Saint Joseph Catholic Church

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A group of Christians was attacked, and a Christian cemetery was desecrated, in Lahore, Pakistan, on April 18.

“The attack occurred when a young Christian man, Pervez Masih, intervened to defend several young Christian women who were being insulted and harassed by young Muslim men,” Agenzia Fides, the news agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies, reported. “At least nine individuals stormed the cemetery, vandalized graves and crosses, repeatedly stabbed Pervez Masih, and assaulted Christian women, beating and stripping them.”

Islam is the official religion of the South Asian nation of 257 million (map), the fifth most populous in the world. 95% of Pakistan’s people are Muslim, 2% are Christian, and 1% are Hindu.

In an April 23 letter to members of Congress, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services called for $26.9 billion in funding for various international humanitarian assistance programs.

Congress appropriated $26.0 billion for these programs in the current fiscal year: President Donald Trump has proposed $11.9 billion in funding for the upcoming fiscal year.

The joint letter was signed by the chairmen of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Migration and Committee on International Justice and Peace, and by the president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services.