The Attacks On The Church Grow Bolder

In Brazil, the Church is being warned not to chastise ostensibly Catholic politicians for supporting abortion. Per CNA:

This week, the personal secretary of Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva told high-ranking Church officials that if presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff continues to be called out for her stance on abortion, the country's accords with the Vatican will be reviewed.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported that the president's secretary, Gilberto Carvalho, met with members of the National Bishops' Conference of Brazil and told them that the government may carry out a review of the accords that establish aid for Catholic schools and other programs.

In recent weeks, the country's bishops have been vocal, reminding Catholics that they cannot support pro-abortion politicians.

In other words, candidates should be able to do and say whatever they want, and the Church should shut up and take it. Otherwise, there will be national and diplomatic consequences in the form of trying to shut down charitable and educational programs. So much for open and honest debate.

The persecution is growing, even in the largest Catholic nation in the world. What other entity would receive this sort of threat for speaking out on such issues?