Vatican Cardinal Burke: ‘We’re well on the way’ to Christian persecution in the U.S.

Life Site News ^ | 11-28-11 | John-Henry Westen

[ReformationFan]

VATICAN, November 28, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – One of the highest ranking cardinals in the Vatican has said that the United States is “well on the way” to the persecution of Christians. Cardinal Raymond Burke

Cardinal Raymond Burke, former Archbishop of St. Louis and now the head of the Vatican’s highest court, told Catholic News Agency that he could envision a time when the Catholic Church in the U.S., “even by announcing her own teaching,” is accused of “engaging in illegal activity, for instance, in its teaching on human sexuality.”

Asked if the cardinal could even see American Catholics being arrested for their faith he replied, “I can see it happening, yes.”

In his remarks to several U.S. Bishops meeting with him Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI made similarly emphatic warnings about the U.S. The pope told the bishops that “the seriousness of the challenges which the Church in America, under your leadership, is called to confront in the near future cannot be underestimated.”

He added: “The obstacles to Christian faith and practice raised by a secularized culture also affect the lives of believers.”

In the interview published today, Cardinal Burke declared that “it is a war” and “critical at this time that Christians stand up for the natural moral law.” Should they not, he warned, “secularization will in fact predominate and it will destroy us.”

Pope Benedict too urged the bishops of the United States to speak out in defense of morality. “The present moment can thus be seen, in positive terms, as a summons to exercise the prophetic dimension of your episcopal ministry by speaking out, humbly yet insistently, in defense of moral truth, and offering a word of hope, capable of opening hearts and minds to the truth that sets us free,” he said.

[ReformationFan]

I'm a Protestant but I agree with Cardinal Burke concerning the rise of persecution of Christians in the U.S..

[Williams]

Bingo

[RBIEL2]

The Republican Party over decades has served as an ineffectual doorstop towards a door swinging wide open to limiting the freedom of religion and approaching outright persecution.

---

Experts agree that five stages of a coming persecution can be identified:

(1) The targeted group is stigmatized; its reputation is attacked, possibly by mocking it and rejecting its values.

(2) Then the group is marginalized, or pushed out of the mainstream of society, with deliberate efforts to limit and undo its influence.

(3) The third stage is to vilify the group, viciously attacking it and blaming it for many of society’s problems.

(4) Next, the group is criminalized, with increasing restrictions placed on its activities and eventually even its existence.

(5) The final stage is one of outright persecution.

Many commentators believe the United States is now exiting stage three, and moving into stage four. Canada is firmly in Stage 4.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I think we’re firmly in stage 4.

[dragonblustar]

I'm a Protestant but I agree with Cardinal Burke concerning the rise of persecution of Christians in the U.S..

I agree.

[RetiredTexasVet]

I think you have the Progressives play book. Reviewing the steps one by one, I can see the actions of each step as they were implemented. Covertly, not overtly, each step was implemented as silently as possible.

[RBIEL2]

I think we’re firmly in stage 4.

Try sharing that with those with eyes that dont see, and ears that dont hear! Those kind even with good hearts wont realize anything until we're being imprisoned and/or fed to the lions.

[Salvation]

**In his remarks to several U.S. Bishops meeting with him Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI made similarly emphatic warnings about the U.S. The pope told the bishops that “the seriousness of the challenges which the Church in America, under your leadership, is called to confront in the near future cannot be underestimated.”**

BTTT!

[Salvation]

The Sacrament of Confirmation has NEVER been dropped from the Catholic faith. Where are you getting your info?

[Ransomed]

There’s always going to be some from every faith that realize that it just isn’t possible to alter the nature of the instution of marriage by majority vote. It was probably a mistake to involve the state, at least in modern times, as folks have been conditioned to think the state defines marriage. Now we are going to see the state punish those who aren’t going to go along with whatever it decides to call marriage for that year.

Freegards

[icwhatudo]

“it is a war”

Then start acting like it. Start excommunicating the pro-abortion and homo-marriage CINOs like Governor Martin OWEmally of Maryland.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Yep. Straight from here:

http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm

[RBIEL2]

Study philosophy, within the context of religion(Catholic).
The Catholic Church and its philosophers(who study all philosophies) have been predicting this for a long time in the context of the battle of philosophies. We are battling secularism, modernism, post-modernism....really the completion of the ‘age of enlightenment’. Remember the French Revolution and what they did to the Catholic Church. A follower of Voltaire wrote “Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.”
Except now the King haters are now Secularists trying to elimanate Christianity and its values.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Thanks for the info!

[Salvation]

Gospel Lk 10:21-24

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

[Salvation]

Catholic Prophecy [Why some Catholics anticipate the return of Monarchy]
END TIMES PROPHECY OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISSI (Catholic Caucus)
The Three Days of Darkness & Prophecies of Latter Times [Catholic Caucus]

[mas cerveza por favor]

He added: “The obstacles to Christian faith and practice raised by a secularized culture also affect the lives of believers.” In the interview published today, Cardinal Burke declared that “it is a war”

Yawn. This is yet more PC ambiguity from the usual suspects. Our gathering enemy is "secularized culture?" Far be it from a bishop to actually name names. It should be obvious that the barbarians are at the gates. What we need from the bishops is credible leadership in organizing a defense.

[RBIEL2]

Hey I thought we had an agreement that you wouldnt talk to me and vice a versa. I dont need the headache of you not understanding what I write again.