Looking for 5 stages steps of Catholic Persecution

[RB2]

I noticed a blog post or Catholic website this past week that listed some 5 steps in Catholic persecution that leads toward martyrdom. The article stated that many agree that we are already in the 4th stage.

Anyone have that link for me.

Thanks

 

[laszlo]

I never heard about such steps, but know about several people who were canonized / beatified as Martyrs:

• St Maximilian Kolbe, offering himself as replacement for a men with family to be killed
• Blessed Vilmos Apor bishop, killed in 1945 by the invading Soviet army resisting giving away the females in his residence
• Blessed Zoltan Meszlenyi, the successor of Cardinal Mindszenty who died in prison after resisting to nominate the communist candidate as the successor.
• Blessed Tibor Romzsa and Szilard Bodanffy resisting the forced union with the fraction of the Eastern Orthodox church which cooperated with the communist government.

 

[RB2]

I never heard about such steps, but know about several people who were canonized / beatified as Martyrs:

• St Maximilian Kolbe, offering himself as replacement for a men with family to be killed
• Blessed Vilmos Apor bishop, killed in 1945 by the invading Soviet army resisting giving away the females in his residence
• Blessed Zoltan Meszlenyi, the successor of Cardinal Mindszenty who died in prison after resisting to nominate the communist candidate as the successor.
• Blessed Tibor Romzsa and Szilard Bodanffy resisting the forced union with the fraction of the Eastern Orthodox church which cooperated with the communist government.

Thanks for taking my thread off-topic!

 

[Skeptic92]

I noticed a blog post or Catholic website this past week that listed some 5 steps in Catholic persecution that leads toward martyrdom. The article stated that many agree that we are already in the 4th stage.

Anyone have that link for me.

Thanks

truthinhistory.org/historical-perspective-steps-toward-persecution.html

It’s not Catholic, but is this what you are on about ?

1. Identifying: This involves finger-pointing by the ruling authority for the purpose of placing the blame for the nation’s troubles on one particular group. In 1 Kings 18:17, King Ahab identifies the prophet Elijah as being the one responsible for the drought that took place in the land of Israel. He accused Elijah by asking the question, “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” The true body of Christ and Biblical Christianity in America today are blamed for being the greatest obstacles to the liberal establishment’s plans for a totally humanistic “utopian” society.

1. Marginalizing: By this means, the “politically incorrect” portion of the Church is looked upon as not being part of the mainstream of society. This is done by an organized smear campaign conducted by the ruling authorities through the national news media. They do this by the use of such trigger words as radical, extremists, separatists, and fringe.

1. Vilifying: By this means, the persecutors employ such methods as uttering slanderous and abusive statements against targeted groups as to cheapen and debase their worth and significance in society. The accusers need no factual evidence for their accusations, but innuendoes, insinuations, hints and making associations with other previously known undesirables of society.

1. Criminalizing: In implementing this step of persecution, it gives the state “legal” justification for arresting and incarcerating the accused. Here the state charges the persecuted with accusations of alleged criminal wrong-doing. The state naturally picks on the most vulnerable segment of the Church in order to send their threatening message to all the rest who adhere to similar views and practices. Incarceration of a few means intimidation of the many. Victimization of a government- protected group is a direct result of the incrimination of the accused. This gives the state “legal” authority to take a heavy-handed control in “protecting” its citizens. Presently, our federal government has several groups which they deem as “victims” for whom they feel responsibility to protect.

1. Terrorizing. This is the blatant and outright acts of terrorism carried out by the police powers of the state against the persecuted. These are acts of coercion by threat or by violence and are intended to create anxiety and fear in the hearts of its victims, with the purpose of silencing and neutralizing the opponents of the tyrannical government in power.

 

[Gregory_I]

Nah, we’re not really in 4 unless you count abortion clinic arrests.

I think we’re between 2&3.

I’d say a strong 2.5

:compcoff:

 

[RB2]

Nah, we’re not really in 4 unless you count abortion clinic arrests.

I think we’re between 2&3.

I’d say a strong 2.5

:compcoff:

Some peoples analysis are better than others.
Learned age would probably be better in this category as they’ve been the frog in the pan longer.

Canada is in the midst of 4

U.S. has just entered the beginnings of 4.

 

[RB2]

Some peoples analysis are better than others.
Learned age would probably be better in this category as they’ve been the frog in the pan longer.

Canada is in the midst of 4

U.S. has just entered the beginnings of 4.

