Cardinal Mykola Bychok has called on Catholics worldwide to pray for the spiritual strength of those currently being persecuted for their Christian faith and to honor the memory of modern martyrs.
His Eminence Mykola Bychok, Archbishop of Melbourne of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and Australia's first official ambassador for the Red November movement, urged all Catholics to pray for those suffering persecution today, emphasizing the importance of strengthening their spiritual resolve and commemorating modern martyrs.
In his address supporting the global Red November movement, led by the Catholic Charity Aid to the Church in Need, the cardinal expressed that aiding the persecuted Church is a cause close to his heart and reflective of the history of his own country.
“Through Red Wednesday and Red November, we shine a light into places of darkness. We remind the world that behind statistics are real people, fathers and mothers, children and grandparents, whose only ‘crime’ is the courage to believe, to pray, to live their faith," he said.
"As a Ukrainian, I cannot speak about this reality without remembering our own history. Under Soviet rule, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was outlawed for more than four decades. Our bishops and priests were arrested; our churches were confiscated; our faithful were forced to go underground. My grandparents' generation had to pray in secret, often in the quiet of their homes, not knowing if someone would denounce them. They lived in constant fear, yet their faith endured.
That is why Red November matters. It is not just about remembering distant lands. It is about remembering that the freedom we enjoy today was purchased by the courage and sacrifice of those who came before us. ...Their witness strengthens our faith. Their sacrifice calls forth our love," said the Ukrainian cardinal.
Red November is a worldwide movement initiated by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that encourages believers to remember those who suffer violence, persecution, and discrimination due to their Christian beliefs.