We are Catholics.  We are Americans.  We are proud to be both, grateful for the gift of faith which is ours as Christian disciples, and grateful for the gift of liberty which is ours as American citizens.  To be Catholic and American should mean not having to choose one over the other.  Our allegiances are distinct, but they need not be contradictory, and should instead be complementary.  That is the teaching of our Catholic faith, which obliges us to work together with fellow citizens for the common good of all who live in this land.  That is the vision of our founding and our Constitution, which guarantees citizens of all religious faiths the right to contribute to our common life together.

The Fortnight for Freedom is from June 21 through July 4.  During the fortnight, we celebrate the feast days of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher (June 22), St. John the Baptist (June 24), Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29) and the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome, all great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power.  All these people died, in part, because they stood for religious freedom.  It is up to us, not necssarily 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 fenerations of believers as well.