In an alarming trend in the realm of Christian persecution, we again today see a story of kidnapping. Italian Father Giancarlo Bossi was kidnapped by at least 10 men in the Philippines after celebrating Mass in the parish church of Payao. This comes on the heels of a Chaldean Catholic priest and three deacons being gunned down in Mosul last week.
Kidnapping, particularly anti-Christian kidnapping, seems to be on the rise. So much so that the Pope issued a special plea for kidnap victims. From Zenit:
“Unfortunately, I receive frequent requests for intervention on behalf of persons — some of whom are even priests — who have been seized for different reasons and in different parts of the world.”
We often think of Christian persecution as something of the ancient past. We conjure images of the early Christians being thrown to the lions. It all seems like tales from a long bygone era. It is not.
It might surprise many to learn that in two millennia of Christian history, about 70 million faithful have given their lives for the faith. Of these, 45.5 million – a stunning 65%, were in the last century, according to Italian journalist Antonio Socci.
We now see Christian persecution in full swing in places like Iraq, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, East Timor, some countries of South America, and the Sudan. The list goes on.
We must fervently pray for those who have been wounded or martyred during this ongoing persecution and for those who commit these unthinkable deeds. What is more, we must also remain ever vigilant for if we think that it cannot happen here, Satan and history are always ready to prove us wrong.
June 12, 2007 at 2:34 pm
I heard that statistic and I was shocked. I’ll link to this post, so that we Catholics who live in fear of social disapproval may be ashamed of our cowardice in this face of 45.5 million martyrs.
June 12, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Leticia,
Thanks. We live in such relative peace and prosperity, it is often difficult for us to even imagine real poverty, real suffering, and religious persecution. I just hope we don’t have to learn the hard way.
June 13, 2007 at 6:43 pm
I, too, will post a link to this. So many people take our liberties for granted. Many of these liberties have been slowly eroded over the last 100 years…..
Christine
justpoo65.blogspot.com