The First Gay President, Pres. Obama, and his administration have been eroding our first liberties. He is attacking the First Amendment, this time through the Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS). The most aggressive pro-abortion president in history is bent on forcing us to pay for things that are morally objectionable not only on religious grounds, but also according to natural law. We must resist these attempts to diminish our first freedoms. We will not and we cannot comply with Pres. Obama’s attacks on the religious freedom of all Catholic institutions.
From CNA:
Archbishop Lori highlights role of laity in Fortnight for Freedom
By Michelle BaumanWashington D.C., Jun 12, 2012 / 02:19 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore stressed the importance of laity involvement in efforts to defend religious freedom from the ongoing threats in the U.S.
“It’s important, of course, for bishops to be teachers and leaders.” But “it is crucial for lay men and women, mothers and fathers of families, lay leaders in all walks of life to advocate for freedom and justice in our society,” Archbishop Lori told CNA on June 9.
“Without those voices and without the involvement of the laity, we just won’t get very far,” he added.
“In the Church’s understanding,” he explained, “it is the laity who are the ones that bring about the just and tranquil society. It is the laity who are the forefront of creating what Pope Paul VI called the ‘civilization of love.’”
Archbishop Lori, who leads the U.S. bishops’ religious freedom committee, encouraged the laity to get involved in the June 21 to July 4 “Fortnight for Freedom” event through education, prayer and advocacy.
[…]
Read the rest there.
Loading ...
I am going to vote for a pro-life president,
I am a catechist. I voluntarily teach at various parishes in and out of my diocese.
Having said that – we do *not* shy away from the so-called “hot button” moral issues which, in my mind anyway, if the average Catholic knew about in the first place, we would not be faced with this attack on our religious liberty.
What does the Church actually teach about: Being open to life (contraception). Same-sex “marriage.” Abortion. Euthanasia. In-Vitro fertilization. Etc., etc.
To me once you *inform the laity* on these issues (and *not just* the corporal works of mercy: i.e. housing the homeless, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and the rest…) the attack on religious liberty would stop.
But hey, what do I know? I’m just a “pew Catholic” like every other Catholic. I do not have any letters behind my name. In fact, I barely have a high school education (call me Jethro Bodean).
I approach it this way: “What does the Church teach about “X” topic, and where do I find it?”
Is this not why our Blessed Lord left us the Church to guide us into all truth? (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:13, Eph 3:10, 1 Tim 3:15, Mt. 18:17)
MSM
My pastor gave us “marching orders” a few weeks ago, with the aim of taking up (spiritual) arms in the war the government has waged on us. Among his points:
-Read the Catechism every day. We cannot defend the faith if we do not know it.
-Make reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When possible, attend Holy Hour every day.
-Confess often.
-Pray the Rosary every day.
Fortnight for Freedom is on my calendar. I teach my kids the Faith. Prayer and Education are my weapons.
I vote pro-life MLA’s and give money to help support pro-life organizations. Unfortunately I can’t do much on the public scene as I work for the government and pretty much signed my soul away to them when I was hired. It’s also imprudent for me to participate in “peaceful protests” of praying the rosary outside of hospitals, as they have proven to not always be peaceful and the police have to get involved sometimes. As a peace officer, such situations can cost me my job and/or result in me being charged for “conduct unbecoming of a peace officer”. Though, I have been able to help refer some pregnant mothers in dire circumstances to organizations that help give them better options and assistance with their physical needs. I also didn’t support my supervisor’s bragging in the lunchroom about how she suggested to one of her clients to have an abortion rather than to hand custody over of another one of her children to her mother.
Although I am nobody, I co-founded a religious freedom group in Madison, WI that meets every Monday evening at a Catholic parish, and has given us an opportunity to bring together people who care deeply about our freedom, and has enabled us to help coordinate our recent June 8 Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally, and now also Fortnight For Freedom events, and other things. In particular there are Rosary Rallies at the Wisconsin State Capitol that will be Thursday nights at 7pm on the State Street Steps, starting June 21st, every week through Nov 1st. more info on all this at my blog: http://www.laetificatmadison.com
Some people may be interested in a conference in Skokie Illinois near Chicago (at the parish of Fr Richard Simon of Relevant Radio’s “Go Ask Your Father”), organized by the Chicago diocese diaconate program. Cardinal George and other great speakers will teach about communicating in parishes about religious liberty and conscience protection. The flier for that is here: http://www.stlambert.org/images/ReligiousLibertyFlyer.pdf and the signup page is here: http://www.eventzilla.net/web/event?eventid=2138970822
Participated in local political events and was a delegate. Supporting pro-life politicians with donations, etc. Just got a graduate degree in theology and am available to teach. Very active in pro-life efforts. Daily spiritual and sacramental life. Trying to be a good soldier in the Church Militant.
Among the good ideas being presented in this forum, we should also contact our congressman and U.S. senators and urge them to vote “yes” or “no” to specific legislation. Include the House or Senate bill number when possible.
