For those interested in matters related to the Conclave, John Allen's reporting is indispensable -- from his profiles of the papabili, to his interviews with Cardinals (I found his interview with Cardinal O'Malley refreshingly direct), to his reflections on the legacy of Benedict XVI.But to his credit, Allen has also labored to keep the plight of Christians and their persecution to the fore. Here is the conclusion of his recent column on that score:

In the most bone-chilling estimate of all, the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary estimates that an average of 100,000 Christians have been killed for the faith each year over the last decade, which works out to 11 new martyrs every hour.These are the global realities of Christian life in the early 21st century, and the cardinals may well carry an awareness of that conflict into the Sistine Chapel when they elect a new pope.

The whole column is here.