New Religious Video Talks of a Mission of Rescue from Muslim Captivity

March 11, 2010 - PRLog -- In a world falling more and more under the influence of Islam, a Catholic religious order which was begun centuries ago to redeem Christians from their Muslim captors is proclaiming its noble roots.

A new video released by the Order of Mercy recalls the order's 13th century Spanish roots and foundation by St. Peter Nolasco, a merchant who learned the art of trading from his father. Muslims had occupied Spain for centuries, and from early on in his youth, Peter’s desire was to liberate Christians who were captured because of their faith.

From the beginning, the friars took a special “fourth vow” to be willing to offer their lives for Christian captives. The video plainly states, “A Mercedarian friar knows that the greatest love one can give is the gift of his own life, completely in exchange for the life and freedom of Christians in danger of losing their faith.”

“The video has already received nearly 300 views in its first three weeks,” noted Fr. Joseph Eddy, the order’s vocations director. “That shows how much interest there is in our charism.”

Various Forms of Slavery Today

The video explains that today, friars of the Order of Mercy continue to commit themselves by rescuing Christians from modern forms of captivity, such as social, political, and psychological slavery. In the United States, the order gives special emphasis to educational and parish work. Mercedarian brothers and priests teach in schools, administer parishes, and do other work.

The spiritual and communal life of the friars include prayer, meditation, Holy Mass, recreation, and apostolate. Overall, the Order of Mercy commits itself to give testimony to the same Good News of love and redemption that it has shown since the beginning of its history.

The video was made by TreeFrogClick, Inc., a vocations promotion company based in the Chicago area.

For more information, contact Fr. Joseph Eddy at the Order of Mercy at (215) 879-0594, vocations@orderofmercy.org. See the video at http://www.OrderofMercy.org.

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The Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy is an international community of priests and brothers, who live a life of prayer and communal fraternity based on the Rule of Saint Augustine and the Constitutions of the Order.