An official of the Pakistani bishops’ conference has called upon the international community to exert pressure upon the nation’s government and defend the nation’s beleaguered Christian minority.
“In Pakistan, Christians suffer and see their lives in danger every day,” said Father John Shakir Nadeem, secretary of the bishops’ commission for social communications. “In some areas, believers are treated like animals, in slavery or subjected to harassment, violence, and forced conversions.”
“There is a widespread phenomenon of kidnapping of Christian girls, with death threats to the poorest families,” he continued. “Their abduction is followed by conversion and forced marriage. It is a stigma that many NGOs [non-governmental organizations] denounce in the face of the indifference of the authorities.”
He continued:
The situation is certainly varies between urban and rural areas. Christians in the city-- even in a general context of discrimination-- live together in neighborhoods called “colonies.” They have access to education, social services, to work. 30% of the Christian population can also make their way in society, even though here we are exposed to terrorist attacks against churches and Christian areas.
In remote villages, rural areas, the situation is very different. Small Christian groups, often poor, marginalized, and illiterate, suffer the oppression of the Muslim majority and are under the rule of others who make their profit by bullying, to rape, slavery, murder … Christians are often subject to false accusations of blasphemy, to threats of conversion, violence against women, property and possessions.
The Church spokesman made his complaint as Christians in Rawalpindi gathered for the funeral of Arshed Masih, who died from burns that covered 80% of his body. Neighbors reported that Masih was burned by local police-- the same police who had raped his wife.
Christians are a tiny minority in Pakistan's overwhelmingly Muslim population; only 0.7% of the Islamic republic’s 159.6 million people are Catholic.
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5 comments:
Lord help the Christians of Pakistan and punish those who defile your children!
We would be most grateful if you would kindly display this information regarding Aid to the Church in Need’s Annual Westminster Event on your Blog and pass it on to anyone else who may also be willing to display it.
Many thanks and God bless
Mike Cowie (Area Secretaries Co-ordinator, Aid to the Church in need (UK)
Aid to the Church in Need Annual Mass and ‘Hope Without Fear’ Event, taking place at Westminster Cathedral and Hall, Ambrosden Avenue London, SW1P 1QW
on – Saturday, 16th October Mass of Our Lady (Feast of Margaret Mary Alacoque).
The day begins with Sung Latin Mass in Westminster Cathedral at 10:30am. Mass will be followed by an afternoon of talks in the cathedral hall. We are delighted to welcome some very special guests from the suffering Church in Sudan and Siberia.
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio, south Sudan is leading his people in south Sudan through a time of great uncertainty. Despite the country’s fragile peace agreement, he has seen his people fall victim to atrocious attacks, including crucifixion. Benefactors are helping to provide hope, funding Christian education at the Save the Saveable schools, training seminarians, Sisters and catechists, and helping priests reach Christian communities with new vehicles.
Father Michael Shields from Magadan, Siberia is a long-time friend of Aid to the Church in Need. An American from Alaska, he chose to serve in a former communist gulag camp in Magadan, Siberia. Millions died here. Father works for those who survive, ensuring their stories are told and their suffering acknowledged by the authorities. He is the author of the Aid to the Church in Need publication Martyrs of Magadan – a book that tells the stories of 15 survivors of the gulags. Earlier this year, Aid to the Church in Need paid tribute to Father Michael’s work by including him in the book Heroic Priests.
Neville Kyrke-Smith, UK Director, Aid to the Church in Need
has travelled extensively in Eastern Europe and, this year, he will give an update on the help benefactors are giving to Christians in Ukraine, where he recently visited.
John Pontifex, UK Head of Press and Information, Aid to the Church in Need
will speak about suffering, faith and hope in Pakistan and how benefactors are helping to nurture this hope.
For more information please visit our Website http://www.acnuk.org/events.php/223/aid-to-the-church-in-need-annual-mass-and-hope-without-fear-event-westminster
We would be most grateful if you would kindly display this information regarding Aid to the Church in Need’s Annual Westminster Event on your Blog and pass it on to anyone else who may also be willing to display it.
Many thanks and God bless
Mike Cowie (Area Secretaries Co-ordinator, Aid to the Church in need (UK)
Aid to the Church in Need Annual Mass and ‘Hope Without Fear’ Event, taking place at Westminster Cathedral and Hall, Ambrosden Avenue London, SW1P 1QW
on – Saturday, 16th October Mass of Our Lady (Feast of Margaret Mary Alacoque).
The day begins with Sung Latin Mass in Westminster Cathedral at 10:30am. Mass will be followed by an afternoon of talks in the cathedral hall. We are delighted to welcome some very special guests from the suffering Church in Sudan and Siberia.
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio, south Sudan is leading his people in south Sudan through a time of great uncertainty. Despite the country’s fragile peace agreement, he has seen his people fall victim to atrocious attacks, including crucifixion. Benefactors are helping to provide hope, funding Christian education at the Save the Saveable schools, training seminarians, Sisters and catechists, and helping priests reach Christian communities with new vehicles.
Father Michael Shields from Magadan, Siberia is a long-time friend of Aid to the Church in Need. An American from Alaska, he chose to serve in a former communist gulag camp in Magadan, Siberia. Millions died here. Father works for those who survive, ensuring their stories are told and their suffering acknowledged by the authorities. He is the author of the Aid to the Church in Need publication Martyrs of Magadan – a book that tells the stories of 15 survivors of the gulags. Earlier this year, Aid to the Church in Need paid tribute to Father Michael’s work by including him in the book Heroic Priests.
Neville Kyrke-Smith, UK Director, Aid to the Church in Need
has travelled extensively in Eastern Europe and, this year, he will give an update on the help benefactors are giving to Christians in Ukraine, where he recently visited.
John Pontifex, UK Head of Press and Information, Aid to the Church in Need
will speak about suffering, faith and hope in Pakistan and how benefactors are helping to nurture this hope.
For more information please visit our Website http://www.acnuk.org/events.php/223/aid-to-the-church-in-need-annual-mass-and-hope-without-fear-event-westminster
IS VERY GOOD..............................
How sad. The European Union and similar bodies do a lot of campaigning on things like the death penalty but seem to ignore persecution of Christians. We hear a lot about the Tibetan Buddists and their troubles, very little about Chinese Catholics.
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