Persecution Then and Now - Will the Church Stand Firm Again?

CLEVELAND - June 25, 2014 - PRLog -- In the early 20th century, persecution was a problem for Catholics in Mexico. Our order had been founded in 1910 by Maria del Refugio of Mexico City, and all too soon, the looming Mexican Revolution brought a government that was hostile to Catholics. By 1917, the Church's legal status was nullified by a new Constitution. Under this enactment, priests were stripped of their civic rights, religious communities were no longer recognized, public worship outside of churches was prohibited, and all religious-affiliated education was banned.

In February of 1925, many of the Catholic schools were shut down. Out of fear, the bishops urged the directors of Catholic schools to sign a declaration observing the article of the Constitution which stated that "Religious corporations, ministers of religion, societies which exclusively or mainly carry out educational activities, and associations or societies concerned with the dissemination of any religious creed, will not involve themselves in any way in establishments which provide primary or secondary education, teacher training, or classes for workers or peasants." Maria del Refugio and her Mercedarian Sisters were among the few who refused to sign an observance to this attack on religion.

Several weeks later, government officials searched the Sisters' home with orders to shoot any priests they found. To protect the Eucharist, Maria hid the Blessed Sacrament under her cloak, until the officials lefts. Many priests and religious gave their lives in this bloody wave of anti-clericalism, and Maria del Refugio was forced to send many of the Sisters to foreign countries for safety. The Sisters that remained with Maria in Mexico often hid from persecution in the basements of nearby houses.

Now, nearly a hundred years later, Catholics and Protestants are struggling in this country to maintain religious freedom in the face of an increasingly hostile atmosphere of government restrictions. Although the Church in the United States has been spared bloody persecution, religious orders, Catholic schools and universities have been threatened by the HHS mandate in a much more subtle attack. Even Christian-run businesses such as Hobby Lobby have engaged in lawsuits rather than pay for insurance which provides contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs.

We, the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament are no strangers to persecution, and are in full support of the USCCB to stand against the HHS mandate. Christ will continue to guide his Church and will not allow the gates of hell prevail against it, no matter how strongly the devil tries to silence the Church and its faithful.

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Sr. Jeanette Marie, HMSS
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