Christian Persecution: Egyptian Army Attacks Coptic Monasteries

By Michael Terheyden
3/4/2011
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good

As Christians, we understand freedom and sacrifice better than most. Thus, when we witness the tragedy of the Copts, we should recall that we have something of great value to offer the world. One way we can offer our wisdom to the world is by standing up to injustice and oppression whenever we encounter it in our own lives.

Saint Bishoy Monastery in Wadi el-Natroun, Egypt

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KNOXVILLE, TN (Catholic Online) - We are witnessing a revolution by the people in Egypt. By the sheer force of their numbers, Muslims and Copts forced President Mubarak out of office. But now we need to ask ourselves if this historic change will bring greater freedom for all the people. Based on an article written by Mary Abdelmassih and published on the website of the Assyrian International News Agency, it appears that the revolution has not benefited Egypt's Coptic Christian minority and may portend a worsening situation for them.

After the uprising began about a month ago, the police who had been protecting the monks deserted their posts. One of the monasteries was subsequently attacked by prisoners who had escaped during the uprising. And six monks were injured at the second monastery when it was attacked by armed Arabs and robbers. As a result, the monks requested help from the state security office, but they were told that no police were available to help them. They also called the military and were told they had to protect themselves until the military could send help. It was then that the monks decided to build fences for protection.

Then around February 20, the army attacked Saint Makarios Monastery of Alexandria located about 62 miles from Cairo. The article states that the army stormed the monastery using live ammunition. When the attack was over, more than ten monks were injured. One was shot. All of the others were beaten. The army destroyed the fence and part of the monastery. They also confiscated the monk's building materials.

About two days later the army approached the fifth-century, Saint Bishoy Monastery in Wadi el-Natroun with five tanks, armored vehicles and a bulldozer. Saint Bishoy is about seven miles further from Cairo than the first monastery. The attack was brutal, and it lasted for about thirty minutes. By the time it was over, around eight people were wounded and four were arrested.

The military denied the attack at Saint Bishoy. They claimed that they only demolished some fences on state property. They also issued a statement claiming that they respected ". . . the freedom and chastity of places of worship of all Egyptians." However, since the monks feel vulnerable to violent attacks from escaped prisoners, Muslim fanatics and the Egyptian military, they are holding a sit-in at the monastery in protest. In addition, thousands of Copts organized a peaceful demonstration at the Coptic Cathedral in Cairo and then marched toward the famous Tahrir Square of the revolution.

I cannot begin to understand the frustration and desperation that these poor Christians must feel. The very persons who are supposed to protect them, arrest them, beat them and kill them. Could anyone feel less valued and more unwanted in this life, besides our Lord himself? Are they simply to die because they are hated for existing? What alternatives do they have? It is for reasons like this that men go to war. But the Copts do not go to war, they hold sit-ins and demonstrations. They must truly be the suffering souls of the world-wide Church.

The evil being perpetrated upon the Copts reminds us that governments have incredible power over their citizens. It is too much power to be in the hands of extremists or the self-serving or the arrogant. Such people have ruled humankind for too long. Governments are not to exploit, manipulate, degrade, or kill their citizens. The proper function of government is to support, serve and protect its citizens. When governments oppress their citizens through deceit or force, they relinquish their moral authority, and they are no longer legitimate.

Paragraph 1903 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states it this way: "Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs morally licit means to attain it. If rulers were to enact unjust laws or take measures contrary to the moral order, such arrangements would not be binding in conscience. In such a case, 'authority breaks down completely and results in shameful abuse.'"

While most of us are not able to directly help our brothers and sisters suffering persecution in Egypt and other parts of the world, we can pray for their safety and that the revolution will bring authentic human freedom to all of the people. But this is not all we can do. As Christians, we understand freedom and sacrifice better than most. Thus, when we witness the tragedy of the Copts, we should recall that we have something of great value to offer the world. One way we can offer our wisdom to the world is by standing up to injustice and oppression whenever we encounter it in our own lives. Perhaps in this way, we can help to encourage the kind of truly human change that Egyptian Muslims and Copts hoped for when they stood together in Tahrir Square.

