What is the Catholic Church honestly doing for persecuted Christians around the world today?

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FossilResin

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I admire the work of Voice of the Martyrs, a “nondenominational” (I think, I dunno, but not Catholic) organization that tirelessly works to evangelize and defend persecuted Christians in the world today. Seriously, what is the Catholic Church honestly doing for persecuted Christians around the world today? I hear the Vatican spouting niceties about how we ought to complacently seek to get along with Muslims who want to kill us while there is little I hear about putting Christian refugees first and getting seriously fierce on the front lines of the world where martyrs for Christ are being made daily. Please tell me there is some Catholic group getting out in the trenches to evangelize and fight back on behalf of Christians (ALL CHRISTIANS, not just Catholics) under attack in the Middle-East, Africa and Asia.
 
That isn’t what I’m asking. I’m glad our church is helping people in general, but I am asking specifically about evangelization and defense of persecuted Christians in regions of terror. Seriously, it seems like the Catholic church’s ministries are forgetting the preaching of the faith while they’re serving people who could become Christian!
 
You’re welcome.

ACN is one of my favorite charities. Their activities remind me how blessed I am in my own situation. It’s not easy to be Catholic anywhere, but some of our brothers and sisters have particular challenges that I’m happy I don’t have to deal with. The least I can do is help ACN help them.

God bless 🙂
 
We are all, often, guilty of asking “what is the Church doing”, without understanding that “we” are the Church…so, instead, we should be asking ourselves, “What am I doing!”

Before saying we have little power, individually, we might want to consider our faith in the power of our individual prayers.

Time (prayer), talent (organizing or being part of operations), and treasure (financial offerings) are all the elements of good stewardship!
 
I as an individual am not synonymous with the church. Your response does not answer my question.
 
Well, no, you aren’t the entirety of the Church, but the Church is made up of individuals like you and me. If the Church is to do anything to support and assist persecuted Christians around the world, individuals like you and me are needed to bring those efforts to fruition.
 
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The Church doesn’t have a standing army.
Proclaiming the Good News and providing charity is what the Church can do (if you mean the Catholic Church hierarchy).

However, the Church is more than just the hierarchy.
Her members are empowered to work through organizations and government to put an end to the persecutions, or even to give aid to the suffering on-the-spot.

You may want to get involved in these aid groups, and raise awareness and petition the government to get involved.
 
Some of the priests in the Augusta deanery Georgia, have a Mass for persecuted Christians. I know that might not seem like a lot, but they’re always well-attended and that brings The information on how serious this is.
 
That’s wonderful. :+1:t3: Prayer is always valuable, and special Masses like this are opportunities to raise awareness of the situation. In order to take concrete steps to provide help, one must first know what’s happening. I’m encouraged that such Masses are well attended. 🙂
 
FossilResin said:
I as an individual am not synonymous with the church.
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Perhaps not with the “church”, but there is a big difference between the “church” and “Church”…are you saying you are not part of the “Church”?

By-the-By, even “Church” (proper noun) is not mutually exclusive to Roman Catholics.
 
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What are you doing for persecuted Christians around the world? If you are so passionate about it, perhaps you should do the thing you wish the Church to do.
 
Well there are these:


And these:

https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/our-ministry/immigration-refugee-services/

http://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-refugee-services/

And this article:


And of course all the missionaries from individual religious orders who serve worldwide.
FossilResin said:
That’s a patently smug non-answer
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No it’s not.

My family took in a Polish refugee family when I was young. Refugees from then-communist Poland. The couple and their children lived with my family and received aid from my parents while they were learning English, trying to find a job, and working their way through immigration.

So, yes, what have YOU done? As has already been pointed out— WE are the Church.
 
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FossilResin said:
I am asking specifically about evangelization and defense of persecuted Christians in regions of terror.
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To answer your question is to point out that a significant part of the answer is right in front of you.

Those persecuted Christians are evangelizing.

To put it in the words St Francis didn’t say: “Preach the Gospel; if necessary, use words”. Every one of those persecuted (and often murdered) Christians were and are evangelizing. They are being persecuted and hounded down because of their evangelization. “We know they are Christians by their love.” They evangelize by the way they treat others, as well as ;by the Liturgies they attend; and that is why they are so often hated and hunted.

As to what the Church does for refugees, it does not to show off to the world - which is why you do not hear much about it; but rather to effectively give aid as opportunities arise.

And given that in some Islamic countries, openly evangelizing cand lead to a death sentence, it is highly unlikely anyone from the outside is going to go there and start preaching. When even gathering for a Mass is outlawed, it tends to winnow out the street evangelists rapidly.

You might start reading your local diocesan newspaper if there is one; and reading the National Catholic Register, as they both have articles fairly regularly on the topic. They write, on fehalf of the Church; so you need to read.
 
I am the king of being easily offended, and I didn’t see anything smug, I think you may be reading into something that’s not there.
 
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