Happy Fourth of July - Catholic Prayer for Religious Freedom

Growing up in Chicago as a young boy, I have fond memories of cook outs and family gatherings on the Fourth of July - those were a big thing in the Chicago area. I always enjoyed getting together with families and friends to celebrate that holiday.  While our country has also celebrate our Independence day with a lot of pride and honor, in recent years the Church has used this holiday to discuss the importance of religious liberty, especially in light of the ways we have seen religious liberty under attack in recent years.  Below is a prayer for religious liberty that has been published by the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). 

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.