Fortnight for Freedom 2015

Post date: Jun 20, 2015 1:59:51 PM

Brother Knights,

There was a time in America when

A government panel attempted to assert the right to define who is and isn’t a “minister” in a church.
Secular legal firms intimidated towns into barring seasonal religious displays from public property.
A city government demanded copies of the sermons given by the city’s pastors so it could scrutinize the writings for viewpoints critical of the mayor’s administration.
State governments passed bills forcing health care providers to participate in immoral procedures, or otherwise refer patients to others who would provide those procedures.
A major religious charity was denied federal grants to further its work in fighting human trafficking, because the charity wouldn’t support organizations that fund abortions.
The federal government implemented regulations forcing religious employers to offer employee insurance coverage for immoral procedures.
Prosecutors attempted to force priests to break the seal of the confessional or go to prison.
State governments enacted laws forcing girls attending public school to be vaccinated for a virus that is only transmitted sexually, whether the girls were sexually active or not.
State governments attempted to force churches to act as agents of the state in reporting contact with suspected illegal aliens who came to the church for food and shelter.
Governments levied fines against wedding photographers and bakers for declining to participate in ceremonies that violated the business owners’ religious beliefs.

Anyone with a passing familiarity with current events will recognize many of the examples above. The time in question is our time; all of the examples are from recent news. The attacks on freedom of religion come from across the political spectrum and at different levels of government.

The defense of religious freedom has required the efforts of faithful citizens throughout the country's history. The Knights of Columbus continue to stand in the front lines of that defense. Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori chairs the U.S. Bishops' Ad-Hoc Committee on Religious Freedom. This link tells the story of a few of our brother Knights right here in Illinois who are fighting the fight.

With the violence against Christians occurring throughout the world, if America's commitment to religious freedom is compromised at home, how effective a witness can we be abroad?

The U.S. Bishops have once again called for a Fortnight for Freedom, with prayer and public action to promote our first freedom, freedom of religion. The Fortnight for Freedom: Freedom to Serve will take place from June 21 to July 4, 2014, a time when our liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power—St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, St. John the Baptist, SS. Peter and Paul, and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. The theme of this year's Fortnight will focus on the freedom to serve the poor and vulnerable in accord with human dignity and the Church's teaching.

At St. Paul the Apostle, at 6pm in the Eucharistic Chapel, a Rosary and other prayers will be said each night starting on June 21st and continuing through July 4. Please join us.