Canada is in the midst of 4:
Priest are being jailed for homily content if it preaches against homosexuality.
Dont have more examples,I’m from the US…but I am sure there are plenty more. That one, concerning priests and homilies is highly significant.

US has just entered the beginnings of 4:
‘freedom of exercise of religion’ is waning to ‘freedom of worship’
firstthings.com/onthesquare/2010/02/why-ldquofreedom-of-worshiprdquo-is-not-enough

East Coast, one state, Catholic adoption agency had to close its adoption services because state law
made adoption preferences to hetersexual couples equal to homosexual couples.

Other states, catholic agencies with employees dont have religious freedom in dispensing employee benefits and must now extend benefits to ‘spouse’ in homosexual couplings, because of this benefits are now being curtailed for all ‘spouses’. Even longer than this restriction has been the one that requires Catholic employers to provide medical plans that provide for birth control and abortion.

Plenty of more examples especially in the medical field.
The liberal or ‘modern’ philosophy and agenda never stops ,they keep making progress this will not end and the Republican party only serves as an ineffective doorstop to a door that is intending to swing full open.

The Republican Party is in the midst of 3. Evidence of that is the rhetoric of blaming republicans and political speech for the Giffords shooting.

 

[RB2]

Skeptic92 your link is entirely similar to what I was looking for.
Here are others:

markmallett.com/blog/2008/10/deluge-of-false-prophets-part-ii/

In a talk given by Fr. Joseph Esper, he outlines the stages of persecution:

Experts agree that five stages of a coming persecution can be identified:

(1) The targeted group is stigmatized; its reputation is attacked, possibly by mocking it and rejecting its values.

(2) Then the group is marginalized, or pushed out of the mainstream of society, with deliberate efforts to limit and undo its influence.

(3) The third stage is to vilify the group, viciously attacking it and blaming it for many of society’s problems.

(4) Next, the group is criminalized, with increasing restrictions placed on its activities and eventually even its existence.

(5) The final stage is one of outright persecution.

Many commentators believe the United States is now in stage three, and moving into stage four. —   [www.stedwardonthelake.com](www.stedwardonthelake.com)

 

[Skeptic92]

Skeptic92 your link is entirely similar to what I was looking for.
Here are others:

markmallett.com/blog/2008/10/deluge-of-false-prophets-part-ii/

In a talk given by Fr. Joseph Esper, he outlines the stages of persecution:

Experts agree that five stages of a coming persecution can be identified:

(1) The targeted group is stigmatized; its reputation is attacked, possibly by mocking it and rejecting its values.

(2) Then the group is marginalized, or pushed out of the mainstream of society, with deliberate efforts to limit and undo its influence.

(3) The third stage is to vilify the group, viciously attacking it and blaming it for many of society’s problems.

(4) Next, the group is criminalized, with increasing restrictions placed on its activities and eventually even its existence.

(5) The final stage is one of outright persecution.

Many commentators believe the United States is now in stage three, and moving into stage four. — www.stedwardonthelake.com

By those stages I’ld say much of western society is at stage 3 or 4, in many eastern societies I’ld say we’re at stage 4 or even 5 in places like Saudi Arabia.

The question is, if the logic is right, and once it has started it can’t be stopped, unless radical reform of society is given, are you willing to face martyrdom?

I would like to believe many of us can honestly say yes, however I doubt it, it takes a special kind of person to accept death that freely, and i bet most of us are not that kind of person. May the Lord have mercy on us.

 

[laszlo]

I would like to believe many of us can honestly say yes, however I doubt it, it takes a special kind of person to accept death that freely, and i bet most of us are not that kind of person. May the Lord have mercy on us.

The martyrdom was rarely free. Nero accused the Christians with the crime to start the fire in Rome, and executed them. Later between Trajan and Marcus Aurelius the accused could get free denying explicitly his faith, but neither is is exactly freedom. After Commodus the accused one was tortured and killed.

Also in the most modern persecutions the martyred ones usually were not offered choice. They were beaten, tortured and died.

If in the near future there will be persecution of Christians, that will be by order: such and such action is crime

 

[ZDHayden]

It is in times of persecution that Saints are made. I forget where I heard that, but it is entirely true. The times of persecution are times which truly separates the goats from the sheep. I have to say in my area, we are about a 2 (all of local society taken into consideration), but I know it is tougher in other areas. The reason, I think, is because the Church is a quiet servant in this area: my diocese rarely strikes out verbally against anything but there are numerous groups that focus on serving. We tend to not use words, but our actions (e.g. we do not serve those who go against Church teaching). Whether or not that is good is up to individual debate. The Knights of Columbus are, I think, our primary insulation, and all the priests in the deanery are KofC members. Gay “Marriage” (I don’t like even putting that in quotes!) proponents tend to be visitors (its a college town) or otherwise are students. So it is definitely well into 3 in the younger population. Most adults that aren’t Catholic tend to say “it doesn’t matter so long as you believe in God” which also makes them say “don’t shove your religion down my throat!” whenever you offer a moral opinion. Thus, in order to reach them, we must be silent - that is the only way they will listen.

