Today starts religious freedom week as declared by our US Bishops. The theme this year is “Life and Dignity for All.”The observance of this week starts with the feast day of St Thomas More and to John Fisher, two English martyrs who fought religious persecution during the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century. Both Fisher and More were put to death for upholding the values of their faith. The week ends on June 29 on the feast of St Peter and Paul. The week also includes the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, which is June 24.
As we commemorate religious freedom week this year, we are anticipating any day now the US Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case presented by the state of Mississippi. The US Conference of Catholics Bishops is mindful of the debates around our country about abortion. The US Bishops state: “The Catholic Church plays a crucial role in bearing witness to the Gospel of life and serving all who will be affected by these discussions and their outcomes.” The Dobbs case involves a Mississippi law that ban abortion after the 15th week of pregnancy. An initial draft of a Supreme Court opinion in the case was leaked in May, indicating the high court is set to overturn its Roe v. Wade decision, which 50 years ago legalized abortion nationwide. The court also is expected to overturn its 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which affirmed Roe and prohibited regulations that created an “undue burden” on women seeking an abortion. If the final ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturns Roe and Casey, the issue of abortion would be returned to the states. Those are the stakes that are present in this case.
During religious freedom week, another a major area of concern is the protection of the religious freedom of U.S. Catholic institutions, such as schools, hospitals and child welfare service providers. The US Bishops are concerned that they be able to carry out their missions with integrity and in accordance with their religious beliefs”. The Bishops state: “In particular, protecting Catholic adoption and foster care will become even more vital, as we take new steps in building a culture of life and dignity for all in the United States….To build a culture of life and dignity for all must support women and children.”
The USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities in 2020 launched the “Walking with Moms in Need” initiative thorough the United States. Its aim is to engage every Catholic parish in providing a safety net to ensure that pregnant and parenting moms have the resources, love and support they need to nurture the lives of their children.
We Catholic have recognized how our religious freedoms have been under attack in so many ways in recent years. Hopefully, our commemoration of religious freedom week will encourage us to learn more about the ways we can protect our religious freedoms. Hopefully this week will call us to reflection, education, and action.
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