From the Friars: Religious Freedom

Beginning on June 22nd, the Feast of SS. Thomas More and John Fisher, through June 29th the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops invites Catholics to pray, reflect, and act to promote religious freedom in our country. This year’s theme is entitled “Called to the Fullness of Dignity.” Why is it necessary to observe a “Religious Freedom Week” when we already live in a country which has religious freedom? Because these freedoms, regrettably, are being eroded.

Since June of 2020, a wave of vandalism and arson has hit Catholic churches and properties. There have been over 320 attacks so far, and that number continues to grow. But Christians are not alone in defending their sacred spaces. The war in Israel has caused antisemitic incidents in the U.S. to skyrocket, with acts of anti-Muslim hatred committed as well. There is no greater threat to religious liberty than for one’s house of worship to become a place of danger, and in our country, sadly, that danger is real. We Catholics can express our solidarity with the whole human family by working to build a culture where all houses of worship are treated with respect.

Connected to religious freedom is our freedom to Speak the Truth. Yet in numerous settings individuals are being pressured to conform to a false gender ideology. Government agencies are proposing regulations that, in the name of prohibiting harassment, would prohibit speech that upholds the true nature of marriage, the bodily reality of human beings, and even the sanctity of life. Of course, we should approach people who disagree with us on these issues with tenderness and compassion, but that does not mean we should be forced to speak untruthfully.

In a pluralistic society, the government should afford ample space for people of different backgrounds and worldviews to be able to work together, where religious beliefs and liberty are not threatened. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops provides additional resources and information regarding these issues on their website: www.usccb.org/ReligiousFreedomWeek.

In this way we can promote the fundamental right of religious freedom for Catholics and for people of all faiths. As St Thomas More said, “It is good to love one’s country, but ultimate loyalty is due only to Christ and his kingdom.”

We ask for the intercession of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, that we too would be good servants to our country, but God’s first!

-Br. Juan Diego