Celebrating this year’s Religious Freedom Week, June 22-29, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge celebrated Mass in Burke Hall at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington June 24.
Each year, Religious Freedom Week calls for a rekindling of prayer, reflection, and action for religious liberties around the world and coincides with the feast days of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher. This year’s theme for Religious Freedom Week is the “Called to the Fullness of Dignity.”
“For some of our brothers and sisters who live that mission in other parts of the world, it tragically leads to violence and for some, even death,” Bishop Burbidge said. “We pray for them in this Mass.”
On the second-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Bishop Burbidge discussed the importance of protecting life.
“This will require us to stand up and protect and defend the sacredness of all human life at every stage, from the moment of conception to death,” Bishop Burbidge said. “We are especially reminded of that call as we celebrate the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision. We are reminded that our work in protecting life is just beginning and the opposition is fierce.”
In addition to celebrating Religious Freedom Week, Bishop Burbidge reflected on the life of St. Thomas More, who is the patron saint of the Arlington diocese. During his life, St. Thomas More, whose feast day is June 22, was known for the ways he stood up for his faith during the rule of King Henry VIII, which eventually led to his execution.
“How providential that we began Religious Freedom Week on the feast day of our diocesan patron, St. Thomas More, who modeled courageous witness to the faith he professed; the truth he taught, and the Lord he loved, desiring nothing more than to be God’s servant first,” Bishop Burbidge said.
The USCCB began the Religious Freedom Week initiative in 2018 as a succession to Fortnight for Freedom, which was held until 2017, and also chosen as a time of prayer and action for religious freedom. Religious Freedom Week also anticipates the USCCB Conference for Religious Liberty Symposium in the fall that will focus on Religious Liberty in a Culture of Self-Invention.
“In our land in living this mission, we may not suffer martyrdom, we know all of the political and social pressure, intimidation and even threats people encounter simply never compromising who they are and what we believe,” Bishop Burbidge said.
During Religious Freedom Week, the USCCB posts a new daily guide to pray with on its website based on the daily readings. The June 24 resource invites Catholics to pray on how to courageously be a witness of the truth of the Gospel, specifically in how to be an example of faith in upholding the nature of conjugal marriage, the bodily reality of human beings and the sanctity of life.
“So, dear friends, we must stay steadfast and find our strength in the Lord our God, the one who promises to make all things new and to remain with us always,” Bishop Burbidge said.