Also, local politics is critical. The current president was essentially a local politician, who was bootstrapped into national office (the U.S. Senate for two years, then the Oval Office) by leftist special interests. Today’s state attorney general or county commissioner could be nominating, or voting on, candidates for the U.S. Supreme Court in just a few short years. There are all kinds of websites on pending legislation, and local politics, so it’s easier than ever to be informed and engaged.
Don’t forget rosaries for tepid Catholics, especially through Our Lady of Good Help, whom I believe aided Scott Walker and his crew (friends of school vouchers) in their recent success.
Fr. Z, just a note to add that I’m not sure about the usefulness of citing the “natural law” to your average Joe. The concept seems lost on even most philosophers and certainly on people in general these days. I think average Joe would equate “natural law” with “religious grounds.” Such that when you say “not only on religious grounds, but also according to natural law,” they take that as something akin to “not only on religious grounds, but also because the Catholic Church says so.” FWIW, YMMV, etc.
The real question may be not what each one of us is going to do individually, but why the Church does not make it inescapably plain what our faith dictates that we all do together.
Perhaps someone can say how the “Fortnight for Freedom” campaign differs in kind and likely effect from previous USCCB efforts, like the voting guide “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Responsible Citizenship”–45 pages of diffuse rhetoric obfuscating what needed to be said on a single page. At best a yawn, at worst cover for pro-abortion politicians with critical life issues swamped in a sea of false moral equivalences, the whole flabby package having no moral impact on the typical pew-sitting Catholic.
Why does no simple and clearcut action with concrete impact occur to the USCCB? For instance, mandating that henceforth every Mass in the United States be followed by the Prayer to St. Michael–or, better, the full Leonine prayers–for the preservation of religious freedom and an end to abortion in this country.
Or can the bishops not agree on any single act of faith so simple and tangible? Not to speak of something more profound, like everyone kneeling for communion henceforth in reparation for the Church’s in failure to uphold the faith in this country. (E.g., for 45 million aborted babies because the Church did not oppose abortion from the beginning with forthright political action.)
Have been contacting legislators, have donated to a presidential campaign for the first time, am joining the local GOP to see what I can do to help elect good people up and down the political ladder, am discussing it with my children for their educational purposes, and praying, extra on voting days.
Definitely reading up on what the Church says about patriotism/civic duties, and all that, as well as her teachings on the hot-button sexuality issues. I’m also planning on setting aside at least a couple days of fasting and prayer, not to mention making our religious freedom in this country a specific intention of my rosaries and daily prayer.
All well and good…and also private. What I’m looking for are ways to participate PUBLICLY. Still thinking about that one. Oh! Except that I do have a “fortnight for freedom” yard sign to put up. Let me just go do that…
Henry,
I think all Bishops and Priests should be required to read prayerfully everyday the Examination of Conscience for priests from the “Letter to Priests” March 2012.
My comment is still in moderation probably because I put more than one link, so I will re-post with just one link so people can get ideas of what they could do. Basically I just arranged for there to be a time and place for people to meet about religious freedom, and good things have come of that.
Although I am nobody, I co-founded a religious freedom group in Madison, WI that meets every Monday evening at a Catholic parish, and has given us an opportunity to bring together people who care deeply about our freedom, and has enabled us to help coordinate our recent June 8 Stand Up For Religious Freedom Rally, and now also Fortnight For Freedom events, and other things. In particular there are Rosary Rallies at the Wisconsin State Capitol that will be Thursday nights at 7pm on the State Street Steps, starting June 21st, every week through Nov 1st. more info on all this at my blog: http://www.laetificatmadison.com
I started a blog and am currently fighting doctrine with my mother over my open letter to Nancy Pelosi. Who knew that one could honor one’s faith and break the third commandment at the same time? :/
Pingback: Not just a concern for Catholics | Koinonia
My favorite speech for this topic http://youtu.be/wNKoKTyNGUI my lamp of history shows they will not listen & they will come after us
In February, three of us–two Catholics first and then one Evangelical, started an ad hoc committee for the defense of religious liberty. We just couldn’t sit around and let this happen. We met with our bishop, got his approval and ideas, and planned and held a “Stand up for Religious Freedom” rally on March 23rd at our Federal Building. We had great speakers and over 250 in attendance–the biggest crowd that our Federal Building has ever seen. We started a signature drive and continue to collect petitions.
Our committee has grown; it now includes Evangelical pastors, priests and deacons, and Evangelical and Catholic laity. We developed and began presenting a “Religious Freedom Roundtable,” a panel discussion presenting the issues around the HHS mandate; panelists are laity and clergy, Catholic and Evangelical. We’ve presented this at our Cathedral parish, at an Evangelical church, and next week at a Pentacostal church; in July at another Catholic parish.
We are organizing a “Festival of Freedom” to kick off the Fortnight for Freedom; the bishop suggested the name. We have three praise bands (two Catholic, one Evangelical); speeches, readings, and skits planned in a downtown park. We have developed a family prayer pamphlet for the 4th of July and will have a Mass for Religious Freedom at our Cathedral one the 4th.
We are developing candidate questionnaires, for candidates at all levels, with a focus on religious liberty issues, with the goal of developing a voter guide to pass out in September and October.
