Avoiding a "Special Ops" Ideology

A recent article in the National Catholic Register highlighted the undercover ministry of a “Special Ops” priest working in Saudi Arabia with Filipinos (that surprisingly make up a large part of the work force in that country). He said that Saudi’s intelligence force knows of him and allows him to operate discretely because he is not a threat to security for the country. Because Catholics are not allowed to have Churches or to print anything religious oriented or wear anything identifying them with the faith, worship is done secretly underground, people are invited via email, and all songs or anything that normally would be written are projected on a screen. 

To protect his identity and prevent a scene he does not associate with Saudi’s unless need be. As if the way of life could not be worse for non-Muslims,  Saudi laws make it clear that there is to be no public manifestation or display of Christianity, Judaism, or any other religion for that matter. This heroic priest says he operates within these guidelines because to be deported or killed would mean that the 15,000 Catholics in his area would be without a shepherd.

I can’t think about this grim Saudi reality without knowing that many a time we do a poor job manifesting and displaying our pride in our own Catholic heritage and religion in a country that tolerates such public religious devotion, prayer, media, and churches. We must muster the courage to proudly be Catholic, particularly in the state of South Carolina where we represent only 4% of the population. Why can’t we be heard as largely as the gay rights movement in the US, which represents an even smaller percentage of persons? What are we afraid of? We can’t even be fined, let alone martyred for blessing our food or making the sign of the Cross in public, and yet some act like they’re getting their teeth pulled. Others wanting to be "Special Ops" in their faith, avoid “controversy” siting that all to prevailing false ideology, which doesn’t want to offend anyone or create a scene, when deep down they lack the courage to do something so simple. Yet these same people run to get their ashes on Ash Wednesday, after having already out-cried any public manifestation of faith. If you find yourself in this category then take St. Josemaria Escriva's challenge when he says: “Don’t say, ‘That’s the way I am--it’s my character.’ It’s your lack of character. Esto Vir---Be a man [Be a woman]!” Storm heaven and call upon the graces of God. Be courageous!

I confess that the culture of today is hostile towards Catholics, but isn’t martyrdom a sure ticket to eternal salvation? As St. Paul says “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” Hb 12:4 As I tell all those who come on my weekly tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, “There are 140 saints and martyrs of the Church’s Triumphant  circling us above on the colonnade looking at us, reminding us that the ground we stand on is stained with their blood, and they are calling us to live such a life as they did, in radical imitation of Christ, becoming worthy of the name Christian.”

Another way we could manifest our pride in being Catholic is by simply carrying our rosaries in the streets on the way to work, unafraid of what people might think or say. For those of you who thinks that’s cheesy, I’m sure if you thought about it for a second you’d agree that it’s nothing different than that defining moment in a relationship with a girlfriend the first time you’re publicly holding hands and/or giving her a kiss, except that it’s your rosary that you don’t want to let go and you look forward to the end when you get to kiss it again. Sadly in many cases, those who are afraid to do something so little as this, show how little their faith means to them. 

So I "double-dog dare" you this week to first if you haven’t a rosary, buy one; second, to always have it on your person; third to pray it weekly, if not daily; finally, show it off if you really love it and God.