Because of Catholics Like Raymond Lull (1235-1315) –Patheos.com
(Franciscan Media) Born in Spain Palma Majorca, Raymond earned a position in the King’s Court there–One day a Homily inspired him to dedicate his life to working for the conversions of Muslims in North Africa to Christianity.
Raymond became a ‘Secular Franciscan’ founded a college in Majorca in 1276 where Missionaries could learn Arabic and its culture, he traveled extensively through Tunis to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Muslims–Raymond wrote more than 300 works in Latin, Arabic and Catalan on Theology, Logic and Philosophy, he was also fond of writing both fiction and poetry.
As the years passed, Brother Raymond retired in solitude spending 9 years in a Hermitage and during this time, he continued his writings in which he earned the title: Enlightened Doctor.
At the age of 79, Raymond went to North Africa continuing his ministry as a Missionary to the Muslims, there an angry crowd of Islamists stoned him (but did not kill him) in Algeria Bougie — Genoese Merchants took Raymond back to Spain Mallorca where he subsequently died.
Raymond Lull was Beatified in 1750 by Pope Benedict XIV
More here by Samuel M. Zwemer, FRGS
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