Being a follower of Christ means caring for and advocating for
all, especially those facing injustice and suffering, said Bishop Michael F.
Burbidge in a Mass June 22 marking the beginning of Religious Freedom Week. The
Mass was livestreamed from the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington; 891
viewers tuned in across all digital platforms.
“Our Catholic action and advocacy on behalf of the poor and
oppressed have special urgency this year,” said Bishop Burbidge. “Acts of
racial discrimination, a culture of violence and hardships arising from the
pandemic have brought all too much pain.”
He cited “failures to protect human dignity and religious
liberties in our state’s legislature and the Supreme Court,” which “seriously threaten”
Catholic service in health care, child welfare services, family life and
education.
Bishop Burbidge cited Jesus’ words, “whoever does not take up his
cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” Those words “speak strongly to
us as Americans,” he said, and also speak to this diocesan community on the
feast day of its patron, St. Thomas More, a lawyer and government official, who
“fought for the freedom of the church and for freedom of conscience.”
While a dedicated civil servant, “he always remained ‘God’s
servant first,’ ” Bishop Burbidge said. His dedication to God and religious
liberty led to a martyr’s death.
We too are called “to imitate St.
Thomas More by being God’s servants first. It is our turn, dear friends, to
take up the cross, no matter the cost, and let our voices be instruments for Christ in the public square.”
Bishop Burbidge invited Catholics to engage actively in Religious
Freedom Week, June 22-29, through prayer, reflection and action each day. This
year’s theme is “For the Good of All.”
“For example, today we pray that governments would respect the
consciences of the Little Sisters of the Poor and all Christians who care for
the sick and vulnerable,” he said. “We reflect on the church’s mission to heal
the sick in imitation of Jesus, and we take action, so necessary today, by
advocating for the freedom to do so without the interferences that try to force
us to participate in procedures that violate the sanctity of human life and our
core Catholic beliefs.”
He said “being informed on the issues and well-formed in our
faith is especially important” as we approach upcoming local, state and
national elections. He cited a guide from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” available online.
“Remember, to vote is a duty we have as citizens. Our votes make
a difference,” and must be the result of not only knowledge of the issues but
prayerful discernment and a well-formed conscience, he said.
Bishop Burbidge acknowledged that bringing our faith into the
public arena may seem daunting “in a world that threatens and opposes what we
believe.” But he said the Lord nourishes and strengthens us, especially in the
Holy Eucharist, giving us the strength and courage “to take up our cross and be
forever God’s servants first — for the good of all.”
Find out more
Learn about the issues in the Religious Freedom section of
the diocesan website:
arlingtondiocese.org/campaigns/religious-freedom-week-2020/
Get the free guide, “Forming Consciences for Faithful
Citizenship” on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website:
usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/
