Michael Kelly
For the first time in the 131 year history of this newspaper, the iconic masthead on the front page is red rather than the trademark blue.
A masthead is a newspaper’s identity, and a decision to modify it is not made lightly or without just cause. The reason that it is red is to highlight next week’s commemoration of ‘Red Wednesday’ – a day when Catholics are called to pray, reflect and show solidarity with the suffering Church.
Aid to the Church in Need Ireland estimates that more than 245 million Christians face extreme persecution for their Faith in our world today.
For too long we’ve been accustomed to seeing the persecution of Christians as a part of our Church’s history. We think of the circus maximus of Rome or Mao’s China, but persecution is more severe today than at any time during the Church’s long history.
It is, without question, the greatest human rights issue of this generation – and yet, many politicians are silent on the precarious situation of Christians all over the globe.
Deafening
While Britain has joined some other EU countries in prioritising assistance to suffering Christians, the silence from the Irish Government is deafening. In an historically Christian country where 82% of people say they profess the Christian Faith the apparent indifference from those in positions of leadership to the suffering of so many people is hard to explain.
Unless the world starts to take a strong line on religious freedom, Christians will disappear from large parts of the world including the very birthplace of the Faith – the Middle East. Already, Christians have been fleeing in large numbers and those who remain keep their heads down for fear of provoking ire.
November 27 is a day when parish communities have a chance to reflect on suffering and highlight it”
All across the Muslim world, Christians face persecution and discrimination because of their Faith. Ireland’s silence on the issue is shameful and shouldn’t continue.
We cannot allow this indifference to infect the Church and Irish parishioners have a solemn duty in prayer and solidarity to highlight the discrimination, persecution and martyrdom that is part of the life of Catholics in many parts of the world.
Red Wednesday – which this year falls on November 27 – is a day when people are asked to wear red to symbolise the blood of Christians that is shed because of their faith. It is also a day when parish communities have a chance to reflect on that suffering and highlight it.
First and foremost, as people of faith prayer is key. But, our Faith is empty unless it compels us to act. We must educate ourselves about the persecution, be unafraid to speak of it and encourage our politicians to be more vocal in condemning it and putting pressure on regimes hostile towards Christians.
A failure to speak up is a damning indictment and when historians come to write the history of the persecuted Christians of this generation, it will be the silence from countries such as Ireland that speaks the loudest.
Don’t be complicit in that silence – don’t let Red Wednesday pass you by.