More than conquerors...

Pope Francis and Fr. Ernest Troshani Simoni

Ave Maria! Two thousand years after the death of Our Lord Jesus, we still see Christ suffering His Passion in myriad people through manifold ways. The Catholic Church in Albania is but one example. When Pope Francis made a one-day visit to Albania late last month, he was moved to tears by the testimonies of Fr. Ernest Troshani Simoni, 84, and Sr. Maria Kaleta, 85, who persevered in the Catholic faith "when the practice of any kind of religion often resulted in torture and death." Not surprisingly, I too was moved to tears when I read the Catholic News Service article about Father and Sister here, along with another article on Father here and one on Sister here.  In fact, I'm pretty much speechless as I marvel at the tenacity of their faith, the solidness of their hope, and the depths of their love. Surely Father Ernest and Sister Maria are among those "who are come out of great. tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev 7:14).  How I thank God for their shining witness even as I pray for all those individuals being persecuted today for their faith!  And I humbly beg for the grace to be as staunchly faithful as they have been and are.  

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

~Romans 8:27