Blasphemy-sacrilege terrorism on the rise in the United States

Over the summer, Fatima Custodian Jose Ferraz  called me from New Jersey where he was doing home visitation with the Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima to say that there was a terrible rash of statue breakings in and near Catholic churches and chapels in that area of the country.

Blasphemy terrorism in the USA

As a result of his call, I started to research the statue breakings he mentioned and to look for others such sacrilegious attacks on Catholic statues and churches across America.

What I found was simply astounding and heart breaking.

Besides the 40 cases of broken statues and vandalisms in New Jersey in the summer, I found dozens of cases of similar attacks on Catholic statues and building all across the country.

Most of the Catholic places targeted were not famous.  With the exception of the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Colorado, I cannot remember one famous place or statue of national level that was hit by the blasphemers.

Blasphemy terrorism abroad

As a second step in my research, I looked for cases of sacrilegious attacks on Catholic statues and churches in other countries.

Again, what I found was astounding and heart breaking.  The number of cases of sacrilegious attacks abroad was even worse and more numerous then those here in our country.

This was especially so in a predominantly Muslim countries in which there is a small Catholic minority.  But it does not stop there.  Many Catholic and formerly Catholic countries are also witnessing a shocking and growing rash of sacrileges and blasphemies.

Characteristics of these attacks on the Faith

In researching the growing trend of blasphemy terrorism, some aspects of this horrific phenomenon started to appear.   Like several pieces of a puzzle, the several aspects of these blasphemous attacks started to form an ensemble, a whole, a trend.

Some of the piece of the puzzle are that attacks are:

•Mostly anonymous

•Done for reasons unstated

•Against minor targets

•In an erratic pattern

•Very widespread and consistent

•Apparently spontaneous

Gravity of these sins

Saint Thomas Aquinas said:

“Blasphemy is a sin committed directly against God; it is more grave than murder, which is a sin against one's neighbor…”

The definition of blasphemy is:

Blasphemy is a horrible sin which consists in words or acts of contempt or malediction against God, the Blessed Virgin, the Saints, or sacred things.

And the definition of sacrilege is:

Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object. In a less proper sense any transgression against the virtue of religion would be a sacrilege.

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Why all these blasphemies and sacrileges?

This is not an easy question to answer.

One reason may be that as people turn away from God, they get a bigger and bigger emptiness in their souls.  And as this emptiness grows, the person wants to fill it with something.

Therefore, they look for sin, or even for things that are connected more directly to Satan.  Wicca, witchcraft, New Age, wtc.

With time, these sins lead people to commit act of direct hatred against God and holy things.  And that may explain why all these blasphemies and sacrileges are happening.

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How should we react towards this onslaught of blasphemy terrorism?

In the first place, we must have an internal reaction of indignation and reparation towards these sins.  Otherwise, we run the risk of becoming weak in our faith and callous to the sin of blasphemy.

Then, in a second place, we should have an external reaction do whatever possible to stop such sins.

However, if we do not have the first internal reaction of just outrage, we will NOT follow through with any serious actions in the external realm to counter these attacks on our faith.

Only some one who is seriously offended by these blasphemies with make a serious effort to stop them from happening in the future.

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Adorer and Crusader -- A Call to be a Militant Catholic

A true Catholic must have the spirit of a Crusader–a warrior-like spirit. How so?

The question of a warrior-like spirit is deeply rooted in the very make-up of the human spirit and the human mentality.

Original sin, self seeking love and dedication

After original sin, we have the tendency to love things in a self-seeking way–what’s in it for me? In other words, we tend to love someone or something for what they can give us in return.

Thus, a person who has a pleasant and witty friend will naturally cultivate and enjoy his company. But when that person requires his help and dedication– it is a whole other story. Enjoyment yes. Dedication no.

The same goes for a husband and wife who are in love with each other, and find each other’s company delightful. But when the time for giving comes, the troubles begin. Again to enjoy–yes, to dedicate–no. This is because dedication requires sacrifice, and the first natural tendency of every human creature is to shrink from sacrifice.

