Fortnight focuses on freedom to witness

Published: June 19, 2015

The annual Fortnight for Freedom, a nationwide event focusing on prayer, education and action, will be held June 21 to July 4. The opening Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop William Lori Sunday, June 21 at 10:45 a.m. (Eastern Time) at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore. It will be televised EWTN. Watch it online at the CatholicTV Network.

This year, the theme: "Freedom to Bear Witness" will be highlighted. It is based on a talk Archbishop Lori gave at a workshop on religious freedom at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Md. in 2014. "Keeping the spirit of the Gospel means that Catholic institutions are to bear witness in love to the full truth about the human person by providing social, charitable and educational services in a manner that fully reflects the God-given dignity of the human person," said Archbishop Lori, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

During the fortnight, we celebrate the feast days of St. Thomas More, St. John Fisher, St. John the Baptist, Sts. Peter and Paul and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome, all great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offers several suggestions for parishes and families to celebrate this event. These ideas include: memorial Masses highlighting the saints honored during the fortnight; a movie night with movies about religious freedom, a community service project, Christian music concert, Fourth of July picnic, eucharistic adoration or group study of Dignitatis Humanae, Latin for “Of Human Dignity,” the Second Vatican Council document on religious liberty.

For more ideas, see how dioceses across the United States plan to celebrate the fortnight. Additional resources available include: Pope Francis quotes on religious freedom, Call to Prayer Facebook Page, special prayers, daily reflections, legislative action, the USCCB texting and postcard campaigns and prayer cards in English and Spanish.

The closing Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, of Washington, D.C., with Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami as the homilist, on Saturday, July 4 at noon (Eastern Time) at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. This Mass will also be televised by EWTN and available online on the CatholicTV Network.

The following Prayer for the Protection of Religious Liberty is offered on the back of the Fortnight for Freedom prayer cards:

O God our Creator,

from your provident hand we have received

our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

You have called us as your people and given us

the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God,

and your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit,

you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world,

bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel

to every corner of society.

We ask you to bless us

in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty.

Give us the strength of mind and heart

to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened;

give us courage in making our voices heard

on behalf of the rights of your Church

and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.

Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father,

a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters

gathered in your Church

in this decisive hour in the history of our nation,

so that, with every trial withstood

and every danger overcome—

for the sake of our children, our grandchildren,

and all who come after us—

this great land will always be "one nation, under God,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

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