Tag: Fortnight for Freedom

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Mary C. Uhler

Religious freedom: We need to protect it more than ever!

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Religious freedom was among the topics which Pope Francis touched upon during a meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

Vatican Radio reported that in his address to the Italian head of state, Pope Francis recalled how 2013 marked the 17th centenary of the Edict of Milan, a document which many consider to be the first example of religious freedom being promoted.

It’s everyone’s responsibility

“In today’s world, religious freedom is more often affirmed than put into practice,” the pope said. It is often threatened, and not infrequently violated. The serious outrages against this fundamental right are a source of serious concern and need to be confronted at the global level, he said.

Defending religious liberty and making it available for everyone, Pope Francis said, is everyone’s responsibility. Doing so “guarantees the growth and development of the entire community.”

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Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Freedom to give ourselves to God

Dear Friends,

This past week, on Friday, we had a very well attended liturgy and I’d like to recall the three areas we covered, for each of them is tied together and each of them is worthy of your attention.

First of all, we celebrated the great Feast of SS. Peter and Paul, a major feast of the Church, and then we had the festive ordination of two great young men, a moment of tremendous joy for our diocese, and lastly, we marked the major liturgical celebration of our “Fortnight for Freedom,” as we prayed for the preservation of religious liberty and freedom, with God’s help.

First, I spoke of the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul. Pope Benedict XVI remarked, in his homily for this feast, that the fraternity of Peter and Paul was really something remarkable. It was interesting to see how well our readings for the Feast of Peter and Paul worked, and as we celebrated the Fortnight for Freedom — for both of the first two readings had statements about the freedom of those two great apostles. The First Reading (Acts 12:1-11) spoke of how Peter was freed for his apostolic ministry by the direct intervention of the Lord’s angel, and in the Second Reading (2 Tim. 4:6-8, 17-18) Paul thanks God because he has been given the freedom to “fight the good fight,” and that “the Lord rescued him from the lion’s mouth.”

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Protecting our first freedom

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Many of the early settlers to our land came to  America in order to practice their faith freely.

It was so important that the very First Amendment to the United States Constitution says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Threats to religious liberty

However, what Pope Benedict XVI has called the “most cherished of American freedoms” — our religious liberty — is being threatened in many ways. We have heard much discussion about the Health and Human Services mandate requiring insurance coverage of contraception, sterilization, and abortion. But that is not the only way freedom of religion and conscience is being threatened today.

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