'Litany for Japan'; Christian martyrs and Muslim barbarism

'Litany for Japan'; Christian martyrs and Muslim barbarism

By Matt C. Abbott

My Catholic readers might appreciate the "Litany for Japan"; click here to read (and pray) it.


From Australian Catholic journalist Andrew Rabel (edited):

'Dear friends:

'Some of you were personally acquainted with Father Ragheed Ganni (1972-2007), the Iraqi Chaldean priest who was murdered outside his church in Mosul, with three deacons, after being asked if he would renounce his faith.

'Now there is a website established to obtain testimonies about him. I was on the telephone yesterday to a friend, a parish housekeeper in Perth, who looked after him for about a week when he was visiting Australia. (He has a sister who lives in Sydney as well.) She was full of stories about the humility and kindness of this man, and also how he sensed that somehow this would be his destiny.

'It makes me wonder when God asks a person the supreme sacrifice of offering his or her life for Him, whether this invitation is actually given some time before the event itself. Hence the person who has said 'yes' knows his or her fate and acquires a serenity that seems somewhat other-worldly. Father Ganni constantly said that he wished to return to Iraq; he studied at the Irish College in Rome and had assignments in Ireland — where he was very popular — and in Sweden. But he knew he would likely be killed, and that is what happened. Still, he was always very joyful and serene.

'The Church so often says it must rewrite the martyrologies, and Father Ganni and Pakistani minister Shahbaz Bhatti are two marvelous contemporary witnesses to our Catholic faith. Let us all be inspired by their example.'

There is more at his blog site, from Wm Donahue about this topic. Please use the hyperlink in the title above to finish reading this very interesting commentary.

And don't forget to check into the Litany for Japan!

Lord, have mercy!