Pray that Christian witness in the face of attacks on our churches will convert hearts to faith in Jesus Christ, and that people of all faiths would be free to gather in sacred spaces without fear. 

Reflect
The very nature of a sacred space is that it is set apart from other spaces as a place of divine worship and thus should be treated with respect.  In a pluralistic society such as ours, respect for sacred spaces is especially vital for the sake of civil peace, which is part of the common good. In recent years, a wave of vandalism and arson has hit Catholic churches and statues.  That wave rose following the leaked draft of the Dobbs decision, and it crested after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to regulate abortion. June and July of 2022 saw a huge spike in anti-Christian and anti-life attacks on churches. There have been over 260 attacks so far, and that number steadily continues to grow.  But Catholics and other Christians are not alone in defending their sacred spaces. In Arizona, Native American tribes have been fighting to preserve Oak Flat, a space that has been used for prayer and worship since time immemorial, from being destroyed by a copper mining company.  The circumstances in these two cases are different, but the underlying principle is the same: attacks on sacred spaces, whether from political ideology or commerce, are harmful to religious freedom.  A culture that embraces the divine gift of freedom will respect sacred spaces. 

Act
Religious communities express their faith through their sacred art and architecture.  Sacred spaces and devotional art all testify to the strength and hope of these diverse communities.  How has this legacy affected you?  Share an image of your favorite church building, devotional art, or other sacred sign of faith with us on Twitter! @USCCBFreedom #ReligiousFreedomWeek 

Pray that governments would respect the seal of confession, as the Church in the United States continues to work to remove the scourge of clergy abuse. 

Reflect
The Sacrament of Reconciliation, sometimes called Confession or Penance, brings healing to damaged relationships. Different religions can have different versions of confession, because the practice addresses a basic human need to express regret and make restitution for wrongdoing.  In the Catholic Church, Confession is an important sacrament.  This is a sacred encounter between the penitent and the Lord who offers forgiveness and healing through the ministry of the priest. The Code of Canon Law forbids priests from divulging information received in confession.  The penalty for a priest who directly violates the seal of confession is excommunication.  The right to maintain the seal—or, clergy-penitent privilege—was upheld in what is possibly the first court case on the right to free exercise of religion in America, People v. Philips.  Since the Philips case, clergy-penitent privilege has become recognized as a basic right.  Today, protecting clergy-penitent privilege is still important.  Some governments are seeking to revoke the privilege in the hopes of exposing crimes against children and vulnerable adults.  Indeed, it is essential that, to the extent it can, the Church work with civil authorities to ensure that criminals are brought to justice and communities are kept safe.  While a priest may not oblige a penitent to turn himself in as a condition for receiving absolution, priests can encourage the penitent to report crimes to the proper authorities, or the priest can ask the penitent to speak with him outside of the context of Confession.  At the same time, the government has no right to encroach upon this sacred communication.  Clergy-penitent privilege is the recognition of the proper relationship between church and state and the right to free exercise of religion, not only for Catholics, but for people of all faiths. 

Act 
Make an act of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for the crimes committed by members of the Church against youth and vulnerable adults.  While these attempted incursions on the seal of the confessional are misguided, they are often motivated by a desire to protect people from abuse.  We share that desire to protect people, and we are sorrowful for these sins.  Consider fasting from a meal or praying the Litany to the Sacred Heart, and offer up your sacrifice for those who have suffered abuse, praying as well for the renewal of the Church.

Pray for our Catholic sisters and brothers who are suffering in Nicaragua. 

Reflect ​​​​​​
The Church in Nicaragua—by far the most trusted and the last remaining independent civil society institution in the country, ever since the regime of Daniel Ortega and his wife and Vice President Rosario Murillo imprisoned and exiled virtually the entire political opposition—is facing a critical intensification of religious persecution. Since 2018, when the Nicaraguan bishops supported civil society’s right to protest unpopular government policies, the Church in Nicaragua has been facing a systematic and persistent campaign of aggression from the government and pro-government operatives, with churches being attacked with deadly force, priests and religious imprisoned or exiled, the Apostolic Nuncio expelled, and, in February 2023, the unjust sentencing of Bishop Rolando Alvarez of Matagalpa, Nicaragua, to 26 years in prison. In February 2023, the regime exiled 222 political prisoners, including 11 priests, to the United States. The viciousness of the persecution is highlighted in the numerous acts of desecration against the Blessed Sacrament that have been committing by pro-government forces and the banning of traditional processions by the majority Catholic population during Holy Week. These are politically calculated acts of psychological and spiritual terrorism against the faithful in Nicaragua. They are intended to send a message to the bishops, priests and faithful that the regime will go to any length to quash and silence the moral voice of the Catholic Church in the country.

Act
In addition to the political turmoil, Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in Latin America that is often beset with natural disasters. Catholic Relief Services began working in Nicaragua in 1964. Support CRS’s agricultural, emergency relief, health, and youth job training programs to help save lives. 

Pray that religious student groups would be free to be faithful to their distinctive missions. 

