Well, thank you everybody for joining us. I'm Father Chris Alar here at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, and it's great to have you with us.

It's a little cold and windy here, so it's one of our smaller crowds we've ever had other than COVID, but just as much an important topic as we've done before.

And it's one that a lot of you've requested, and I've been pushing off for several weeks.

So today we're going to talk about the martyrs.

And what is martyrdom?

Does God really desire us to shed blood?

And what about this Christian persecution that is just not being talked about in the media,

but is so real, it's shocking.

And so this is an important opportunity for us to shed some light on this.

Now, not even in seminary, did I learn enough about martyrs?

I learned the basics.

I'm going to share with you, but our theologian,

Chris Sparks, helped compile some information

on the teaching, and so we're glad you could be with us

for this important topic.

So let us pray in the name of the Father,

and to the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen, Heavenly Father, we ask you send the Holy Spirit down upon us

to open our minds and hearts to receive the grace you wish to be stowed,

this grace to fill us, so that whether we be called to white martyrdom,

to red martyrdom, or whatever your will be for allowing us to experience the cross,

that we may persevere.

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