In Oklahoma City in the United States, a battle between good and evil is taking place, literally.
A local Roman Catholic archbishop has called on Christians in Oklahoma to pray hard to counter a planned black mass and an additional Satanic ritual timed to mock a Marian fest and even desecrate an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In a report by the Catholic News Agency, Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City also urged Christians to gather at a Unity Prayer Service and Walk on August 15 at 6 p.m. The event will begin at the Jesus Wept Statue of Saint Joseph's Old Cathedral and end at the United Methodist First Church for a Christian prayer service.
"In response to this blasphemous event, and the many other acts of hatred and violence happening in our world in recent weeks, I am encouraging the faithful and people of good will to pray together for healing and peace, and for the Lord to watch over our community and protect us from evil and its many destructive and violent manifestations," Coakley told CNA.
"I also ask that we pray for the conversion of this man and for all who have not yet come to know the Lord of Life," the archbishop added.
The Roman Catholic official also lamented how Oklahoma City's local government has refused to stop the activity of a group called Church of Ahriman, which plans to desecrate a statue of the Virgin Mary by covering it with sulfur, menstrual blood and ashes from burned pages of the Quran. The event was timed for August 15, the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
"As the local government has refused to interfere with this abhorrent blasphemous worship that is being publicly sanctioned in our community, we trust that our government – local, state and federal – will reaffirm its commitment to protect the religious liberty of Christians and other believers as well," Coakley explained.
"Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother, let us pray together for healing and peace in our country and our world," he added.
