Jesus promises in this Sunday's gospel that those who are "persecuted for the sake of righteousness" will be blessed. Around the world persecution of religious minorities continues to be a serious problem, according to the latest U.S. State Department report on global religious freedom.

The report, released Monday, named North Korea, Iran, Myanmar, China, Sudan, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan among the worst offenders, placing them on a watch list put out earlier this year. Officials said the latest review would help determine whether they stay on the list, which could leave some open to additional U.S. sanctions.

Michael Posner, the State Department's top official for democracy and human rights, said President Barack Obama's call this year for a new beginning between the United States and Muslims did not mean sidelining religious liberty.

"Religious freedom is a fundamental right, a social good, a source of stability, and a key to international security," Posner said in the introduction to the report.

Posner praised interfaith dialogue efforts promoted by Jordan, Spain, and other countries. But religious repression and discrimination remained huge problems worldwide. "We're fully aware that even in countries with robust legal safeguards, including the United States, we're not immune from acts of intolerance," he said.

The annual report, compiled from sources including journalists, academics, nongovernmental organizations, and human rights and religious groups, provides a long list of both setbacks and progress on religious freedom around the world.

Source: An article by Andrew Quinn for Reuters