Archbishop Fulton Sheen Interviews Pastor Richard Wurmbrand

This is a an extraordinary meeting of two of the twentieth century's great spiritual figures -- one a Protestant, the other Catholic -- who were close friends and dynamic collaborators for Christ and His gospel for much of their lives.  Each drew their worldwide influence from holiness forged in the furnace of suffering.  Each brought countless souls to Christ, and continues to do so.  Their friendship is witness that true followers of Christ cannot help but be close to one another.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the first of the televangelists, continues to be the most influential Catholic evangelist of the past 100 years.  His books, videos and recordings remain best sellers more than 30 years after his death, and his cause for canonization is underway.

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand suffered intensely in Communist prisons for his Christian beliefs.  In the depths of brutal torture and years of solitary confinement he had a vision like that of the Apostle Stephen.  Wurmbrand wrote:

We didn't see that we were in prison. We were surrounded by angels; we were with God. We no longer believed about God and Christ and angels because Bible verses said it. We didn't remember Bible verses anymore. We remembered about God because we experienced it. With great humility we can say with the apostles, "What we have seen with our eyes, what we have heard with our ears, what we have touched with our own fingers, this we tell to you."

Pastor Wurmbrand dedicated his life to the cause of martyrs throughout the world and founded the international organization, Voice of the Martyrs. One of his many books, Tortured for Christ is a Christian classic.  We frequently post stories about Voice of the Martyrs, and our post this past week about 50,000 imprisoned Christians in North Korea makes clear that Christian persecution continues on a massive scale in our own day.

On this Good Friday, these saintly men remind us that a Christian must take up one's cross and ascend Calvary; but where the cross is, there also is the resurrection.

Key Leaders of Faith, Family, Back Santorum

Senator Rick Santorum has been the conservative’s conservative in the race for the 2012 GOP nomination for president, stating biblical perspectives on homosexuality, marriage and other key social issues.

For that, he’s earned the support of dozens of key conservative leaders around the nation, from Family Talk radio founder James Dobson to Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Preparedness.

The Choir of Clare College -- "Te Deum" -- By Henry Purcell

Te Deum, also sometimes called the Ambrosian Hymn because of its association with St. Ambrose, is a traditional hymn of joy and thanksgiving. First attributed to Sts. Ambrose, Augustine, or Hilary, it is now accredited to Nicetas, Bishop of Remesiana (4th century). It is used at the conclusion of the Office of the Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours on Sundays outside Lent, daily during the Octaves of Christmas and Easter, and on Solemnities and Feast Days.

English translation of

Te Deum


We praise Thee, O God: we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship Thee and the Father everlasting.
To Thee all Angels:
to Thee the heavens and all the Powers therein.
To Thee the Cherubim and Seraphim cry with unceasing voice:
Holy, Holy, Holy: Lord God of Hosts.
The heavens and the earth are full of the majesty of Thy glory.
Thee the glorious choir of the Apostles.
Thee the admirable company of the Prophets.
Thee the white-robed army of Martyrs praise.
Thee the Holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge.
The Father of infinite Majesty.
Thine adorable, true and only Son
Also the Holy Ghost the Paraclete.
Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
Thou having taken upon Thee to deliver man
didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
Thou having overcome the sting of death
didst open to believers the kingdom of heaven.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God
in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou shalt come to be our Judge.
We beseech Thee, therefore, help Thy servants:
whom Thou has redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints in glory everlasting.
Lord, save Thy people:
and bless Thine inheritance.
Govern them and lift them up forever.
Day by day we bless Thee.
And we praise Thy name forever:
and world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, this day to keep us without sin.
Have mercy on us, O Lord: have mercy on us.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us:
as we have hoped in Thee.
O Lord, in Thee have I hoped:
let me never be confounded.

Canadian Court Hands Christians a Religious Freedom Setback

From Mission Network News

A court decision in western Canada reveals the tenuous state of religious liberty in Canada.

