Our Bishops have suggested the Fortnight For Freedom, “. . . the fourteen days from June 21 — the vigil of the Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More — to July 4, Independence Day, be dedicated to this “fortnight for freedom” — a great hymn of prayer for our country.”
We urge you to participate in whatever way you can in your parishes and make yourselves and committees available to be of service to your Pastor in these efforts.
Here are the activities being urged by Cardinal Dolan for all the parishes in the Archdiocese:
- A Holy Hour for religious freedom during the Fortnight (sample program will be available soon)
- Fliers posted in the parish, alerting parishioners about the Fortnight (mailing going out next week to Pastors with fliers, poster, prayer card, etc.)
- A prayer for religious liberty, to be recited after all the weekday Masses during the Fortnight
- The ringing of parish church bells at noon on July 4th in churches across the archdiocese.
Educational Materials and bulletin announcements – The Archdiocese Respect Life Office has some material that might also be of interest, their website is http://www.flrl.org/FortnightForFreedom.htm
The Fortnight for Freedom is one of prayer and sacrifice. There are some who are seeking to turn our Church’s stand in defense of religious freedom into a partisan political activity. Nothing could be further from the truth. This Fortnight offers us a unique opportunity to lift up our hearts and minds to God, in fervent prayer that we may be “free to worship Him without fear… all the days of our lives” (Lk 1:74-75).
