WASHINGTON – People of faith have the responsibility to
“advocate for their faith,” not only through good works, but
on spiritual realms – one being through prayer, U.S. House
Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, said May 17.
He made the comments at the 12th annual National Catholic
Prayer Breakfast, which drew a record high of about 1,300
attendees to a downtown Washington hotel.
Ryan and Sister Constance Veit, communications director for
her religious congregation, the Little Sisters of the Poor,
were special guests at the breakfast.
The keynote speaker was Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the
Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the
Sacraments, who addressed the topic of marriage in the
church.
He said that it is the responsibility of the church to
demonstrate to others how marriage should look within a
Christian community.
In his address, in addition to highlighting the importance of
prayer, Ryan also emphasized the need to advocate that
government safeguard religious liberty.
“Religious liberty is going to make a comeback,” said Ryan.
“There is a growing need for faith in this nation.”
Ryan also emphasized the importance of good works,
referencing the ministry of Sister Constance and the Little
Sisters of Poor.
In 2015, the religious congregation challenged the Affordable
Care Act’s mandate that most religious employers cover
contraceptives for their employees even if the employer finds
such coverage morally unacceptable. The Little Sisters’
challenge and a number of other suits filed against the
mandate by Catholic and other faith-based entities reached
the Supreme Court. On May 16, the high court sent the cases –
known collectively as Zubik v. Burwell – back down to the
lower courts.
At the breakfast, Sister Constance underlined that people of
faith should not only take care of the physical needs of
those who are hurting, but should care for their spiritual
needs and demonstrate to them their value.
“Look upon each person, friend or foe as Christ would,” said
Sister Constance. “Even our most cunning adversary is a
person ultimately longing to love and to be loved.”
Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde gave the invocation and
blessing at the start of the breakfast, and Baltimore
Archbishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty,
gave the final blessing.
Father Paul D. Scalia, episcopal vicar for clergy and
director of the diaconate formation program, led the
recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
