Religious Freedom Week

Richard A. Sokerka

The U.S. Catholic Church’s observance of Religious Freedom Week begins tomorrow on June 22, the feast of two English martyrs who fought religious persecution — St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More — and ends June 29, the feast of two apostles martyred in Rome — Ss. Peter and Paul.

It’s an important week in the life of the Church in the United States because not a week goes by in our secularist society without a new challenge being made to infringe upon the religious freedoms we enjoy in our nation under the First Amendment to the Constitution.

This year’s theme for the week is “Serving Others in God’s Love.” Catholics are encouraged to pray and take action in support of religious liberty at home in their own neighborhoods and across the country.

In a statement about Religious Freedom Week, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, said, “Religious freedom allows the space for people of faith to serve others in God’s love in ministries like education, adoption and foster care, health care, and migration and refugee services.”

When Pope Francis visited the United States in his remarks to then-President Barack Obama Sept. 23, the pontiff said that religious freedom “remains one of America’s most precious possessions. And, as my brothers, the United States bishops, have reminded us, all are called to be vigilant, precisely as good citizens, to preserve and defend that freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise it.”

It’s imperative that all Catholics across the nation stand with our bishops to ensure our religious liberties, always remembering what the bishops said in their statement, “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty: We are Catholics. We are Americans. We are proud to be both, grateful for the gift of faith which is ours as Christian disciples, and grateful for the gift of liberty which is ours as American citizens. To be Catholic and American should mean not having to choose one over the other. Our allegiances are distinct, but they need not be contradictory, and should instead be complementary. That is the teaching of our Catholic faith, which obliges us to work together with fellow citizens for the common good of all who live in this land. That is the vision of our founding and our Constitution, which guarantees citizens of all religious faiths the right to contribute to our common life together.”