Continuing news of persecutions reach us almost daily. However, the Church in the United States hardly hears about it. I suggest that the following URL be followed for more information: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13987
We basically abandoned the Church in the Holy Land when, a few years ago, Mohammedan terrorists took control of the Church of the Nativity, committing sacrilege, terrorizing the clergies of the church, and committing other horrors. The Arab Catholics and Orthodox of the East Bank felt completely abandoned. No one did a thing to help them. Finally, the Israeli Defense Forces brokered a deal to get them out, but there was no consolation for the Church.
As Catholics we need to develop a more catholic understanding of the Church. If one member suffers, we have found in our day, that contrary to the Apostle, none of the other members seem to suffer with it. Of course, this has been happening for a long time. In 1917-18, during the Armenian massacre by the Turks, almost two million Armenian Christians were killed. There was not even a peep from the Western Powers to stop it. Hitler used this amazing lack of concern on the part of Europeans (and Americans) as further justification for his solution of the "Jewish Question." After all, if Christians won't even lift a finger to help their own, why would the help Jews? We know the sad result of all that.
We basically abandoned the Church in the Holy Land when, a few years ago, Mohammedan terrorists took control of the Church of the Nativity, committing sacrilege, terrorizing the clergies of the church, and committing other horrors. The Arab Catholics and Orthodox of the East Bank felt completely abandoned. No one did a thing to help them. Finally, the Israeli Defense Forces brokered a deal to get them out, but there was no consolation for the Church.
As Catholics we need to develop a more catholic understanding of the Church. If one member suffers, we have found in our day, that contrary to the Apostle, none of the other members seem to suffer with it. Of course, this has been happening for a long time. In 1917-18, during the Armenian massacre by the Turks, almost two million Armenian Christians were killed. There was not even a peep from the Western Powers to stop it. Hitler used this amazing lack of concern on the part of Europeans (and Americans) as further justification for his solution of the "Jewish Question." After all, if Christians won't even lift a finger to help their own, why would the help Jews? We know the sad result of all that.
