Save me, O God,
for the waters have risen to my neck.
I have sunk into the mud of the deep
and there is no foothold.
I have entered the waters of the deep
and the waves overwhelm me. - Ps. 69
This is unbelievable.
ROME (AP) — Italy's migration crisis took on a deadly new twist Thursday as police in Sicily reported that Muslim migrants had thrown 12 Christians overboard during a recent crossing from Libya, and an aid group said another 41 were feared drowned in a separate incident.
Palermo police said they had detained 15 people suspected in the high seas assault, which they learned of while interviewing tearful survivors from Nigeria and Ghana who had arrived in Palermo Wednesday morning after being rescued at sea by the ship Ellensborg.
The 15 were accused of multiple homicide aggravated by religious hatred, police said in a statement. - Finish reading here.
Prayers for the migrants, the persecuted, the martyred ...
St. Benedict of Palermo, pray for us.
Rescue those traversing dangerous seas.
Convert those misled by Muslim teaching.
Strengthen those who suffer under Muslim cruelty.
Cain continues to kill his brother Abel in order to get "ahead."
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about this after reading your post Terry and it occurred to me that one way to make sure I can stay in Italy or wherever I run off to seek refuge, well, in my twisted way of thinking (and of those who threw those poor folk overboard) I was thinking I can just murder a few innocent folk and be secure in jail where I will have a place to sleep, eat and toil.
Of course, if I am handed the death sentence for committing such a crime...then I am no better off.
Prayers for the innocent and for the murderers, may they seek pardon before God and man.
Pope Francis can't blame this one on arms dealers. Has he said anything about these murdering migrants?
ReplyDeleteThey break the paradigm of the poor being always hidden Christ figures....so I'm thinking he will not comment. Immigration needs moral discretion not totally talent discretion...but immigrants should be non murderous as a minimum....otherwise ship them back to radical islam lands where they can't find people to murder.
I haven't read much more on it - the situation sickens me and will surely undermine European stability. The political ramifications are mind boggling. I also wonder how many ISIS people are on those boats coming in to Italy.
DeletePeople are now saying the Papal trip to Lampedusa was irresponsible. They are accustomed to the Pope acting within the parameters of protocol. The Pope isn't constrained in that way. Agree with him or not, he will take advantage of politics but he acts outside that boundary I think. If people want to blame him for the crisis, I think they are only scapegoating him. With Francis it is almost like having Mother Teresa as Pope. She crossed battle lines all of the time.
. Martyrdom takes place with our patience when there is overwhelming force as with Christ, as with the Roman persecution, as with the Carthusians killed in England in the 16th century. But when there are small criminal bands, the African Christians should be taught to defend themselves. I don't think that is being taught with vigor....because inter alia the magisterium is avoiding those realities for image sake. But are the poor Christians paying the real price of that image.
DeleteThat's a good point. I certainly believe they have the right to defend themselves against slaughter - but obviously they have no army, and definitely aren't trained as you point out. They have been over powered and need outside support.
DeleteI think when Francis first went to Lampedusa he was calling the world's attention to the crisis - which Europe was ignoring. So all I'm really saying he didn't start the problem and I don't get the impression he is encouraging the martyrdom of helpless Christians. What he is doing is demonstrating Apostolic concern, exercising his ministry while shining more light on the crisis.
I actually think we see this the same way.
Francis is not the root of a pacifist slant at Rome...he is the third in a series that began with John Paul II then Benedict. That is a long story and I'll spare you....it involves modern hermeneutics allowing them to skip over scripture verses like Usain Bolt skips over the earth beneath him. But Francis needs to state plainly that self defense via guns is allowed against criminal bands of jihadists. About ten men murdered 147 in Kenya. That was totally avoidable since it happened before. African schools should have armed teachers. Weakness is provocative to bullies. I have a guy who i nearly killed on the street after he robbed us of a weapon inter alia...who said he'll get me with a pistol. I think he changed his mind or is in prison...but I'm ready to send him to his particular judgement if he returns....no lack of love...indeed I may be his only intercessor on earth, but I'll shotgun him if he pulls a pistol on me in the middle of the night after setting off the motion detectors here...no hesitation. He could do a drive by and then I'll meet St. Peter instead because I don't carry...no one does in NJ.
DeleteThe school in Kenya was even warned but no protection provided. I don't get it and I don't think the Vatican does either. You gotta do what you gotta do.
DeleteI don't mean to be disrespectful, but no one listens to popes about weapons and war. They pretty much ignored Benedict XV's peace plan and continue to do so today. Unless they take the Pope's name in vain to win votes.
I meant they continue to ignore what recent popes have said in our day just as they ignored Benedict XV..
DeleteImportant tv tip to alleviate deep theology/ existence concerns if you have netflix $8.99 a mo. program. " Death in Paradise" is BBC but part Brit and part Caribbean murder mysteries...undercurrent of improbable romance..ben miller/ sara martins delightful.....excellent, excellent. You're deep end of the pool...escapist fare of high quality is important.
DeleteCorrection...was orignally tv in the UK and here...maybe still is in later seasons.
DeleteHa! I love that series. You are right - great escape.
DeleteHa! Just watched the scene wherein Camille thinks her blind date is Richard sitting at the table at her mom's cafe and radiates yes to that possibility in all her expressive cues and then.... he's not there for that but to babysit for the young cop. The great thing about netflix is that you can watch seasons hour after hour and that world becomes your world for awhile....so climatic moments like that become very real. If only my would be assassin would watch shows like that....his world would be so less felonius....;)
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