Religious Freedom Week: June 28, 2019 - Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

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Pray that the religious dimension of the common good will receive due recognition in our political culture, and for the conversion of the hearts of those seeking to remove religious symbols from public life.

Reflect
This year, the Supreme Court is set to decide on a case involving a cross in Bladensburg, Maryland, that was erected to memorialize soldiers who died in World War I. The land on which the cross stands is now maintained by the government, and activist groups object that this arrangement amounts to a violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.  Of course, nobody believes this is an instance of Congress establishing a state church.  These efforts are part of a larger effort to ban religious symbols from public spaces.  This is an affront to American pluralism, a pluralism in which the religious impulse of all people is respected and reflected in our public spaces.  As Catholics, we seek to inspire a culture in which the human spirit can flourish.  Public religious symbols are a part of that culture.

Act
Public display of religious symbols makes America beautiful.  Learn about the monuments and religious displays in your area, and visit one if possible.  Write a letter to the editor defending these treasures if they are attacked.

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