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"Give me My Weapon!" - St. Pio
from (Rome Reports) script of video
The Vatican has published the names of all the missionaries who died violently in 2009.
In all 37 people were killed on active duty, the highest number in the past decade. Among them, is a lay person, 2 seminarians, 2 nuns and 30 priests.
One of them could be considered a martyr since it appears he died a victim of a religious hate crime.
Were talking about James Mukalel, who was killed in Mangalore, India in late July.
But the largest blood bath took place in Latin America, where 21 missionaries have lost their lives. 6 missionaries died in Brazil, one of them was Spanish and another Italian. 6 others died in Colombia, 3 in Mexico, 2 Spanish priests were killed in Cuba, 2 in el Salvador, an American priest in Guatemala and another priest in Honduras.
The continent with the second largest number of missionaries killed while on duty is Africa. 4 died in Congo along with 4 priests in South Africa including one from France and another from Austria. An Italian and Irish priest were killed in Kenya and another priest was killed in Burundi.
In Asia, two priests died, including one in India as a result of anti-Christian sentiment.
Two missionaries died in the United States, a religious in New Mexico and a priest in New Jersey.
Meanwhile, Europe is the continent at the bottom of the list, thats where Louis Jousseaume, a French priest was killed by an ill person he was looking after.
The Vatican hopes these violent acts come to an end and by publishing the names of those who lost their lives, their hard work will live on.
As a Christian family-Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant- it is all of our hope that violence against the Christian faith would come to an end...yet we know we are no greater than the fathers of our faith who suffered and died for the cause of Christ. We also know that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.
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