You Think You've Got Troubles? Remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Catholics living in America have it easy right now. Following Church teachings may result in being identified as a rank outsider, but that's about as far as it goes. Even the fringe groups and individuals who hate Catholics, along with what they think are other 'Satanic cults,' generally don't try to kill us. Tony Alamo, for example, is quite content with making anti-Catholicism part of his 'evangelical' stock in trade.

Life isn't always this easy.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran theologian, until the Third Reich had him executed. I can't say that I'm surprised: aside from teaching that racial prejudice is wrong, he was part of an organization that had a shot at killing Hitler.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer still makes quite an impression.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign. helped pay for "Bonhoeffer" (2003)

IMDB describes the movie as "boring," but they also describe the would-be assassin's assistant as a "young German pacifist," so whoever wrote the review may have missed a few points.

Another blogger wrote a short post about Bonhoeffer this weekend, "Why Me?" (IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING (undated: most likely May 16 or 17, 2009)). The post focuses, in part, on the effect that Bonhoeffer made on the doctor who witnessed his execution.

A local priest spoke today, about his involvement with the parish in Vladivostok. That's another place where following Catholic teachings hasn't been entirely easy for the last several generations. I plan to get back to that.

At Notre Dame university today, people who have decided to follow what the Church teaches, rather than today's dominant culture are being "divisive."

Looking at 20th century history, I realize that the sort of social ostracism that Catholics may face in America is small change compared to what followers of Christ have had to put up with.