Viva Cristo Rey! - 20th Century Christian Martyrs.... Your thoughts?

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Viva Cristo Rey! - 20th Century Christian Martyrs… Your thoughts?

Viva Cristo Rey!
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Viva Cristo Rey!

As Fr. Pro walked from his cell to the courtyard and the firing squad, he blessed the soldiers, knelt and briefly prayed quietly. Declining a blindfold, he faced his executioners with a crucifix in one hand and a rosary in the other and held his arms out in imitation of the crucified Christ and shouted out, “May God have mercy on you! May God bless you! Lord, Thou knowest that I am innocent! With all my heart I forgive my enemies!” Before the firing squad were ordered to shoot, Pro raised his arms in imitation of Christ and shouted the defiant cry of the Cristeros, “Viva Cristo Rey!” -“Long live Christ the King!”
 
10-May-2002* – ZENIT.org News Agency* (Here)

20TH CENTURY SAW 65% OF CHRISTIAN MARTYRS

Conclusions of New Study Published in Italy ROME, (Zenit.org).- The 20th century may have been the most striking in the annals of Christian martyrdom, and a new book shows it with numbers.

In two millennia of Christian history, about 70 million faithful have given their lives for the faith, and of these, 45.5 million – fully 65% – were in the last century, according to “The New Persecuted” (“I Nuovi Perseguitati”).

Italian journalist Antonio Socci presented his work today during a conference on “Anti-Christian Persecution in the 20th Century” held at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical Athenaeum.

“I handed in the draft of the book in January; since then the martyrdom of Christians has had no letup,” the author noted. “Suffice it to think of what is happening in Colombia and Indonesia.”

In the journalist´s analysis, the term “Christian martyrs” is not understood in the specific sense of the word (with the recognition of the Church´s processes of canonization), but according to the common assessment of scholars who have compiled statistics on religious persecutions.
Socci´s map of the current persecution highlights countries where Christians are dying for their faith.

It includes the Molucca Islands of Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, East Timor, Cuba, the former Soviet republics, Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries, Vietnam, China and others.

According to the author, the two currents that fuel the persecution of Christians today are Communism and Muslim fundamentalism.

Socci said that persecution of Christians is currently most severe in Sudan.
 
On the Holocaust of Christians (Here)

July 9, 2008 at 1:21 pm

Chuck Colson has some interesting and eye-opening figures on the holocaust of Christians in the twentieth century. The article itself is dated 2002. The estimate is that 45,000,000 Christians have been martyred in the twentieth century. According to the same estimate, the total number of Christians martyred since the time of Christ is around 70,000,000.

I want to point out a couple of things. Firstly, such numbers, as Colson points out, do not diminish the horror of the Holocaust in the least. However, Jews should not think that they are the only ones who have been persecuted in the twentieth century. Christians have lost more than 7 times as many lives as the Jews lost in the Holocaust. Not a fact that you will hear much about in the news (nor do I particularly want it to be reported. It is not as if Christians need to brag about being persecuted).

The other thing I wish to point out is that Colson’s conclusion is not how we should pray for the church. Indeed, the Chinese church has told us differently. Why should we pray that persecution should be eliminated against the church, when persecution is something we are told that we should expect? Not only that, but persecution is good for the church, eliminating nominalist “Christians.” I am not saying that persecution is a good thing, in and of itself.

I am very thankful that I am not being persecuted for my faith. However, God overturns evil for good constantly, as He has been doing all throughout history. I am raising the point only to encourage us to pray for the persecuted church. And this is how we should pray: that the church remain faithful in its witness, not compromising the truth of the Gospel for comfort’s sake.
 
Jimmy_B said:
Viva Cristo Rey! - 20th Century Christian Martyrs… Your thoughts?

Viva Cristo Rey!
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JnXd16RlK...PVMcJXzJ0vI/s320/messico_cristeros-33.jpg.gif
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JnXd16RlK...EGk/DEdb2RZa27o/s320/messico_cristeros-35.jpg
http://www.trueknowledge.com/images/thumbs/180/250/Miguel_Pro.gif

Viva Cristo Rey!

As Fr. Pro walked from his cell to the courtyard and the firing squad, he blessed the soldiers, knelt and briefly prayed quietly. Declining a blindfold, he faced his executioners with a crucifix in one hand and a rosary in the other and held his arms out in imitation of the crucified Christ and shouted out, “May God have mercy on you! May God bless you! Lord, Thou knowest that I am innocent! With all my heart I forgive my enemies!” Before the firing squad were ordered to shoot, Pro raised his arms in imitation of Christ and shouted the defiant cry of the Cristeros, “Viva Cristo Rey!” -“Long live Christ the King!”
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Hi Jimmy,
Hope you are well.

Just a question. Would the CC consider someone like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor, a martyr?
ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/bonhoeffer/

Jon
 
I read about this minister who was executed by the Naziis, and would consider him a martyr…

Jon, note that religious congregations work for the cause of its member to be considered for canonization in the Catholic Church. I consider many non-Catholic Christians who die for Christ as martyrs just the same as Catholics. We remember all those who lived and died for Christ in prayer.
 
When I saw Huffington, I knew it would be bad.

Did the Lutheran minister have those who could work towards his beatification?..I mean, beatification is a Catholic thing…communion of saints, good to pray for the dead, (Maccabees)…and so on.

