Father Christopher Zugger

Glory to Jesus Christ.

I have had a new book review published at http://www.speroforum.com/a/35193/Book-review-The-Gift-of-Self. As you will read, it is an intriguing little text.

In Eastern Christian News, some things you won’t see in your daily paper:

a. The UK, Holland, and Sweden have begun deporting Christian and Yazidi asylum-seekers back to Iraq, despite the continuing attacks on minorities and the constant pressure on these communities. See more at http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=89552.

b. The Catholic vicar apostolic of Anatolia was brutally murdered by his driver. He was stabbed 27 times, and then the driver used a knife to perform a ritual slaughter, basically beheading the bishop. The Turkish government first said it was due to a mental problem, but it is known that the Turkish police warned the bishop that the driver was getting affiliated with extremist Islamic groups. This is a good report on not only the funeral in Milan, but words from the bishop’s successor: http://www.asianews.it/news-en/In-Mgr-Padovese,-we-heed-the-lament-of-the-Turkish-Church,-says-Card-Tettamanzi-18673.html

c. President Obama has finally filled the post of religious-freedom ambassador.  the shamefully long vacancy has given a clear message to those who persecute all believers: the US no longer considers this a priority, despite the State Department reports on religious freedom around the world. And who did he find to fill this post? Suzan Johnson Cook, a Baptist pastor from the Bronx, who served as race relations advisor to the Clintons.  She has done good work in New York City, but has no expertise at all in foreign relations or human rights work, and the NGO agencies that do this kind of work seem to be sorely disappointed.  The message is pretty clear: that at a time of heightened religious sensitivities all over the world, the US administration does not consider religion and freedom of belief to be critical issues. Well, at least she should get along with Secretary of State Clinton.

If you want to keep up with religious freedom news around the world, the two best sites I can recommend are these:

Center for Religious Freedom: http://crf.hudson.org/ with the famous Nina Shea on staff;

Asia News http://www.asianews.it/en.html produced by the PIME Fathers, with many local correspondents from places such as China, Vietnam, Laos, and  Pakistan who produce intelligent, timely, accurate stories, often at great personal risk.

I will be at Orientale Lumen XIV in Washington DC from June 21-June 24, and in the DC area until June 28. I will not be posting again until after SS Peter and Paul, June 29th, unless something comes up while I am on the road.

God bless you and yours.