Religious Freedom Week
Embracing the Divine Gift of Freedom
Respect for Sacred Spaces
June 22
Pray that Christian witness in the face of attacks on our churches will convert hearts to faith in Jesus Christ, and that people of all faiths would be free to gather in sacred spaces without fear. In recent years, a wave of vandalism and arson has hit Catholic churches and statues. There have been over 250 attacks so far, and that number steadily continues to grow.
Seal of Confession
June 23
Pray that governments would respect the seal of confession in the United States. The government has no right to encroach upon this sacred communication. Clergy-penitent privilege is the recognition of the proper relationship between church and state and the right to free exercise of religion, not only for Catholics, but for people of all faiths.
Nicaragua
June 24
Pray for our Catholic sisters and brothers who are suffering in Nicaragua facing religious persecution since 2018when the Nicaraguan bishops supported civil society’s right to protest unpopular government policies. Priests and Relgious are being attacked, the Apostolic Nuncio expelled, and, one Bishop sentences to 26 years in prison
Religious Student Groups
June 25
Pray that religious student groups would be free to be faithful to their distinctive missions. University policies meant to promote inclusivity – such as a rule that any student has the right to be a leader of a campus student group – have been used to prohibit religious student groups from ensuring that their leaders and members share their beliefs.
Nigeria
June 26
Pray that herders and farmers in Nigeria, whose conflict over access to land and resources has fueled religious tensions, may find the means to compromise and work out their differences in a non-violent manner. Shrinking grazing land has contributed to rising conflict. Because herders are generally Muslims from the Fulani tribe and farmers are generally Christians of various ethnicities, this has exacerbated ethnic and religious differences in conflicts that originated over access to agricultural resources.
Faith at Work
June 28
Pray that business leaders would promote a culture that welcomes faith at work. The Catholic Church calls the lay faithful to bring their faith to bear on all spheres of life. Christians are Christian not only when they pray or serve in a non-profit ministry. Catholics also seek to live out their faith in their work lives. Christians are not the only ones who should be able to live out their religion in a holistic way. All people should be free to allow faith to guide them in their daily affairs, even in work and business.
Immigrants and Refugees
June 28
Pray that the Lord would protect all migrants and refugees, and that all those who work with people on the move would be free to serve. As part of their duty to uphold the common good, civil authorities are responsible for ensuring public order, including by maintaining national borders. At the same time, governments must respect the rights and dignity of all people, and the Gospel mandate that the Church serve all vulnerable populations, including migrants and refugees.
Catholic Healthcare
June 29
Pray that governments will respect the consciences of all individuals and institutions that care for the sick and vulnerable. For centuries, Christians have carried on the healing ministry of Christ by building institutions dedicated to medicine and accompaniment of the dying. Activists have sought to undermine the Church’s mission by forcing Catholic hospitals to perform procedures are against Church teaching. As well people of faith who work in secular institutions may find themselves coerced into these same procedures..