Reflect 
Participation in a religious student group at college can be an important part of a young person’s education.  However, university policies meant to promote inclusivity – such as a rule that any student has the right to be a leader of a campus student group – have been used to prohibit religious student groups from ensuring that their leaders and members share their beliefs. The sentiment of such policies might seem appealing, but it means that an atheist could lead a Bible study, a climate change denier could lead the environmental club, or a Republican could lead the College Democrats.  This false idea of inclusivity essentially prevents groups from having any distinctive mission or identity.  College campuses can embrace the gift of freedom by allowing student groups to operate in accordance with their distinctive missions. 

Act 
Support the Equal Campus Access Act. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) established Equal Campus Access provisions, which aimed to protect religious student groups at schools that receive federal funding.  However, in 2023, the USDE proposed to rescind those provisions.  The Equal Campus Access Act would codify the 2020 rule. Urge Congress to support the Equal Campus Access Act! 

Pray that herders and farmers in Nigeria, whose conflict over access to land and resources has fueled religious tensions, may find the means to compromise and work out their differences in a non-violent manner. 

Reflect
In February 2021 the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria published a message to the people of Nigeria, perhaps their strongest statement ever, condemning the long running crisis of violence in the country saying, “The very survival of the nation is at stake. The nation is falling apart. Serious insecurity, clearly evident in widespread loss of lives and property, for long unaddressed, has left the sad and dangerous impression that those who have assumed the duty and authority to secure the nation are either unable – or worse still, unwilling – to take up the responsibilities of their office.” The police forces and the courts have failed horribly to establish the rule of law in the country.  This has led to a total lack of general security while shrinking grazing land has contributed to rising conflict between herders and farmers in Nigeria. Because herders are generally Muslims from the Fulani tribe and farmers are generally Christians of various ethnicities, this has exacerbated ethnic and religious differences in conflicts that originated over access to agricultural resources.  Amid continuing violence and polarization, the CBCN continues to call and work for peace. This work is crucial because the population of Nigeria is almost equally divided between Christians and Muslims and this state of conflict could drive a wedge between them and threaten the long-term stability of Nigeria. The lack of effective rule of law has allowed terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State - West Africa Province to maintain operations in Nigeria. Additionally, other groups, often referred to as armed bandits, kidnap innocent people, attack travelers on the roads and rails, and steal cattle often for money. As a result, a repeating cycle of retaliation has become pervasive throughout Nigeria. For example, in January 2022, Islamic terrorists attacked and burned a rectory, killing one priest and seriously injuring another.  Subsequently, a mob of Christians burnt the local police office in response to the perception that the police do not respond as promptly to attacks against Christians as they do against Muslims.  Religious polarization has increased in Nigeria, inhibiting the chance for dialogue among opposing groups.  

Act
Support Aid to the Church in Need, Catholic Relief Services, USCCB’s Solidarity Fund for Aid to the Church in Africa, and other organizations that are helping the internally displaced, providing livelihood training and healthcare, and offering peacebuilding between those of different faiths. 

Pray that business leaders would promote a culture that welcomes faith at work. 

Reflect
The Catholic Church calls the lay faithful to bring their faith to bear on all spheres of life.  Christians are Christian not only when they pray or serve in a non-profit ministry.  Catholics also seek to live out their faith in their work lives.  Christians are not the only ones who should be able to live out their religion in a holistic way.  All people should be free to allow faith to guide them in their daily affairs, even in work and business.  Religious freedom conflicts can arise when an employee seeks accommodation for his or her practices, such as an exception to a dress code in order to wear certain religious clothing or a request to have certain days or times—like the Sabbath or certain times for prayer—accommodated in scheduling.  Another kind of religious freedom conflict involves cases where the business itself runs afoul of some government policy. For example, a government may require employers to cover certain products or procedures in their healthcare plans that the employer believes to be immoral, or a government may require creative professionals to produce speech that violates their religious convictions.  In all of these scenarios, a culture that embraces the divine gift of freedom will be one that makes as much space as possible for persons to participate in work life in accordance with their religious convictions. 

Act 
Individuals have the right to receive accommodations from employers for their religious practices.  Businesses have the right to operate in accordance with religious principles.  How do you see faith in action at work?  Share your story with us! @USCCBFreedom #ReligiousFreedomWeek 

Pray that governments will respect the consciences of all individuals and institutions that care for the sick and vulnerable. 

Reflect
For centuries, Christians have carried on the healing ministry of Christ by building institutions dedicated to medicine and accompaniment of the dying.  However, Catholic hospitals and medical professionals face numerous challenges to their mission today.  Activists have sought to undermine the Church’s mission by forcing Catholic hospitals to perform procedures that destroy human life and undermine human dignity, such as sterilization, gender reassignment surgery, and even abortion, and people of faith who work in secular institutions may find themselves coerced into performing abortions.  Over the past year, the Biden Administration proposed a cascade of changes to federal regulations, many of which removed conscience protections from healthcare institutions and individuals.  A culture that embraces the gift of divine freedom is one that respects the consciences of hospitals and professionals who seek to carry out the healing ministry of Christ. 

Act
The period for submitting comments on these proposed regulations has ended, but our advocacy continues.  Sign up to receive alerts new opportunities to let government agencies in Washington know that you support the Church’s right to operate her institutions in accordance with her faith in Jesus Christ.