My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Since 2012, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has declared a two-week period called “The Fortnight for Freedom.” This year, it takes place from June 21 to July 4, our national Independence Day.
During this time, the Bishops have asked the Church to pray, to educate themselves and to take action to defend religious freedom in our country and abroad. The theme for 2016, “Witnesses to Freedom,” focuses on the men and women of faith in our country and throughout the world who have borne witness to the authentic freedom of religion, especially when they are motivated by the love of Christ Himself.
This two-week period is a time when we can reflect on the true meaning of freedom. The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America protects the right for the free exercise of religion: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” The unfortunate interpretations of the separation of Church and State recently have been that the State must be protected from religion. The fact is, it is vice versa: religion must be protected from the intrusion of the State. Truly, this is a Constitutional right that we have in our great Nation, which is known for its attention to religious freedom.
Most recently, we have seen various intrusions on our religious freedoms. Most notably, in the past several weeks we have seen the Supreme Court grapple with the mandate of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that religious non-profit entities must provide contraception and sterilization as part of their health plans. Fortunately, our Supreme Court remanded to the lower courts this dispute, instructing the government to find a better way, acceptable to non-profit religious entities, to provide what the government deems to be necessary services in a way that does not intrude on the consciences of the faithful.
The “poster child” for this case brought before the Supreme Court was the Little Sisters of the Poor from Colorado who had a terrible choice of either halting their ministry to the poor and the elderly, or facing tremendous fines if they did not provide this type of healthcare coverage.
Far from our own country, we see the atrocities carried out by the Islamic State against Christians and other religious minorities. Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, recently called for the declaration of martyrdom for these peoples, not using the word genocide which has political connotations. Martyrdom means a person is willing and ready to sacrifice his or her life for their faith.
In our own century, we have seen many martyrs for the faith. In 2015, 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians were martyred on the shores of Libya. In 1980, the world saw the now Blessed Oscar Romero, then Archbishop of San Salvador in El Salvador, assassinated at the altar. He was known for his protection and defense of the most poor and marginalized.
We remember the Blessed Miguel Pro, a Jesuit priest who gave his life in the 1920s in Mexico during the revolution of the Mexican people trying to overthrow a restrictive government. And we know of Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar who in 1941 gave his life in exchange for another life in the concentration camp at Auschwitz in Poland. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a Jewish-born Carmelite Sister, was martyred with other Jews of her time when the Nazis arrested all Jews who had become Christians. She, along with her sister, Rosa, an extern Sister, died in a gas chamber at Auschwitz in 1942. Lately, many have heard the advertisement using the words of President Ronald Reagan that, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Freedom can be lost if we are not vigilant.
In the recent political campaigns, we have heard the two major candidates speaking about religion. Last year Secretary Hillary Clinton said, “And deep seated cultural codes, religious beliefs, and structural biases have to be changed.” She said this in speaking about the denial of reproductive health care for women. From the other side, we have heard Donald Trump speak about religious and ethnic minorities without any concern for their rights as human beings. We find ourselves in a real quandary. If these two major party candidates prevail, who between them is the better choice to uphold religious liberty?
Every election is an exercise of putting out into the deep mire of complicated motivations and platforms. Hopefully, by the time our national election for President of the United States comes this Nov. 8, the issues of religious freedom and their defense will be clearer than they are at this time.
Follow Bishop DiMarzio
The quandary is so very well defined. We must all do some very serious soul-searching to make our election day decision.
Every election is an exercise of putting out into the deep mire of complicated motivations and platforms. Hopefully, by the time our national election for President of the United States comes this Nov. 8, the issues of religious freedom and their defense will be clearer than they are at this time.
