Even more harmful than killing the Church is taking away the incentive to be Catholic. Who wants to belong to an institution that does not know how to defend its rights?
Newsdesk (22/11/2020 18:46, Gaudium Press) In mathematics, the term “common denominator,” can also be used in everyday language to point out a characteristic common to several individuals or things.
When I tried to find a “common denominator” among the diversity of headlines brought by the news last week, it took me some time. But I found it.
Beyond the complexities of the American political panorama, let’s take a quick look at three events:
The first is the ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan. After Russia mediated in the conflict, we witnessed the despair of the Armenians. Some are protesting, others are leaving Nagorno, many are crying, and all feel cheated. As I write, videos of Azerbaijanis occupying the region are posted on the Internet, showing them desecrating churches and bring down crosses while screaming “Allahu Akbar.”
Next: In Europe, the new wave of Coronavirus has closed churches and prohibited worship. Thousands of French Catholics complain about the fact, but nobody pays attention to them.
Finally, in Portugal, last Sunday, a live Mass was interrupted. While the celebration was being broadcasted, a man entered the temple. He stood in the ambo and criticized the presence of missionaries in Africa.
It is not hard to find the common denominator in all three pieces of news. This mathematical operation requires only a small amount of common sense.
In the first case, an armed conflict, the struggle seemed to be centred on a bitter territorial dispute. However, recent events have revealed that this is not all: while we see renewed scenes of Muslim extremism, we wonder: Is the Armenian conflict a mere pretext for religious persecution? Why are the anti-coronavirus measures so strict for the various forms of worship while other essential services continue to function? As per the episode in Portugal, we can see how the Church is also a victim.
After my math is over, what results do we get? A straightforward result: the Church is continually undermined. Numerous outcomes may emerge from this: these are the challenges posed to the Church in a world that is no longer Christian[1].
And the law of physics?
We have always learned that every action corresponds to a reaction. This postulate also applies to those who, by a duty of care, should watch over the Church of Christ. From all corners, the flock of Christ is under attack. Where is the reaction to be seen?
By Paulo da Cruz
[1] “La force da la vérité” by Cardinal Gerhard Müller.
