How many Christian cathedrals, parish churches, schools have a statue, a monument or a place set aside to remember the Christians of that Christian Community who were conscientious objectors to war. I have probably seen thousands of memorials in Churches or on the property of Christian cathedrals, churches and schools that are dedicated to remembering, in general or in particular, Christians who went to kill in wars.
In the last several years Catholic schools at the elementary and secondary levels all over the U.S. have started building such memorials in various forms to the warrior Catholics who graduated from their secondary or elementary schools. I doubt that the children of the schools were clamoring for such memorials.
So how did the idea get started? Who wanted it? And nation-wide? In very tight financial times for Catholic schools, where does the money come from to pay for these things and how do they wind-up as a priority over other school needs? And why? What purpose do they serve? Certainly not to teach what Jesus taught about violence and enmity. Certainly not to teach the the teachings of the Catholic Church? For if this were their purpose there would have to be a separate but equal monument to the school’s conscientious objectors to war, because conscientious objection to war is every bit as much part of the Catholic Church’s teaching as the non-pacifist ethical position. But such CO monuments are no where to be seen.
So what is the purpose of enshrining only the Catholic warriors for the children to see and admire? The idea of placing memorials to the Catholic warriors in Catholic elementary and secondary schools seems to have come into existence from nowhere, like Topsy. But it is taking place nation-wide without any media attention or diffusion. It is a puzzlement, and it is rapidly spreading—while consideration for having the same memorials for Catholic conscientious objectors is off the table from the get-go.
Can there be the slightest doubt in any sensible person’s mind what is really going on here?
How long, O Lord, how long?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_O860l8u3U&feature=youtu.be
-ECM
