Cardinal O'Brien says the "public is very blasé" about the plight of Christians in the Middle East

The Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, His Eminence Edwin F. Cardinal O'Brien, recently addressed the dire plight of Christians in the Middle East when he spoke with members of the Order in Sydney, Australia. As the Catholic Review, reports, he spoke bluntly but truthfully:

“I think our public is very blasé about the whole thing,” he told The Catholic Weekly, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Sydney.

“We’re afraid to say that this is an extremist terrorist group that is basing their principles falsely on the tenets that they believe are theirs from God himself.

“Unless we face the facts, this radicalism, this extremism, is going to keep spreading.”

Most disturbing for Cardinal O’Brien is the lack of military response from the United States.

“We’ve had an opportunity to stop those forces,” he said.

Islamic State fighters attacked 35 Assyrian villages on the Khabur River in Syria in February, killing a dozen people, kidnapping more than 90 Assyrian Christians, burning two churches, and forcing more than 3,000 people to flee.

“We did nothing to stop them,” he said [more].

“And now those Christian villages have been eradicated, (people) killed, taken into slavery.

“What have we done about it?”

It is time for us to wake from our slumber and to step up our efforts, both communally and individually, to assist our brothers and sisters suffering for their faith in Christ.

The Knights of Columbus ride to the aid of Christians at Risk

As the persecution of our brothers and sisters in Christ continues to increase throughout the world, the Knights of Columbus recently announced an increase in their efforts to come to the aid of the Christians in the Middle East:

Having already donated more than $3 million in humanitarian aid to persecuted Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East, the Knights of Columbus will expand its efforts even further with a national campaign to raise funds and foster awareness of the terrible suffering of Christians and others in the Middle East.

As part of these efforts, the Knights of Columbus have created the web site Christians at Risk through which donations may be funneled to persecution Christians. Checks and money orders may also be sent to this address:

Knights of Columbus Charities

P.O. Box 1966

New Haven, CT 06509-1966

Please be sure to include "Christian Refugee Relief" on the memo line.

There are, of course, many organizations who seek to assist those suffering and at risk, but the Knights of Columbus stands apart from the crowd when it comes to the work they do for others:

One hundred percent of all donations directly supports humanitarian assistance and raising awareness for persecuted Christians and other religious minorities, especially in the Middle East. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc., is recognized by the IRS as a charitable organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Knights of Columbus began airing a commercial last weekend to raise awareness of the Christians at risk in Iraq:

Please, support their efforts!