Thus, we can easily look at Our Lord, Our Lady as well as the Catholic Church and her doctrine with the same eyes. We can be convinced Jesus and Mary love us; we are touched by their goodness, and hope they will grant us all we ask. We admire the Church and all she offers, and bask in all she can do for us. But when it is time for us to do something for God and His Church, the excuses begin. We do not want to sacrifice.

But the truth is, that there is only true love, true dedication, true friendship and true idealism where there is a spirit of sacrifice. Without it, all declarations of love are only empty words. Either we prove our love and idealism with works, and, at times, difficult works, or there is no true friendship.

True friends are recognized in battle

Now, those times in which we most need our friends are when we are attacked. And there are such times in life. When an enemy attacks us, when someone files a suit against us, or accuses us unjustly, it is then we find out what our friends are worth. If at a time of trouble he is not on the battlefield at my side sword in hand, but, rather, on the stalls looking on, then he may be an acquaintance or sympathizer, but no friend.

There is no true adoration without militancy

Therefore, if friendship is dedication, and the best of dedication is shown in battle, we may also conclude that, in relation to Our Lord and His Church, there is no true dedication without a fighting spirit. Why so? If I am truly grateful for the fact that Our Lord is my God and my Savior, Who shed his blood to the last drop for me and would have done it for me alone, I must react when I see Him attacked, insulted, derided, blasphemed and His Church persecuted.

This is the logical consequence of adoration. How good is a holy hour, filled with good feelings and emotion if, as I come out and witness and offense to God, I do not take a stance? What is the sincerity of that love I pledged to Our Lord, if I remain indifferent when I see Him attacked? If my adoration is sincere, I must be ready to fight for His cause to the last breath.

Our obligation as children of the Church

If we consider that Our Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the Mystical Body, which is the Catholic Church, and that the Church on earth is called the Church Militant; if we consider that it has been the Church’s lot to be attacked, contested and denied, betrayed and persecuted through the ages, I must be prepared to defend her. Before those who try to make me ashamed of her, I must hold my head high and have enough knowledge of her holy doctrine to hush them. Depending on the circumstance and the person’s disposition, at times we must do it with a smile, with patience and kindness. At other times we must be firm and to the point. Regardless, we must always work within all the available means of legality–but work, nonetheless.

A true love of God is battle ready.

It takes effort and reflection to foster a battle ready spirit

It is not easy to fight. It takes preparation and exercise. Just like the body needs care and exercise to stay fit, so does the spirit. If we wish to be seriously battle ready we must prepare mind and spirit. A fit of rage is not a battle. A serious warrior is ready because he has reflected, studied and prayed. He is always attentive to the interests of the Church. Whether he silences, or speaks, whether he beats a strategic retreat or attacks, he is always fighting. This is a true soldier of the Cross–a Crusader.

Always gentle and kind but always fighting

Many people claim we should be always, regardless of circumstances, gentle and kind. Of course we should be gentle and kind, but we must take care that “gentle and kind” be not another term for “politically correct”. The Crusader-like spirit transposed to the field of doctrine is orthodoxy. “Let your speech be yea, yea, neah, neah.” (Scriptural Quote)

A catholic is not gentle and kind because he feels like been gentle and kind. A catholic is gentle and kind because his Master is the Lamb of God. But that same Lamb of God defended His Father’s honor fearlessly in the Temple, against the moneychangers and against all those who wished to call black white and white black–or white gray.

Another thought to bear in mind is that when Our Lord defended Truth, He surely did so with the conversion of His enemies in mind. But, above all, He was defending the innocent bystanders from being deceived or confused as to that Truth. As Catholics, people are watching us. Many a time we may not convince the one attacking us, but we may be confirming the faith of another. And that is our obligation.

May this little booklet contribute to making good every hour of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament against an increasingly “politically correct” world.  May we be adorers, may we be lovers, and may we be fighters.

(The part about Crusader and Adorer was based on a talk by Prof. Plinio Correa de Oliveira and adapted for this post.)