In a New York Minute: Coming Persecution of Christians over True Marriage?

6/28/2011

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absolute prohibition against killing children in the womb by intentional abortion- has now betrayed the truth about marriage. Both father and son claim to be Catholic.

What the Catholic Church teaches about marriage is not only a "religious" position, though it is certainly affirmed by revelation. It is objectively true and cannot be changed. In this age which Pope Benedict XVI rightly called a "Dictatorship of Relativism", such truth claims elicit anger among the new cultural revolutionaries.

Get ready. This is only the beginning. The Church has faced these challenges before and the truths she offers for the proper ordering of truly just and human societies always prevails. I am reminded of one of my favorite stories from the beginning of the first millennium, a time very much like the beginning of the Third Millennium.

The year was 258. It was a difficult beginning for what would become the First Christian Millennium of Christian history. Hostility against these early followers of Jesus Christ was growing. The barbarism and severity of pagan Rome had begun to reach a fever pitch. It would soon lead to a blood lust. The newborn Christian Church, faithful to the One who had given Himself for the life of the world, continued the work of His redemption.

Roman authorities charged Christians of that era with "odium humani generis" [hatred of the human race]. The Romans claimed to be citizens of a great empire, yet they practiced primitive forms of abortion as well as "exposure", the killing of unwanted newborns. They also, at various times, tried to institutionalize approval of homosexual relationships on a par with authentic marriage.

Emperor Nero in the first-century A.D. was not only overt in his homosexual relationships but sought to make them normative in the empire, to give an equal status between homosexual relationships and marriage. First and Second century Rome was a challenging mission field for these early Christians. Rome proclaimed itself the shining example to the world of its age while it violated the natural law and embraced debauchery.

The day that Deacon Lawrence experienced his birth from death to life was an ominous and frightful day in ancient Rome. Four days earlier, the great Bishop of Rome, Sixtus, was arrested by soldiers of the emperor Valerian, along with his beloved deacons, and beheaded. Valerian had issued an edict to the Roman Senate that all the Christian clergy-bishops, priests and deacons-were to be arrested and executed. There were so many holy people among the martyrs of early Rome. That makes it even more remarkable that the life and death of this one humble deacon-Lawrence-is attributed with "all of Rome becoming Christian."

Sentenced to death in the Emperor Valerian's sweeping condemnation of all Christian clergy, Lawrence offended the Emperor-and thereby endeared himself to all Christians since-by assembling before Valerian the "gold and silver" of the Church. According to the tradition, Deacon Lawrence, knowing that the fervor of Valerians' hatred was extending to all Christians who owned property, began to give it all away. He distributed the money and treasures of the Church to the city's poor-believing the clear admonition of the Savior that they were blessed and especially loved by Him.

Valerian heard the news and wanted the treasure to satisfy his unbridled lust for worldly power. So, he offered Deacon Lawrence a way out of sure death. If he would show him where the Church's great gold and silver were located, he would issue an order of clemency, sparing his life so that he could continue his work. Valerian was delighted when the deacon asked for three days to gather all the gold and silver of the Church together in one central place!

For three days, Deacon Lawrence went throughout the city and invited all the beloved poor, handicapped, and misfortunate, who were all being supported by a thriving early Christian community who understood the Gospel imperative, to come together. When Valerian arrived, Deacon Lawrence presented him with the true "gold and silver" of the Church!

The emperor was filled with rage! Beheading was not enough for this Christian Deacon. He ordered Deacon Lawrence to be burned alive, in public, on a griddle. Witnesses recorded the public martyrdom. The deacon cheerfully offered himself to the Lord Jesus and even joked with his executioners!

The tradition records massive conversions to the Christian faith as a result of the holy life and death of one Deacon who understood the true heart of his vocation and the faithful Christians who refused to compromise the truth and stood strong against persecution.Hopefully, the situation we are beginning to face will not involve literal executions. However, it most certainly will involve suffering from attacks against our reputations and efforts to marginalize our participation in the public square.

This is a new missionary age. We must remember that the allegations leveled against the early Christians, such as the story of Deacon named Lawrence and his companions, were charges like "Hatred of the Human Race". Hmmm.. Notice some of those signs on display among the mobs of homosexual equivalency activists and their supporters on Sunday? In a New York minute...things are getting pretty strange.

