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Aid to the Church in Need (ACN Canada, Pontifical Charity) will hold its 8th annual Red Wednesday on November 16. The goal of the event is to raise awareness and to pray for persecuted Christians, who are the most discriminated against religious group in the world. Please consider these activities with your parish, ministry, and community:
Other resources from ACN: These days, and especially here, it's hard to imagine that people can be discriminated, or worse, persecuted because of their faith. Unfortunately, reality isn't as such. Today, across the world, 327 million Christians live in a country where there is persecution at various degrees. Because of their faith, they endure discrimination, they get scorned, they get arrested, they get incarcerated, they get tortured and sometimes they even get killed. It is estimated that 75 % of acts of violence for religious reasons are perpetrated against Christians, which makes them the most persecuted group. Instead of getting better, the situation is getting worst year after year. Among persecutors we find governments who fear the influence of the Church and try by all means to reduce Christians to silence. This is frequent in communist or totalitarian countries. We also find other religious groups who wish to eliminate Christians in order to become the only religious group of a region. The persecuted find strength in our prayers which accompany them and that way they don't feel abandoned from the rest of the world. Visit: https://acn-canada.org/red-wednesday/ Aside from the churches, some Catholic schools, religious communities and community organizations will show their solidarity on Wednesday. Since 2015, the Diocese of Calgary, through its partnership with Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, has sponsored over 2,263 refugees without regard for religiosity or creed. Many of these refugees have either experienced religious persecution themselves or borne witness to hatred against religious groups. See photos below.
3 Comments
John Williamson
11/20/2019 01:16:23 pm
Hi there, I think this is a very important day to acknowledge for the world's many persecuted Christians requiring our prayer and activism. I also wanted to mention that it happens to be the same day as transgender day of remembrance which since 1999 has been the day acknowledging the many folks who'd identified this way and been murdered due to transphobia as well as those who continue to experience persecution. Despite whatever differences the church has over interpretations of gender etc. I've always understood our teachings abhor violence against gender and sexual minorities. I am wondering if the Diocese might consider a different day if they choose to continue to acknowledge this important these by having a "Red Wednesday" so that Catholics who are concerned about both important forms of Remembrance might consider each individually.
Patrick Francis Walsh
11/15/2021 08:40:48 am
Thank you, John Williamson, for your support of our suffering fellow Christians, and also for a splendid suggestion for a Red Wednesday of Remembrance in opposition to violence against gender and sexual minorities. Jesus never asked the religion or gender of those whom he healed. We are all children of the same loving Creator.
John Williamson
11/16/2021 09:20:57 am
Hi Patrick, thank you for your generous response. I am now thinking both days can be celebrated simultaneously when they co-occur. Also, when I wrote my original message a few years back, I had not thought of the fact that Red Wednesday is one of those occasions that moves around on the calendar and Trans day of remembrance is one of those occasions that is always on the same date. So for as much as you point out they don't have to conflict when they co-occur, it is also true they will probably only co-occur once every 7 years or so. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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