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Michael Terheyden was born into a Catholic family, but that is not why he is a Catholic. He is a Catholic because he believes that truth is real, that it is beautiful and good, and that the fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church. However, he knows that God's grace operating throughout his life is the main reason he is a Catholic. He is greatly blessed to share his faith and his life with his beautiful wife, Dorothy. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Copts, Christians, Anti-Christian, persecution, Egyptian Army, Saint Bishoy Monastery, Michael Terheyden

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1 - 10 of 11 Comments

Jorge
2 years ago
Bullbajer..the muslim brotherhood will definitely get into power in egypt..our prayers are important but not enought. we should get rid of our self-destrcutive oil-dependency NOW and PROHIBIT all muslim immigration to AMERICA AND EUROPE, before its too late..But we shouldn't content with that, we MUST evangelise all muslims AS CHRIST asked us to do.First step is the counter attack but it should be followed by a much more agressive stance agaist islam which is nothing more than a satanic rotten and poisonous cancer of the soul, mind and body!
Bulbajer
2 years ago
Jorge, I have to admit, it doesn't look good right now. But we can still hope that the Muslim Brotherhood will fail to dominate the government.
Jorge
2 years ago
No doubt that obama, hillary clinton and the democratic party have been externally and internally and ABSOLUTE disaster.The islamist uprising and taking of power in the midle-east, with obama's support, their satanic alliance with jihadism, backwardness, tyranny and islamization have been the most devastating strike ever given to America, Europe and the world.Obama and the democrats HAVE to get out from power ASAP. They simply are sleeping with the enemy-islam- and have absolutely no idea about what freedom, honesty, decency, morals and peosperity are or mean.the OIC is planing to islamise the entire planet-something that I wouldn't ever dare to call as "moderate"or"acceptable" and obama is playing along.Ilslam is taking over, violently, coersively and the democrats are the naive foolish traitors who already capitulated to the enemy. Obama said that america is not and never will be at war against islam. I don't know if obama knows, or fakes to ignore, but islam, was, is and always will be at war against AMERICA, AND ALL ITS VALUES, CONQUESTS AND FREEDOMS.If obama had any brains and guts, he would do like Ronals Reagan and call the evil empire -of islam in this case-for what it is and respond to the islamists agression with an even greater agression...islam only respects one thing-VIOLENCE!Let's give it to them in self-deffence.It is the only way for them to get jihadists-moderates and radicals-two faces of the exact same evil ideology-into their senses.
Robert
2 years ago
Vote conservative. Vote republican. "They must be stopped" by Gabriel Brigette is a great read. Join your local tea party.
Jorge
2 years ago
bulbajer...The copts protection coming from the islamists that have arrived to power and that you are asking means only one thing..that the massacre and destruction of the copts will continue unchecked, unstopable and with absolute impunity, worsening more and more.the copts will miss mubarak, you can be absolutely sure about that..REAL islam is coming.....
Bulbajer
2 years ago
I sincerely hope that the new government forms quickly, restores peace, and protects religious freedoms. God help the Copts.
Christopher J. England
2 years ago
Maybe it is time for them to take up arms themselves?
Jorge
2 years ago
I told already that any signs of hope coming for christians living into dhimmitude inside the horrendous and repugnant muslims coiuntries, are sheer delusional nonsense. The situation will get worse and worse! islamists will do anything in their power to convert us or kill us. Nothing will change that. The west as a whole must unite and defeat islam once and for all. this satanic cancer -islam-has already caused serious destruction to makind and will WIN if we, the faithful, do nothing and passively watch it taking over and destroy us.
MarkM
2 years ago
I dont think Diane knows what a socialist is, but believe me - the muslim brotherhood and others who will attmept to take over egypt and other countries are anything BUT socialists. Socialists would form unions like in America. That would NOT be tolerated in an islamo-fascist state. They want a fascist regime that can ruthlessly dictate shia law or whatever variant that permits purging of all other religions (i.e. Coptics). The dictatorial style is what other right-wing fascist regimes like milosevic (war criminal) used to persecute other ethnicities. Theirs was a religious/ethnic cleansing (as it was inappropriately called). I think we should expect that whoever wants power will do something akin to that against all those who look or worship differently.
Jorge Gonzalez
2 years ago
I loved that our beloved Virgin Mary was appearing in Egypt, but at the same time worried. Was she warning them of this uprising? We must all pray for our brothers and sisters living in this area. Please protect them Mother Mary and hide them from evil. Pray especially for our clergy and religious sisters facing prosecution and shepherding their flock under such stressful circumstances.

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