There are many Catholic lay saints in heaven who get no recognition either because they have no one to work for their cause.
 
KathleenGee said:
When I saw Huffington, I knew it would be bad.

Did the Lutheran minister have those who could work towards his beatification?..I mean, beatification is a Catholic thing…communion of saints, good to pray for the dead, (Maccabees)…and so on.

There are many Catholic lay saints in heaven who get no recognition either because they have no one to work for their cause.
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Well, I’m no fan of Huffington, either, but it was the first link I found that referenced the three priests. As to your question, I just don’t know how the process works. Lutherans just don’t have a process of that type.

So, I guess my question, rephrased, is can a non-Catholic be considered a martyr by the CC?

Jon
 
JonNC said:
Well, I’m no fan of Huffington, either, but it was the first link I found that referenced the three priests. As to your question, I just don’t know how the process works. Lutherans just don’t have a process of that type.

So, I guess my question, rephrased, is can a non-Catholic be considered a martyr by the CC?

Jon
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I think John Paul II had a long list of Christian martyrs drawn up at the turn of the century and it definitely included our separated bretheren in the faith.
 
Rocky said:
I think John Paul II had a long list of Christian martyrs drawn up at the turn of the century and it definitely included our separated bretheren in the faith.
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Thanks, Rocky. You wouldn’t happen to have a link to Pope John Paul II’s list, would you?

Jon
 
Jon,

Yes, and as I said, I remember hearing and reading about this Lutheran minster when growing up and sensed he was a saint.

All the great world powers have persecuted and martyred millions of Christians who lay down their lives for Christ. The shedding of one’s blood for Christ is a sign of a most signal grace…and I believe these same souls once on earth, lived in harmony with their neighbor, irregardless of which church one belonged to.

I see alot of Christians living heroic lives who are part of these non-denominational churches as those in the Far East…they suffer a great deal, as well as those sectarian communities who were slaughtered in Mozambique for their faith, non-Catholics.

They witnessed for Christ and lay down their life for them…through their faith in the Eternal Word.

And again, remember all the many priest, religious, and lay Catholics who have lived heroic lives living in their own private hells, who receive little or no recognition than God alone. They share the same place with this Lutheran minister.
 
KathleenGee said:
Jon,

Yes, and as I said, I remember hearing and reading about this Lutheran minster when growing up and sensed he was a saint.

All the great world powers have persecuted and martyred millions of Christians who lay down their lives for Christ. The shedding of one’s blood for Christ is a sign of a most signal grace…and I believe these same souls once on earth, lived in harmony with their neighbor, irregardless of which church one belonged to.

I see alot of Christians living heroic lives who are part of these non-denominational churches as those in the Far East…they suffer a great deal, as well as those sectarian communities who were slaughtered in Mozambique for their faith, non-Catholics.

They witnessed for Christ and lay down their life for them…through their faith in the Eternal Word.

And again, remember all the many priest, religious, and lay Catholics who have lived heroic lives living in their own private hells, who receive little or no recognition than God alone. They share the same place with this Lutheran minister.
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Thanks for your help, and very thoughtful post.

Jon
 
Virtue hides itself…it is better to be hidden in the Lord, and let Him be the one to desire what is best for each one of us in our walk of conversion…

God bless you, Jon…we all have our moments regarding sanctity…of those we have known…and why weren’t they acknowledged…our faith is in the Lord and not man.
 
JonNC said:
Hi Jimmy,
Hope you are well.

Just a question. Would the CC consider someone like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor, a martyr?
ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/online/bonhoeffer/

Jon
Click to expand...
I first heard of Bonhoeffer from a Catholic deacon, who recommended the book “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy”, by Eric Metaxas.

In it, Bonhoeffer’s book “The Cost Of Discipleship” is referred to as an important Christian work, especially in regards to what he called “cheap grace” and “costly grace”. Cheap grace being the sort of grace found by attending church every Sunday but otherwise living a life that is indifferent to being a disciple of Christ.

Costly grace, Bonhoeffer not only taught about, but lived. Ultimately, that Grace was the price of his death.

Most definitely, he is a Martyr.
 
KathleenGee said:
When I saw Huffington, I knew it would be bad.

Did the Lutheran minister have those who could work towards his beatification?..I mean, beatification is a Catholic thing…communion of saints, good to pray for the dead, (Maccabees)…and so on.

There are many Catholic lay saints in heaven who get no recognition either because they have no one to work for their cause.
Click to expand...
Hi,Kathleen, I do not think the CC canonizes those who are non-Catholics. That is why the Lutheran minister was not beatified with his 3 companion priests.
 
JimG said:
Many people have forgotten the intensity of persecution against the Church in Mexico during the early part of the 20th century. In 1926 the Church was outlawed, Catholic Schools were outlawed. Even to use phrases such as “Adios” or “Vaya con Dios” were punishable with imprisonment. The persecution was brutal and lasted for 15 years. hopeitis.com/2008/10/25/patrick-madrid-the-catholic-persecution-in-mexico-dih-2008/
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Well, a new film entitled, Cristiada regarding the Cristeros War will be released soon. Thus, presenting to the secular world the masonic persecution of Catholics in Mexico during the 20th century on the big screen.
youtube.com/watch?v=6pu4gst3FmI
 
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