The Catholic Church- Providing Martyrs Since 30 AD

We seem to have a new one in India, per AsiaNews:

38 year old Fr. Thomas Pandippallyil, was assassinated on the night of August 16th on his way to a village to celebrate Sunday mass. His body showed signs of torture, with wounds to his face, his hands and legs broken and his eyes pulled from their sockets. The bishop of Hyderabad denounces the growing climate of “violence against Catholics” in the country.

We should always recall that persecution of the Church is ongoing. The Olympics has been a nice mask for China to wear, but they aren't fooling anyone (except those who want to be fooled). Places like India may not get the same publicity, but stuff can get just as bad there without any sort of intervention or protection offered to our brethren.

“P. Thomas is a martyr – said Msgr. Marampudi, archbishop of Hyderabad, on hearing of the brutal murder. The Indian Church is shocked and deeply saddened by this barbarous killing, the result of a growing climate of intolerance and violence against Christians in this country”. The prelate immediately made his way to the area where the massacre took place and speaks of a “traumatized” Christian community. He forcefully denies accusations of “proselytism and forced conversions”. Given that there are “five families of Catholic faith” in the parish where Fr. Thomas was murdered.

St. Thomas, please pray for these poor people.

Thanks to Dave Hartline at the Catholic Report for pointing this one out.