Agatha

There is a beautiful story from the life of St Agatha, today's saint, that I heard only recently. During her suffering for the faith, at a moment of respite, St Peter came to her and consoled her, healing her wounds. The encounter encouraged her and sustained her as she faced her martyrdom.

Peter, of course, represents the Church, the one on whom it is built, the one who received the keys from Christ himself. This visitation was no mere vision, it was the Church herself coming to Agatha to sustain her in what she was enduring in witness to the faith. It reminds us that this is one of the roles the Church fulfils for her children: consoling them not only with the message of salvation, but tending to their wounds and reassuring them in the midst of their fears: there is a reason we call the Church Mother. 

Without doubt the Church and her representatives have failed in that mission of care for some of her most vulnerable children over the years. Among those who are feeling the sting of that today are the faithful in China who are now facing an agreement between Mother Church and the Communist regime which has been persecuting them. Cardinal Zen has been eloquent in recent days in expressing the feelings of loyal Catholics in that country.  This agreement is indeed a bitter pill to swallow, and while some commentators have a point in advising us to wait and see, it is hard not to share the tears of Catholics who have suffered and died to remain faithful to Christ and to Peter. 

We shall see how this develops, but in the meantime let us all pray for our brothers and sisters in China; may St Agatha and all the Martyrs of China pray for them and bless them with their consoling presence.