We have a blog http://religiouslibertynnblog.wordpress.com/ and I’m working on a website.
This started with three laypeople who decided not to sit around and let our religious liberties disappear without notice.
The Brothers of the Little Oratory in San Diego and friends will be taking it to the streets, with a Tour to the Seven Churches (preceded the night before by Missa Cantata in the EF), over eleven miles of city streets, praying the rosary, pausing for spiritual conferences, and singing. All on the Feast of the Precious Blood, 1 July. In public. Positively scandalous, eh?
http://www.facebook.com/events/262703507170730/
Join us, support us, as we support our God given rights, our Constitutional Rights, our diocese (whether they want us to or not), and our Bishops, Pope, and Holy Faith. As St. Philip was wont to say (especially appropriate in the face of adversity), “Allegramente! Allegramente!” (Be cheerful! Be Cheerful!)
Freedom for the Catholic Church! Vivo Cristo Rey! Praying for the Holy Church, the Holy Father, the bishops and priests of the Church, the Catholic faithful and the conversion of all men of goodwill to the true Faith. +JMJ+
This is the first time we have given money to a political candidate. Since I was old enough to vote I have offered my services to certain candidates. Now in our very twilight years, we find that discussions at Senior events are places to ‘inform; having a pastor who is not an American rather dampens anything we attempt via church but there is a small group who meets for prayer weekly. We keep up with family via email – interesting. I applaud those of you who have started or who belong to educational organizations via your diocese. Contrary to popular belief, I chaired a diocesan interracial organization in the 60’s, using Father John Egan and Saul Alinsky’s methods , and we had excellent results. But pray always…
I received in the mail recently a survey from the Republican National Committee, claiming that I had been “carefully selected” to represent voters in my area. The survey asked a number of questions about various issues being considered as part of the GOP platform and you were supposed to select those that were most important to you. There was also a space for writing in “other issues,” and I took the opportunity to mention the HHS mandate, conscience protection and religious freedom in that space since it was not mentioned elsewhere.
Since I moved into my new apartment, and I don’t have a phone (as yet), I pretty much keep to myself.
I’m not really the ‘activist type’.
I don’t ‘organize’. I don’t ‘lead’.
I get ‘confused by the details’.
All I can do right now is just PRAY.
I pray my daily Rosary.
I haven’t been going to our Adoration Chapel as often as I did when I lived at my former address.
I go to Mass only on Sunday, because that’s the only time that we have the TLM Mass at our little chapel.
I’m not overly ‘political’, but I will vote to get Obama out of office this November.
I fear for our country if he gets another term.
Our Lady Immaculate, Patroness of the US, pray for our nation!
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
St. Thomas More, pray for us!
Last month I did a two hour interview on a local talk radio station on ObamaCare, the HHS Mandate, and the Catholic response. Its heartening and a sign of hope to be able to do Catholic apologetics on a secular talk radio program.
Here’s our Facebook page for our local group for defense of religious liberty: http://www.facebook.com/forlifeandliberty
I take the advice of the Saints and approach all problems as they did in accordance with my state of life, namely; prayer, penance and mortification. I study the CCC, Saints and Scripture and defend each without fear of cost to all those the good God places in my path. I worked for a number of years at HHS at the state level. I was once told to do something that was clearly against Church teaching. Even though I was petrified of loosing, my little families, only means of income I refused. Though they threatened me, a number of times, with termination they never followed through. I worked surrounded by protestants, some very nice some not, who had never met an orthodox Catholic. They took notice, they started to ask questions and by the grace of God because of Our Lady’s intercession a seed was planted.
[32] For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. [33] Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you…St. Matthew 6:32-33.
• Heavily promoting the movie “For the Greater Glory.”
This sounds bleak and fatalistic (I wish I had something more optimistic):
• Trying to prepare myself & my family for martyrdom.
Doing by best to educate myself and subvert the ultimate enemy of religious liberty…the state.
I pray a public Rosary every Tuesday 12:15 PM in front of the White House. I also attempt to educate people in our parish about the ramifications of Obamacare on the elderly etc. I am constantly amazed how little people know about this bill, and how trusting they are that the Government will be “good stewards” because “Americans are good people and nothing bad will happen.” Most do not realize that if you belong to one of the planned Exchanges, you will be automatically be charged an additional $1.00 to fund abortions. http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/13/1-abortion-premium-in-obamacare/
I want our pastor to approve a voter registration drive for the parish.
We’re having literature tables after all masses on both weekends during the fortnight with lots of good pamphlets and handouts from Catholic Answers, OSV and believe it or not, the USCCB website. (so wonderful to be pleased with the USCCB after all these years.) We’re having a lecture series during the fortnight, with food served to make these social events and attract more people. Also a rally or rosary march but this is still being worked out. Two nights of Eucharistic adoration for the intention of making reparation for the sins of our nation and preserving our freedom. Our pastor promised to preach on the topic at least one of the weekends. July 4th will have an outdoor mass, and afterwords we’ll release red white and blue balloons. (mostly because this is the sort of thing that, when announced in advance, will draw media attention. ) All this is lay driven effort between a rural parish and a lay run retreat center. Erie diocese.