Adele Konyndyk with Voice of the Martyrs Canada explains. "Saskatchewan's Court of Queen's Bench upheld the ruling that said marriage commissioner Orville Nichols did not have the right to refuse to marry a same-sex couple in April 2004 on the basis of his Christian beliefs."

The tribunal had also ordered Nichols to pay the complainant $2,500 in compensation. According to Voice of the Martyrs Canada sources, Nichols appealed the May 23 ruling, arguing that his religious beliefs should be protected under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Justice Janet McMurty dismissed his argument, however, in her 39-page ruling dated July 17, concluding that the human rights tribunal was "correct in its finding that the commission had established discrimination and that accommodation of Mr. Nichols' religious beliefs was not required." Nichols has 30 days to appeal the decision. He has not indicated whether he will do so.

There is hope that the Saskatchewan government will introduce legislation allowing marriage commissioners to refuse to perform same-sex marriages for religious reasons. The government has referred two versions of new legislation containing a religious exemption to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal to rule on their constitutionality.

In the meantime, Konyndyk notes that the ruling sets a chilling precedent for evangelical Christians. "Essentially the message that this sends is that his religious beliefs are to be kept private, and that he cannot make a decision in line with his religious beliefs."

Could it be a legal precedent under hate crimes? It's the beginning of a slippery slope. "There is a concern that Christians could be forced to stay silent and not be able to share publicly their beliefs on Scripture and their religious convictions."

It's also a wake-up call. Konyndyk says, "Pray that Christians in Canada will recognize when their religious rights are being violated and rely on the Lord to guide them as to how to respond to such challenges."

Help Free Gao Zhisheng

From Voice of the Martyrs

Christian human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng, disappeared February 4, and was last seen being taken away by a dozen police officers. Gao Zhisheng has been repeatedly kidnapped, arrested, imprisoned and tortured by Chinese authorities, because he has defended the persecuted and has been an unyielding voice for justice in the Chinese courts.

Read Gao's account of 50 days of torture in 2007.

Read Gao Zhisheng's letter to the U.S. Congress in 2007.

Read Geng He's open letter to the U.S. Congress.

Read Senator Dorgan's speech from the Senate floor.

ChinaAid together with Mr. Gao's wife and children are deeply concerned about Mr. Gao, and reports from inside China indicate he is experiencing severe torture.

Please sign the petition on the page that The Voice of the Martyrs has dedicated to this brave Christian man.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider on Evangelization, Zika, Freemasonry, the Orthodox & More!

Image Credit: Daniel Blackman

London, UK: The well-known and much respected auxiliary bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan, Athanasius Schneider, has given a wide-ranging and hard-hitting interview during his week-long tour of England this past week.

Bishop Schneider spoke exclusively to me, taking on a number of controversial issues, including evangelization in relation to Jews and Muslims, the Pope’s recent comment on the Zika virus and contraception, Freemasonry within the hierarchy, and opening up about why refuses to let fear stop him from teaching all the truths of the Catholic Faith.

Bishop Schneider’s week-long trip, organised by the founder and editor of Ireland’s Catholic Voice newspaper, Anthony Murphy, included several Holy Masses, clergy retreats and talks at the Shrine of St Augustine in Ramsgate, and the thriving shrines entrusted to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in New Brighton, and the Fraternity of St. Peter in Warrington. The bishop also stopped off at the Oxford Oratory.

The following is a transcript of our interview.
 
Daniel Blackman: You’ve been to England several times now. What do you like about coming here, and what’s distinct about the Catholics you meet here? 
 
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: It is wonderful to meet the young clergy, and laity, including young people, it is encouraging for me, I think they are continuing to hand over the noble traditions of the English Catholics which were known throughout the whole world. They were persecuted, and gave up their lives for the Catholic faith.

So I think the situation today in the Church with this deep crisis, is met with good Catholic lay people and priests, especially here in England, as in those times of martyrs, confessors, and priests too, it is encouraging that English Catholics are faithful to their noble Catholic heritage.

Read more at The Catholic Herald >>