During the annual Fortnight for Freedom, June 21 to July 4, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops asked Catholics across the country to pray together as a faith community, fast, do penance and take action to defend religious liberty and the rights of conscience against unjust government intrusion.
Bishop Richard Lennon celebrated a special Mass at 10 a.m. July 4 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist to conclude observation of the Fortnight. He invited the faithful to attend the liturgy ?as a way to highlight our commitment as a diocese to embrace our freedoms.?
In his homily, the bishop provided a brief history lesson with reflections on freedom of religion, the first freedom, from several prominent Americans.
He shared thoughts from George Washington, John Adams, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin, each of whom reflected on God?s role in our civilized society.
?Our country, from the beginning understood what those great rights were,? Bishop Lennon said, referring to religious liberty. ?They are not what they were. We have come here this morning because many of those rights have been diminished ? Not just Catholics, but many people of goodwill are disturbed by what has happened ? Over the years, a number of those freedoms have been lost or compromised and we are poorer for it.?
He mentioned his nephew?s high school graduation as one example, pointing out that although the graduating senior who addressed the class talked about religion
