Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistani Catholic, Martyred for the Faith by Jihadists

He was martyred at the hands of Muslim Jihadists

Shahbaz Bhattit recently said "As a Christian, I believe Jesus is my strength. He has given me a power and wisdom and motivation to serve suffering humanity. I follow the principles of my conscience, and I am ready to die and sacrifice my life for the principles I believe." Shahbaz Bhatti, a faithful Catholic Christian, endured death at the hands of evil men who killed him precisely because he belonged to Jesus Christ.

P>ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Catholic Online) - On Wednesday and Thursday of this week I am in Mandatory Continuing Legal Education. I have been a lawyer for 31 years and, even though I do a limited law practice now, the growing persecution of the Church makes me even more dedicated to keeping my law license active.  Who knows what the future holds? I will do everything I can to defend the Church in this age of growing hostility.

I was unable to stay connected online and write as I usually do because of the lectures. This was hard for a man who lives online. However, I read the horrid news of the cold blooded murder of Shahbaz Bhatti, the only Christian member of the Parliament of Pakistan. This heroic man was gunned down, executed in cold blood, by militant Muslims. My connectivity limitations allowed me only to read the releases. I can only write now, at the end of a long day.

Asia News reported that a "group of masked men ambushed the minister on the street. They pulled him out of his car and opened fire at point blank range before fleeing in a car. The terrorists continued to fire for about two minutes. There was no security guard with Bhatti when the attack occurred. The minister was immediately rushed to Shifa hospital, where, however, the doctors failed to save him. The killers left a note at the scene of the crime "Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claims responsibility for the assassination of Bhatti for speaking out against the blasphemy law". Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is an umbrella organization of various groups of Islamic militants."

A devout Catholic, Shahbaz Bhatti was the first Christian to hold such a post in Pakistan. He defended Asia Bibi, a Christian who currently faces the death penalty simply for being a Christian. She is being persecuted under the evil "Blasphemy Laws". The same report indicated that "After the killing of Salman Taseer, Governor of Punjab, who Islamic fundamentalists blamed for having defended Asia Bibi, Bhatti had become the radical's top target."

The Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. issued this release:  "The assassination of Shabbaz Bhatti, Pakistani minister for minorities, is another terrible episode of violence. It shows how right the Pope is in his persistent remarks concerning violence against Christians and against religious freedom in general. Bhatti was the first Catholic to hold such an office. We recall how he was received by the Holy Father in September last year, and how he bore witness to his own commitment to peaceful coexistence among the religious communities of his country.

"Our prayers for the victim, our condemnation for this unspeakable act of violence, our closeness to Pakistani Christians who suffer hatred, are accompanied by an appeal that everyone many become aware of the urgent importance of defending both religious freedom and Christians who are subject to violence and persecution".

The UK Catholic Herald reported that "Mr Bhatti spoke about the threat facing him last month, during a visit to Canada to raise awareness about his country's blasphemy laws. He said: "I have been told by pro-Taliban religious extremists that if I will continue to speak against the blasphemy law, I will be beheaded. As a Christian, I believe Jesus is my strength. He has given me a power and wisdom and motivation to serve suffering humanity. I follow the principles of my conscience, and I am ready to die and sacrifice my life for the principles I believe."

Asia News shared comments from the Bishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Rufin Anthony, "Bhatti's daily routine was that he used to go to meet his mother, pray with her. He used to call me and ask me to pray for him every morning. I remember him as a child; he regularly attended the Church; he was passionate since childhood. He was under threat and the government did not provide sufficient security. He was a brave man, a man of courage, he took a stand for the minorities.When he took the oath for the new cabinet, he said he would fight till the last drop of his blood. He proved himself, stood firm and paid the price by his blood. This should be an eye opener for minorities and the government. How much more blood will it take to realize that enough is enough."

It is time to join this honest Bishop and say, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Shahbaz Bhatti was a Christian Martyr killed at the hands of evil Muslim Jihadis. They pose a serious threat to Christians, other religious believers and all who cherish authentic freedom. They must be exposed and opposed. We must not sit idly by and do nothing.

Yes, I call Shahbaz Bhatti a Martyr. In a section entitled "to Bear Witness to the Truth" the Catechism of the Catholic Church says this "Before Pilate, Christ proclaims that he "has come into the world, to bear witness to the truth."  The Christian is not to "be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord." In situations that require witness to the faith, the Christian must profess it without equivocation, after the example of St. Paul before his judges. We must keep "a clear conscience toward God and toward men."

"The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them to act as witnesses of the Gospel and of the obligations that flow from it. This witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. Witness is an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known. All Christians by the example of their lives and the witness of their word, wherever they live, have an obligation to manifest the new man which they have put on in Baptism and to reveal the power of the Holy Spirit by whom they were strengthened at Confirmation.

"Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even unto death. The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude" (CCC #2471 - 2473)

That is precisely what happened on Wednesday, March 2, 2011. Shahbaz Bhatti, a faithful Catholic Christian, endured death at the hands of evil men who killed him precisely because he belonged to Jesus Christ.  He bore witness even unto death. Requiescant in pace. May his death bear fruit and inspire a courageous response.

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