Personally, I do not believe that Hillary Clinton is going to change Health Care (Obamacare) – meaning secular and religious institutions are going to continue paying for abortion, birth control, etc. I do not believe Hillary Clinton is going to allow Catholic Schools, Universities, Hospitals or Organizations follow their consciences and their faith and love for Jesus Christ and His teachings – meaning teaching the truth of God’s Word, given to us in Holy Scripture. Catholic Schools and Universities are already giving in to society/culture. A big problem, of course, is the fact that they accept federal funds. By doing say they are making themselves susceptible/vulnerable to not only the government but to a society that is moving further and further away from God’s Order for His world and instead is teaching, encouraging and promoting living out their passions/desires/lusts in whatever way makes them feel good and pleases themselves rather than pleasing God. Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party is not going to help Christians live out their religious beliefs. They will allow us to go to Sunday Mass / Sunday Services but not to talk about or live out our faith publicly by refusing to accept the wrongful agenda, policies, teachings of society.
Also, I do not believe that the Democratic party is at this point in time going to change their views (which they bring to the table when enacting/passing new laws) on abortion, same sex marriage, birth control, gender ideology, transgender bathroom issues at schools and in public restrooms and gyms/fitness centers.
Bishop DiMarzio, I believe you served our Lord Jesus at Our Lady of Hope Parish in Middle Village, Queens, where I went to Grammar School and Holy Mass. You talk about martyrs. With all my heart and soul I believe that Catholics/Christians are being persecuted in the USA and other countries and not only from those outside of the Church, but most often from within. How you may ask? 1) when they kneel down on the floor in front of the Priest, in persona Christi, to receive the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2) when they stand up to the teachings of the Catholic faith (Jesus’ teachings found in Holy Scripture) – this is the one that is going to see us get arrested, thrown in jail and perhaps even see us lose our lives. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.…” (Luke:21) Just take a look at Kim Davis. And the decision to have her jailed was from a Catholic judge. (That is why I am saying we are going to be persecuted for Jesus’ sake by Catholics perhaps even more so than by non-Catholics/Christians.) We have to continue receiving the strength of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, received naturally in a state of grace, praying the rosary as often as we can during the week, and of course receiving the many graces poured out upon us in the Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation. But of course, society (including many Catholics) doesn’t/don’t believe in sin any longer. That word has been deleted from society. Therefore, we no longer need God, if sin no longer exists or never did exist. Without God’s grace, forgiveness and mercy we are not in a position to fight off the lures/temptations our world will continue offering us (and yes, even forcing upon us). Society seduces us with sinful behavior/actions in movies and television shows. Society is not only playing on our emotions and tricking us into believing that these sinful actions are good, but society is going as far as passing laws that are contrary to God’s Order and Will (through our elected officials).
For me who we vote for is only a quandary when our love for and trust in God does not steer our choices and we put our hope and trust in a politically party that has traded in their moral compasses for public immorality and secular humanism. Yes, Donald Trump may be boastful, impetuous, impulsive inconsistent in his walk of faith and denied Jesus at times in his life when he chose to serve himself (sin) rather than serve God – in other words – chose sin over God. But this also describes our first Pope – Peter and us! But like Peter, we and Donald Trump can mature and become humble! We have to include him, like we do our Holy Father, in our prayers. Donald Trump will not serve the United States or make decisions as our President alone. He will have advisors.
You may ask – well can’t the Democrats mature and become humble in their actions and beliefs (with regards to enacting/passing laws)? Of course they can and nothing would make me happier. Their voting records on laws/actions over the last 8 years do not lead me to believe a change will take place before November 8, 2016. When deciding between Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump or another Republican Candidate that could be officially nominated at the Republican Convention in a couple of weeks, I have to look at the laws their political parties have passed and the actions they have taken with regards to important laws and especially those that affect my conscience (abortion, same sex marriage, religious freedom and healthcare for starters) because they are contrary to Jesus’ teachings (taught/revealed to us in Holy Scripture). For me, the political party that is more promising in regards to these matters is the Republican Party. Donald Trump’s (or whoever is officially nominated should this be someone other than Donald Trump) Party has shown through their voting record and actions that they want to protect our religious freedom and protect marriage and keep abortion, birth control, etc. out of our healthcare system.