Bishop Ignatius Kaigama of Nigeria on Boko Harem's Violent Jihad Against Christians

8/23/2012

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days or face further violence.

After the Christmas bombings, a spokesman told a local newspaper called The Daily Trust, "There will never be peace, until our demands are met. We want all our brothers who have been incarcerated to be released; we want full implementation of the Sharia system and we want democracy and the constitution to be suspended."

Vatican Radio reported that Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos, the Vice President of the Nigerian Bishop's Conference, urged Nigerians to not to allow their country to be overtaken by terror: "Churches have been destroyed and lives were lost and there is no sign that this might end, until the government intervenes decisively."

"We continue to ask Christians to be vigilant and aware of the issue of safety when they go to church and even in their own homes. We have appealed that there be no retaliation and we continue to preach peace, hoping that all of us in Nigeria, Muslims and Christians, we will be able to work and live happily together. This is our position: no violence, no retaliation. We want to live in peace".

On the day after Christmas, the Feast of St Stephen the Deacon and Proto - Martyr, a visibly burdened Pope Benedict XVI spoke to the faithful gathered for the Angelus prayer. He spoke from his heart, urging prayers for those whose, "lands are drenched in innocent blood."

The Pope reminded the faithful that St Stephen gave his life for his Christian faith. He spoke of his heroic witness, noting that even as he was being stoned to death he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" and begged forgiveness for his accusers. He extolled the witness of the early martyrs of the Church, a topic which he has frequently addressed in the last few years.

Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office said in a statement: "Regretfully the attacks at the Church of Saint Theresa in Abuja, timed to coincide with Christmas Day celebrations, are once again the expression of the cruelty of blind and absurd hatred devoid of any respect for human life and represent an attempt to generate and fuel further hatred and confusion."

"We express our closeness to the suffering of the Church and of all the Nigerian people who have been affected by violent terrorism even during these days that should be of joy and peace," he added. "While we pray for the victims, we also express the hope that this senseless violence will not weaken the will for peaceful cohabitation and dialogue in the nation."

On the 4th Sunday of Easter, April 29, 2012, the faithful gathered for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at Kano's Bayero University. Evil Islamic jihadists used small explosives to draw the faithful out and then shot those who fled in cold blood. All indications are it was Boko Harem.

The word "Martyr" derives from a Greek word which means "witness." The Catholic faith proclaims that the shedding of one's blood in fidelity to Jesus Christ is the final witness to the Faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that: "Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even unto death. The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude" (CCC #2471 - 2473)

What is happening to our brethren in Nigeria should be of profound concern to us. The threat of Jihadism is not decreasing. If anything, it is increasing. For someone who remembers the cold war, even to the point of drills where we hid under our desks, it calls to mind the great need for a National resolve. It also makes the threat of militant Marxism look mild in comparison.

The victims of this evil are being killed precisely because they are Christians. The blood of the martyrs is flowing more frequently these days as militant Islamic terrorism increases and establishes a new beachhead in Africa. For Catholics and other Christians, we cannot - we must not- fail to act. Africa is one of the great centers of the renewal of the Church in the Third Millennium.

The words attributed to Tertullian in the Second Century of the Church still hold out their promise: "The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church." We are living in a new missionary age. Pray for our Christian brethren in Nigeria being terrorized by Jihadists.

- - -

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: Jihad, Islam, Boko Harem, Nigeria, persecution, martyrdom, Communion and liberation, Bishop Ignatius Kaigama, Deacon Keith Fournier

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1 - 7 of 7 Comments

Michael smith
8 months ago
Do unto others as they would do unto you! If they want a holy war, I am ready, with the help of God, let's go!
Juneau Alaska
8 months ago
Yes in Western Africa we have these problems. In Eastern Africa (Uganda), the Uganda Joint Christian Council just reversed a decision and is now backing an anti-homosexuality law that has a provision to kill gays for being gay. I am not making this up. Why are the Catholic Bishops supporting this atrocious "Kill the Gays" bill? Where are the US Brother Bishops speaking out against this evil? Certainly some bishops disagree. I would like to hear them speak. And yet nothing but crickets. For shame. -Mike
Jorge
8 months ago
Bishop kaigama seems to be contradicting himself..first he says that this genocide is clearly religiously motivated by islamic radical teachings, but later he says it is also caused by economical factors. This second statement is false unfortunately..the only true factor is islamic supremacism, sharia, jihad, all part of the scheme of butchering or converting all nigerians at all cost to islam. as usal this article predictably does not mention the fact that most nigerian "moderate" muslims could finish boko haram easilly if they wished to, but instead they give them secret support and safe-haven; they don't fisih boko haram because they share the same ethos and objectives-make islam the only religion and sharia the only law of the country, by whatever means possible. we need brave, straighforward leaders from the pultpit, not jihadist appeasers, accomplices of our own demise and genocide. It is time to stop islam supremacism, jihad NOW on its tracks, by all means necessary.
abey
8 months ago
Many of the problems lie in the preachings of some preachers to "Social Gospel" into their governmental agendas to Cultures, especially so when it is to western culture, instead of the "pure" Preaching of the Christian Faith which sans all cultures. Which, all the more become averse to others in the confusion especially so today & by the day with the Obama's & Hillary Clinton's pressing the spread of gay agendas that which is being professed through the so-called alternate lifestyles, which is but become a stumbling Block (the doctrine of Balaam) to spreading the Faith, even though it stands against gay culture.
Stephen
8 months ago
Our parish priest, Fr. Ben, is from Nigeria. He informs us of the terrorist attacks, and we pray for peace and prosperity of his homeland. Can't the leaders of Nigeria, the UN, the US State Department do more to protect the people of Nigeria?

‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’ attributed to Edmund Burke, Irish statesman -1770 - Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents.
Scott Risser
8 months ago
Our parish priest and several in our mission diocese are from Nigeria. They have an orthodox devotion that we Americans need to learn from. There are more priests from my priests diocese in the western US than we even have in our diocese. These men are true witnesses. They are here and their families are living this violence. We pray for God's mercy and outstretched arm.
Annemarie
8 months ago
I have been following the events in Nigeria since around Christmas, when I first heard of the violence. Even with everything going on in the world as it is today, I was shocked that people would murder others at a Christmas Mass. It's been a joke amongst some friends and I that if we got to choose when to die, we'd want to die at Mass directly after stepping out of the confessional - but this is no joke. This is happening to people, who are NOT choosing to die.

I hear about the mass murders, the children dying - but this is the first time I have heard a real Catholic outcry against it. We must pray, always, but we must also take action to protect our brothers and sisters in Christ. I do wish the mother church would take a stronger position to help, I know many people who would give their time and money to help - but we don't know what to do! Are there any Christian organizations that are helping that we can donate to and spread the word about? It is terrible to feel so helpless.
I pray these murderers are stopped and brought to justice. I pray the killing stops. I pray the Holy Catholic Church can once again become a sanctuary for the people in Nigeria who desperately need it.

Peace be with you.

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