On this day, the bishops asked that Catholics pray that the Holy Spirit “would give us the courage to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel, even in the face of social and legal pressure.”
“All baptized Christians are called to share the joy of the Gospel with others. But in numerous settings — schools, the workplace, health care — individuals are being pressured to conform to the orthodoxy of gender ideology,” the bishops said.
“Under the current administration, government agencies are proposing regulations that, in the name of prohibiting harassment, would chill or prohibit speech that upholds the nature of conjugal marriage, the bodily reality of human beings, and even the sanctity of life.”
“We certainly should approach people who disagree with us on these issues with tenderness and compassion, but that does not mean we should be forced to speak untruthfully. And in a pluralistic society, the government should afford ample space for people of different backgrounds and worldviews to be able to work together,” the bishops concluded.
The bishops promoted as a resource a new website, Love Means More, which is designed to “bring clarity and compassion” to issues surrounding love, marriage, and sexuality by addressing “hidden assumptions about love.”
Catholics on this day are asked to 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, the Church is commanded by Jesus Christ to serve vulnerable populations, including migrants and refugees, and recognize their God-given dignity,” the bishops said.
“The Church has long sought to serve the needs of ‘people on the move,’ from providing for basic needs to assisting with refugee resettlement to offering legal services to help newcomers navigate the expectations of their receiving country.”
The bishops criticized what they called “attacks” on Catholic charitable organizations helping migrants, some of which have faced public criticism in recent years.
“Sadly, in recent years, Christian services to migrants have faced vile attacks by both media personalities and political leaders seeking to make a point about current immigration trends. Debates about immigration and borders are simply part of American political life, and Christians should do their part to make those discussions healthy and productive,” the bishops concluded.
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The bishops urged Catholics to join in their efforts to advocate for bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform.
Catholics are urged to pray for “our Christian brothers and sisters in India, who face harassment and violent attacks.”
In recent years, Christians in India have decried an apparent rise in anti-Christian violence and Hindu extremism. Hindu mobs — often fueled by false accusations of forced conversions — have attacked Christians, destroyed churches, and disrupted religious worship services.
A U.S. religious freedom watchdog recently urged the Biden administration to add the government of India to a list of the world’s worst violators of religious freedom, citing India’s “increased transnational targeting of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf.”
The bishops promoted the work of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA), founded by Pope Pius XI in 1926 as “an instrument of love and a sign of hope for those in need scattered throughout the historic but unstable lands of the ancient Eastern churches — the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India, and Eastern Europe.”
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