Tripoli, Libya, Aug 25, 2011 / 12:48 pm
Early evidence suggests that the Catholic Church in Libya may fare no worse under a new rebel-led regime than it did under the dictatorship of Colonel Moammar Gadhafi.
“The future is very uncertain but the signs from the parts of the country that have been under rebel control since March is that Catholic priests and nuns are still being allowed to go about their business as usual. So we hope that’s a good sign for the future,” a senior local Church source, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, told CNA August 25.
The comments come as NATO-backed Libyan rebels tighten their hold over the capital city of Tripoli and are pushing on toward Colonel Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte which is still under loyalist control. The present whereabouts of Colonel Gadhafi are still unknown.
Although he is a Muslim, Gadhafi’s 42-year dictatorship saw the Catholic Church largely unhindered in its work in parishes and hospitals. In contrast, fears have recently been voiced that significant elements in the rebel forces may have an Islamist agenda.
In recent days, there has also been concern for the safety of a Franciscan community based in Tripoli’s sole Catholic Church.