Fortnight For Freedom

Today marks the beginning of the USCCB's Fortnight for Freedom, two weeks dedicated to prayer and reflection on religious freedom. The US Bishops have chosen this fourteen day period to begin with the feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More and to culminate on Independence Day. According to the bishops this time is meant to be a "special period of prayer, study, catechesis, and public action [that] will emphasize both our Christian and American heritage of liberty."

The USCCB has organized a wealth of information to arm the laity with the resources to pray, study and act. This includes articles on the subject of religious freedom, daily reflections, text message updates, prayer cards, Church bulletin inserts and much more.

Here is the Prayer for the Protection of Religious Liberty:

O God our Creator,

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.