Three Examples Of Third World Catholic Heroes Putting Their Faith In Action.

This year has given us a particularly vivid sample of Catholic heroes of the Third World.  They include an American nun working in Brazil, Sister Dorothy Stang of Dayton, Ohio, Zimbabwean Archbishop Pius Ncube and Columbian Cardinal Rosalio Castillo. 

In the case of Sister Dorothy Stang, she paid the ultimate sacrifice, by paying with her life.  She was the apparent victim of two wealthy land barons and three hired henchman.  The five will go on trial later this year.  Sister Dorothy had been crusading for the poor in the northern Brazilian state of Para, home of many land barons who force many of the poor off their land by intimidation only to sell the timber and other resources contained on the land they stole.  Sister Dorothy was warned she might be a target but she faithfully kept up her daily routine of aiding the poor and was not intimidated by thugs and threats.  She was killed clutching a Bible in her hands.

Archbishop Pius Ncube has called for the people of Zimbabwe to revolt peacefully against the government of Robert Mugabe who he says," has been taken over by the Devil."  He used the illustration of Lucifer rebelling against God, as an example of how ego and power corrupts, and specifically in this case, how it has corrupted Robert Mugabe.  One minute Mugabe allows marauding gangs to seize white owned farms, sometimes at the cost of the white farmer's life, and most recently he orders the bulldozing of the decrepit small shanty homes of the poor calling it "Operation Restore Order."  Mugabe targets those who are outnumbered and have no voice.

Early in his career, Mugabe was welcomed into the United States with open arms, even though he had gone on record saying that he ultimately believes one party government is the most effective.  Before Archbishop Pius Ncube took his stand there were many nameless and faceless priests, nuns and lay people that were speaking out against Mugabe's tyrannical rule. 

 Robert Mugabe even had the audacity to show up at Pope John II funeral even though he was banned from Europe.  He knew full well it would be hard to arrest him.  When asked why he attended the funeral Mugabe's answer was, "I am a faithful, practicing Catholic."  Thankfully, Archbishop Ncube and other nameless, faceless Zimbabweans show us otherwise.

The final example is Cardinal Rosalio Castillo of Venezuela. He has tirelessly spoken out against the regime of Hugo Chavez like many other nameless and faceless Venezuelan priests, nuns and lay people.  In August of 2004 Chavez won a referendum on his presidency, an office he has held since 1998.   The Chavez referendum victory has come under closer scrutiny after new data was found questioning its authenticity. The Chavez victory was certified by former US President Jimmy Carter last August. 

Hugo Chavez was feared by many to be a protégé of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.  Many in Venezuela's religious community feared Chavez, like Castro would soon clamp down on the churches.  He has already taken steps to start a Socialist program with the threatened nationalization of state industries.  The war of words began earlier this year after Cardinal Castillo repeated warnings that Venezuela was marching down a path similar to that of Cuba which seemed to hold water after Chavez admitted Fidel Castro was his ideological hero.

Chavez fired back calling the Cardinal a bandit.  The Cardinal responded by saying he thinks the government needs an exorcism to rid itself of the evil that lies within.  It would have been easier for the Cardinal to continue to try to get on Chavez "good side" as many church officials try to do.  However, there comes a time when one has to make stand denouncing the scribes and hypocrites, as Jesus did.

These heroes from the Third World need our prayers, and our support.  Let us pray for their efforts and in some cases their souls.  Let us support them by doing whatever we can for their case.  Finally let us try to follow their example in our own towns and cities by showing Christ's light in our special way.