Feb 12
8
In Defense of Religious Freedom: Archbishop John “The Dagger” Hughes
In an earlier post I referred to Sikhs defending their temple during the London riots.
bsc
Something similar happened in the United States in 1844. Nativist yahoos, fueled by anti-Catholic and anti-Irish sentiment, launched virulent and ugly attacks. Fortunately, Catholics had a defender in the form of Archbishop John “The Dagger” Hughes, who never failed to defend the Catholic church.
bsc
According to one source,
When, therefore, he heard that a threat had been made to burn down his cathedral, he caused three or four thousand of the most intelligent and prominent Catholics to arm themselves, and to take possession of the churchyard in Mott Street, and defend the building. When the “Natives” heard of these preparations, they were afraid to attack, and no more was heard of the threat.
bsc
It was during this same era that Catholics in Philadelphia armed themselves and fought nativist mobs in the streets, with several people killed and a couple of churches torched.
bsc
Ultimately, the members of a church must be prepared to defend it. Pacifist churches such as the Quakers and the Mennonites exist only at the mercy of those who are willing to do their fighting for them.
bsc
But once again the Catholic church is under assault. The Obama administration has ruled that all employers must provide insurance covering contraceptives, abortifacients, and abortions. Although this violates the conscience of Catholics, the Obama administration allows for no religious exemptions.
bsc
This is not just an issue for Catholics, but for everyone concerned with religious and constitutional freedom. The first step is to fight in the courts, and the next step is civil disobedience, to surround the church figuratively and literally if need be.
b
sc
The true meaning of being a warrior is larger than wearing black belts, doing demos, and fighting in nightclubs. The warrior class has always been the elite of any society, those who are called to a higher standard than fighting for their own egos, but defending a larger cause, standing for greater truths such as justice and freedom.
