Parishioners in Marine Park are so concerned about Christian persecution around the world that they are spearheading a campaign to call for a greater response to it by the press and public officials.

The Men’s Fellowship Ministry of Good Shepherd parish is sponsoring a Mass for Peace at the Brooklyn church on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. Auxiliary Bishop James Massa, Moderator of the Curia, will be the main concelebrant.

At the Mass, parishioners will have the opportunity to sign a petition that expresses “our deep concern that there is a lack of condemnation by our press and more importantly by our elected officials to this increasingly serious situation.”

The petition goes on to say “we cannot stand silently by while Christians are being persecuted in Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Kenya, North Korea, and many other countries, many of which are supposedly considered allies of the United States.”

The statement concludes: “We are imploring our elected officials to continue to raise the awareness of all Americans to this serious situation and to make clear statements that the people of the United States are not looking the other way and will do everything within our power to ensure that these actions will cease.”