 

[RB2]

Most of our Catholic groups, not excluding individual Bishops and as a group USCCB, are tainted
commentarius-ioannis.blogspot.com/2010/05/exclusive-statement-from-knights-of.html

I was impressed by Mark Mallet in his words concerning himself and St. John the Baptist.
commentarius-ioannis.blogspot.com/2010/05/exclusive-statement-from-knights-of.html
Scroll down to the ‘A Calling’ section.

Seems many are being called now. JPII and Pope Benedict and many others currently are talking of martyrdom. The talk of martyrdom within the church is ever increasing at present. I dont know whether Mark Mallets calling includes martyrdom but it includes ‘a voice of crying in the wilderness’. I have a somewhat similar story to Mark Mallets. So I do know the the 5th stage will come.

For those who want a firm grasp of the issue and want to think with the minds of the Bishops and Vatican on this issue…the implications of opposing philosophies and the entailing battles.
‘Triumph : The Power and Glory of the Catholic Church’ is the 2,000 year history of Catholicism battling opposing philosophies and movements.
amazon.com/Triumph-Power-Glory-Catholic-Church/dp/0761516042/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295209711&sr=1-1
History is repeating itself again…Think French Revolution, ‘The Age of Enlightenment’. For what we are going through will be the culmination of the ‘Age of Enlightenment’ and Modernism, the philosophy.

 

[Whirlwinded]

The post you likely saw was Monsignor Charles Pope’s excellent “Some Thoughts on the Five Stages of Religious Persecution” in his blog from the Archdiocese of Washington:

blog.adw.org/2012/11/some-thoughts-on-the-five-stages-of-religious-persecution/

Hope that helps!

God bless,
Deb

 

[RB2]

Nah, we’re not really in 4 unless you count abortion clinic arrests.

I think we’re between 2&3.

I’d say a strong 2.5

:compcoff:

This person above, who was wrong by the way wrote thats in Jan 2011.
It should be obvious even to the oblivious by now.

As I said 2 years ago, Canada is in the midst of Category 4
and I stated the US is entering stage 4, but we are in the midst of stage 4 now.
And almost everyone now knows it!

 

[Edward_H]

Be nice to have also…maybe we can generate them here…the “countermeasures” to these stages of persecution.

That is, things we can be doing, positively, at each stage.

The final one might be to seek or accept persecution willingly, like Jesus.

Other stages in some order would be to increase our generosity and cheerfulness when faced with lesser forms of persecution, to respond calmly and action ally, to increase our prayer and sacrifice, etc.

 

[Megan7]

Skeptic92 your link is entirely similar to what I was looking for.
Here are others:

markmallett.com/blog/2008/10/deluge-of-false-prophets-part-ii/

In a talk given by Fr. Joseph Esper, he outlines the stages of persecution:

Experts agree that five stages of a coming persecution can be identified:

(1) The targeted group is stigmatized; its reputation is attacked, possibly by mocking it and rejecting its values.

(2) Then the group is marginalized, or pushed out of the mainstream of society, with deliberate efforts to limit and undo its influence.

(3) The third stage is to vilify the group, viciously attacking it and blaming it for many of society’s problems.

(4) Next, the group is criminalized, with increasing restrictions placed on its activities and eventually even its existence.

(5) The final stage is one of outright persecution.

Many commentators believe the United States is now in stage three, and moving into stage four. —   [www.stedwardonthelake.com](www.stedwardonthelake.com)

 

[Paddy_Walker]

stage 5 would be very difficult to foresee happening.
historically, like with the ancient hebrew peoples and later the early christians, both these groups were probably living either in occupied territory or living ‘underground’ as migrants and converts in a hostile country.
the occupying forces [army] in the palestine region were pagans not hebrew.
the hostile country the early christians went to was pagan not christian.

i have to think that the army and police and politicians in america are christians too in large portions. very difficult to see them turning on and persecuting their fellow christians in a general persecution.
more easy to see it if you were invaded by a pagan superior force.