As you probably know, we are currently in the days of the annual Fortnight for Freedom, a period of time in which our American Bishops ask us to reflect on the religious freedoms that we have been blessed to enjoy in our country since its founding, and to recognize and stand up for those freedoms always, especially when they are threatened in any way.

This year we are given more examples of people who have stood strong and tall for religious liberty, sometimes at the the cost of their freedom and/or their life.  In addition to great biblical saints like Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29) and St. John the Baptist (June 24) and later saints like John Fisher and Thomas Moore (June 22), we are given to reflect, this year, on more modern-day saints and holy people like Archbishop Oscar Romero (martyred in El Salvador in the 1980s) and Padre Miguel Pio (martyred during religious oppression in Mexico in  1927).  All of these people died, in part, because they stood for religious freedom.  It is up to us, not necessarily to die for religious freedom in our country, but to be ready to speak up and speak out strongly when religious liberty is threatened.  I pray we have the courage and conviction to do so.  It will bless us and future generations of believers as well.