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Plead for the canonisation of Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, the Pakistani martyr.
- "I want to live for Christ and I want to die for Him."
- "Because of this desire, I will consider myself even to be more fortunate if Jesus Christ will accept the sacrifice of my life."
Shahbaz Bhatti
Sign this letter in support of Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan
Join thousands of Catholics around the world to support Shahbaz Bhatti’s canonization as a martyr of the Faith.
In Support of the Petition for the Canonisation of Shahbaz Bhatti as a Martyr of the Faith made by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan
The Most Reverend Andrew Francis
Bishop of Multan
Punjab, Pakistan
Your Grace,
We grieve the assassination of Mr Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister of Minorities Affairs in Pakistan, as a cowardly revenge for his efforts to find a mechanism to stop the misuse of the country’s controversial blasphemy law, instead of calling for its repeal.
Nonetheless we also rejoice for we are convinced that this most faithful servant has already received the crown promised to those who shed their blood for Jesus Christ, “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1 :5).
The General Assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan, held from 20 to 25 March in Multan, Punjab, unanimously approved Your Grace’s proposal to submit to the Holy See a formal request to declare the Catholic Minister Shahbaz Bhatti a “martyr”.
We, the undersigned, fully support Your Grace’s initiative and conviction that “Bhatti is a man who gave his life for his crystalline faith in Jesus Christ". Therefore we join our voices to the Catholic Bishops Conference’s call for official recognition of his martyrdom.
Indeed, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti deserves the glory of the altars for his enduring disposition to bear witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine even unto death and for the many acts of fortitude that led to his murder (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2473). This is clearly proven by his writings and spoken testimonies circulating in the Internet as well as by the accounts of his assassination appeared in the world press.
In canonising Shahbaz Bhatti the Church would be giving a model of heroism
and great loyalty to the Catholic Church under conditions of persecution
and political turmoil—so relevant to the present situation in many countries
around the world—and a sign of the Church’s loving concern for her devoted
sons and daughters who are being discriminated against and persecuted
for their fidelity to the teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yours respectfully,