Some time ago I posted a blog about an experience we had as a ministry when we went to lease space. Though the leasing agent was fully aware of our operations, he did not tell me about a clause in the lease contract — until it was time for me to sign the lease. The clause prohibited any tenant who provided religious services including Christian, Jewish, Muslim.
While we do not provide religious services for the general public in terms of liturgical celebration, our entire mission is oriented to providing a service for religion — the production of Catholic radio and television programming, the distribution of relgious products, and an apostloate for Catholic women.
When I questioned if this mission disqualified us as tenants, the agent’s comment was, “Just don’t tell anybody.” Clearly, he was eager for a tenant and clearly the lease precluded us. I asked him to check with his legal department. He called me back and told me that “he would have to pass on this one.”
There are those that would say “persecution” is too strong a term to be used to describe this event. However, I disagree. The language was broad enough to exclude any operation that did anything religious — a religious goods store, a religious social service agency, a store-front church, an apostolic outreach. Religion was opted out.
Religious persecution, especially of Christians, and Catholics in particular, is becoming commonplace. So much so that the Vatican has announced the need for an international day against Christian persecution. I agree.
Read the article below and let me know what you think.
