“Are Catholics persecuted in Russia?”
Yes.
1) In the refusal to turn over Catholic properties or their very slow repatriation. http://articles.latimes.com/1990-03-17/entertainment/ca-317_1_orthodox-church
2) In refusal to give out or renew visas for foreign clergy (native clergy were murdered after all). Financial Times of London (September 14, 2002) reports that “A total of five Catholic priests have been refused access to Russia so far this year, in a campaign denounced by the Vatican as ‘persecution’.” Zenit.org article on September 15, 2002 entitled “Russia Reportedly Has a Blacklist of Catholic Priests” quotes Bishop Werth of Novosibirsk, in Western Siberia, who says that “Russia has compiled a blacklist of Catholic priests it intends to expel in the near future.” The article goes on to recount Bishop Werth’s comments that there is a “‘new wave of persecution’ against the Catholic Church in the [Russian] federation….”
3) In refusal to grant building permits.http://www.speroforum.com/a/61795/RussiaPermissiontobuildaCatholicchurchinPskovdenied
4) In the kidnapping and disappearing of Catholic clergy: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/ukrainian-catholics-experiencing-total-persecution-in-crimea/
And what’s already been happening to the non-Russian Orthodox in Crimea will happen to Catholics. http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=20855
Sheesh.
The Russian have never treated Catholics well, never.