their mosques to be constructed?   As their coreligionists massacre members of our faith on a daily basis, particularly in countries like Pakistan which receives millions of Euro each in aid from Christian agencies, should we not finally react?

Well, the example of St Stephen answers that question: we forgive, we pray for those who persecute us, we extend, even though it may cost us, the hand of friendship and reconciliation.  Of course we recognise that these killers do not represent all Muslims, no more than Christians who have killed, abused or committed serious crimes represent all Christians.  And though this may be politically incorrect, and some of my fellow Christians will disagree with me for saying this, we pray for their conversion: that they, like Saul of Tarsus, may come to recognise Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and enter into full communion in his Church under the successor of Peter. 

I have no doubt that our new martyrs throughout the world, and those who died for Christ yesterday in Nigeria (may they now share in the vision of God among the martyrs in heaven), are praying for those who killed them, as Stephen prayed for Saul.    Stephen converted Saul, and he became St Paul, holy Apostle and the greatest missionary in the Church.  May the blood of our martyrs win souls for Christ.

On a personal note, these days are special to me as they are my name days - the Saints after whom I am called: St John the Beloved Disciple (I also consider St John the Baptist my name patron also), and St Stephen.   May I ask your prayers? 

Massacre

The last few days have been quite busy.   I went down home to spend some of Sunday with my mother for Mother's Day and yesterday parish and Fraternity work ensured I was kept running.  Today has been no better, the phone has been ringing all day.  I have a Mass in Dundalk this evening - a Mass for the sick.  I am bringing the relic of St Genesius, who is patron of epilepsy, so we might get a few more miracles through it.

Catching up on news I see the situation in Ivory Coast seems to be getting worse.  I read with great sorrow that a thousand Catholics were massacred by Muslims in the Salesian Mission in Duekou.  The mainstream media seems this event was unworthy of attention.  I do not want to be anti-Muslim - we should strive for peace, but why is the persecution of Christians is ignored by the mainstream media?  We are the most persecuted religion in the world today, why does that not register on the international radar?  Is it because some of those persecuting Christians today are involved in the media?

Pakistan and Financial Aid

Murdered Catholic Pakistani, Shahbaz Bhatti;

possible future Martyr and Saint of the Church

Yesterday I got an email from our Chancery with an update on what has been happening with regard to a recent appeal for Pakistan - monies raised to help those effected by the floods.  As Christians it is our duty to look after those in need regardless of what their faith or political beliefs are. 

However I have to say it did smart to ponder over the large sums of money we are sending over to Pakistan as I recall the murder of a member of my Church for his faith and the persecution of other Christians, Catholics included, by Pakistani Muslims: a persecution the government of Pakistan is not only slow to stop, but could be said to be allowing by refusing to deal with the blasphemy laws which are being used to murder and jail our co-religionists.   Yes, as sinful human being I did say to myself that we should not give them another cent.  But the words of the Lord come to mind to pray for our enemies and to do good to those who hate us - providing for the victims of the flood, Christians also included there I'm sure, is a way of living this hard teaching of the Lord.

That said, I do have to wonder why our governments and Church agencies are not "talking" with the Pakistani government as they are coming with the cheques.  Surely we must used our influence to protect our brothers and sisters.  After all, Pakistan and her Muslim people must be brought to realise that many of the people who are helping them are of the same Communion as those they are jailing and killing because they will not convert to Islam. 

Pray For Asia

The Catholic News Agency has an interesting article on Asia Bibi, the Catholic woman in Pakistan who has been condemned to death for alleged blasphemy against the Islamic religion.  The Holy Father has made a personal appeal on her behalf and the Governer of the Pakistani province of Punjab was murdered for defending her. 

The case has all the hallmarks of a stitch up.  It seems the accusations have been made following a dispute between Asia's family and a Muslim neighbour whose cattle had damaged their property.  When working in the fields she brought water to others working with her, they refused to drink from the cup because as a Christian she was unclean and so too the cup she carried.   A very Biblical situation - she brings a cup of cold water to people working in the heat and they managed to start an argument and find an excuse to have her put on trial for blasphemy. 

It is obvious she is being punished for her Christian faith and the unjust and easily manipulated blasphemy laws in Pakistan are faciliating her condemnation.   Extremists have put a price on her head - $5,000 to the one who kills her - I believe that is what they call a fatwa.  We must pray for her.  Things seem bleak, but God can do all things.  Reading this article I am impressed with her - she has great faith and while she wants to get out and go home to her suffering family, she seems to demonstrate a deep serenity.  Are we watching the making of a great Christian martyr?  

I see from Catholic Culture that another Christian woman has now been charged with blasphemy - the charges seem strangely similiar to those brought against Asia.

URGENT PRAYERS

Before I head to bed, I was checking a few things on the net.  My attention was drawn to this article on CNA - the Holy Father has personally appealed to Pakistan not to execute a Christian mother, Asia Bibi, arrested and found guilty of defaming Islam and Muhammad.  Her crime - she defended her Christian faith.  Urgent prayers are needed to save her life.  

We have too many Christians being murdered in Islamic countries because they will not renounce Christ or, when accused of being members of a "false religion" seek to defend their faith, they are denounced and criminalised and even executed.    Asia's condemnation is being appealed, and the Pakistani government is being inundated with letters and emails calling for her release and for religious freedom.  No harm to add our voices to that.  Given that so many Christians, including Christian clergy, sent millions to assist Pakistan in their recent floods, it is hard to believe that they would repay us by killing one of sisters for the very faith which motivates our charity.

Heavenly Father,

hear our prayers for your daughter Asia Bibi,

assist her in her difficulties.

As you sent an angel to free Peter from his chains,

now send your holy messenger to deliver our sister from persecution,

protect and save all your disciples who suffer for the sake of the Gospel.

Mary, our Mother, Queen of Martyrs, pray for her.

Pakistani embassies and High Commissions:

Ireland:

Embassy of Pakistan,

Ailesbury Villa, 1-B,

Ailesbury Road,

Dublin 4.

Tel: 01 2613032-33 

UK:

High Commission for Pakistan,

34 – 36 Lowndes Square,

London SW1X 9JN

Tel: 020 7664 9227

USA:

Embassy of Pakistan,

3517 International Court NW,
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202-243-6500

Canada:

High Commission for Pakistan
10 Range Road
Ottawa,
Ontario K1N 8J3
Tel:(613) 238-7881-2