- - -

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: Same Sex Marriage, Gay marriage, homosexual marriage, New York, Governor Cuomo, persecution of Christians, Deacon Keith Fournier

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1 - 10 of 37 Comments

ek
1 year ago
I am heartened that so many true Catholics have had enough of the homosexual, feminist and abortion activists that are attacking Holy Mother Church from within and without. The Church has been wounded, but the gates of hell will not prevail. Pray for our bishops and clergy. They have no choice now. They have to be the beacons of light they were meant to be. Their uniting to fight the hhs mandate is very good news. The battle is on. I hope that soon they will unite in excommunicating the Cuomos, Bidens and Pelosis who continue to cause so much scandal among the faithful.
Rob
1 year ago
J, your post is spot on. My reaction to this and to a majority of the social evils of our day is to just double my efforts in my own parish community. I really believe that until we clean up our own house, we just can't influence the greater society. And swimming with the sharks in politics, I dare say, just makes us more and more like them. I don't have a problem calling evil for what it is, but I just don't believe and too many decades has proven, that politics is not the solution. It is by love that people will know we are Christians and it is by love that we will lead them to Christ. Using the government and law is not going to lead people to Christ. The greatest weapon against all these social ills is a strong Catholic family. We do not need the government to legislate this. It's all possible when you walk closely with Christ.
Babatope
1 year ago
Romans 1:26-27 teaches specifically that homosexuality is a result of denying and disobeying God.
1 Corinthians 6:9 proclaims that homosexual “offenders” will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Read more here: http://christonline.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/gay/
J
1 year ago
Look to your soul and not to the state. There has never been nor ever will be a Christian State. We are citizens of Christ's everlasting kingdom, and politics, which is about power, money, ego, and has nothing to do with our daily work of love and compassion. Let's please forget about the theatrics which politics brings, unwanted, to a truly spiritual life. And let us remember that our time is best spent lovingly spreading God's word, rather than "enforcing it" under law, which is man's law, not God's. Let us each embrace humility, and do what we can, materially and spiritually, for those we can, who are close. Let us not muddy the waters of human feeling with state mandates and egoistic judgments on fellow, if lost, souls. I am disappointed that so many followers of Christ have taken up such un-Christian, warlike, antagonistic, egoistic positions, while the word of God is simple, pure, selfless.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him." John 3:16-17

"How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another, and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God." John 3:44

"I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn them, for I did not come to condemn the world, but to save the world." John 13:46-7

"I give you a new commandment: love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 15:35

"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." Luke 20:25
mikem
1 year ago
SO WHEN is Archbishop Dolan going to outright EXCOMMUNICATE gov. Cuomo? ban him from even entering a Catholic church until he publicly repents on the steps of St. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL. There are worse punishments than excommunication. Churches can be closed. Whole regions can be placed under anathema.
When?? When are US bishops going to get serious about this? in hell? The bishops and cardinal's souls are just as much at stake as is Governor Cuomo's if they don't defend the souls won by Christ's crucifixion.
Celine
1 year ago
Irl, the R.C churches in Europe do not perform Holy Matrimony on same sex couples
whether they were married in a civil union or not counts for nothing. Only hetro sexual couple who comply with the church teachings.
Donna
1 year ago
I did hear this Sunday on how we need to defend Marriage. I wanted to get up and clap that this priest finally had enough courage to talk about it. I need to tell him that he did do the right thing. Our Archbishop has been very vocal about marriage being between a man and a woman. In fact, a CD was sent to every Catholic home in three states by him. Thank God we do have an Archbishop is willing to tell us the truth. God bless him and may many bishops follow his way in telling the truth to the faithful that they shepherd.
JACINTA
1 year ago
IF JUST 10% OF CATHOLICS IN AMERICA SAID THE ROSARY EVERY DAY, WE WOULD SEE A NEW EARTH. LUCIA, ONE OF THE VISIONARIES OF FATIMA SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE ROSARY CANNOT SOLVE. THIS SPIRITUAL WEAPON WAS GIVEN TO US BY HEAVEN.
WHEN OUR LADY APPEARED IN FATIMA IN 1917, SHE REQUESTED THE ROSARY SAID DAILY. THE ROSARY STOPS WARS AND DEFEATS HERESY. WHY ARE WE IGNORING A MANDATE FROM HEAVEN.
OUR LORD SAID HE WOULD SPIT OUT THE LUKEWARM.
PARENTS, IF YOUR CHILDREN HAVE LEFT THE CHURCH, START THE DAILY ROSARY.START THE ROSARY IN YOUR LOCAL CHURCH AND PRAYER GROUPS.
CAN'T SLEEP, KEEP YOUR ROSARY UNDER YOUR PILLOW AND PRAY.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL,
JACINTA
Troy
1 year ago
It is so nice to see the comments filled with Catholic comments. Love is the answer. God is Love; and God is the answer. And please, stop bashing the bishops. They are speaking, but no one is listening. Do you think the media wants to give voice to the bishops? They know what would happen then. Archibishop Dolan has tirelessly fought the good fight. I believe that the homily in the Mass should reflect the readings of the Mass, personally. It is always nice when the homily can be tied to these very important issues. It makes it that much more meaningful and brings more validity, too.
rustywheeler
1 year ago
"Homosexuals can call their union a marriage as much as they like and as loud as they like, and pass a law saying their union is a marriage but the fact remains whether they like it or not, it is not a marriage and will never will be even if the law puts all catholics in prison, it still will never ever be a marriage."

Well, I guess that puts the lie to the "redefining marriage for everybody" argument, then, doesn't it?

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