The U.S. bishops have launched a nationwide prayer campaign to defend religious liberty against recent threats such as the federal contraception mandate.
The campaign centers around a newly released “Prayer for Religious Liberty,” which asks God to grant “a clear and united voice” to all who gather to defend rights of conscience “in this decisive hour in the history of our nation.”
At a Washington administrative committee meeting March 13-14, leaders of the U.S. bishops’ conference called for the campaign in response to imminent threats to religious liberty, including the Obama administration’s controversial contraception mandate.
Bishops from every diocese in the country have spoken out against the mandate, which was announced by the Department of Health and Human Services on Jan. 20 and will require employers to offer health insurance plans that cover contraception, sterilization and early abortion drugs, even if doing so violates their religious beliefs.
In a March 14 statement assessing the threat to religious freedom posed by the mandate, the bishops urged all people of faith to engage in “prayer and penance” for the protection of conscience rights in America.
“Prayer is the ultimate source of our strength,” the bishops said, observing that “without God, we can do nothing; but, with God, all things are possible.”
The bishops’ conference website offers campaign resources, including suggested prayers of the faithful for religious liberty and more information on the mandate.
It also offers a bulletin insert with instructions on how to contact members of Congress and ask them to support legislation to protect religious freedom and conscience rights under the health-care law.
The new “Prayer for Religious Liberty” can be downloaded in both Spanish and English on the website, and prayer cards featuring Mary Immaculate and Our Lady of Guadalupe can be ordered in bulk.
The prayer acknowledges that man’s “right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” comes from the “provident hand” of God the Creator.
It recognizes both “the right and the duty” to worship God by living out one’s faith “in the midst of the world.”
“We ask you to bless us in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty,” says the prayer, which requests “strength of mind and heart to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened.”
It also asks for “courage in making our voices heard on behalf of the rights of your Church and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.”
The prayer asks God for help to overcome trials and dangers so that future generations may continue to experience the greatness of America as “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Prayer for Religious Liberty
(text of National Prayer Cards)
O GOD OUR CREATOR,
from your provident hand we have received
our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
You have called us as your people and given us
the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God,
and your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit,
you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world,
bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel
to every corner of society.
We ask you to bless us
in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty.
Give us the strength of mind and heart
to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened;
give us courage in making our voices heard
on behalf of the rights of your Church
and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.
Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father,
a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters
gathered in your Church
in this decisive hour in the history of our nation,
so that, with every trial withstood
and every danger overcome —
for the sake of our children, our grandchildren,
and all who come after us —
this great land will always be “one nation, under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Copyright © 2012, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved.
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Read Jonah 3 and Matthew 17:14-20 tells us what we need to do to defeat this thing is prayer and fasting
What’s next? Will the Bishops issue church bulletin inserts showing how to contribute to the Republican Party? If I was at a church where the priest asked the congregation to recite the Prayer for Religious Liberty, not only would I not say it, I would probably walk out.
For Richard: What will you do if the power of our government eventually decides that worshippers may do as they wish inside their churches/mosques/synagogues, but not outside of them? That’s what is at issue here: Freedom for citizens to bring to bear on the public mind and public law the tenets they believe to be life=giving within each of their religious determinations. Can we deny that the human person is made up of body, mind and spirit? I don’t think we can do so and be called “alive.” Think about it.
Why are they keeping this a secret and how about a day of fasting and Adoration, with all of the Churches being open (when and where possible, of course). Remember the pagan king of Nineveh? Well, it is time for our Bishops to put on sackcloth as they are the ones that caused this disaster in the first place by being so afraid to be Men of God. As for you, Richard, don’t know what your problem is, but, it sounds as though you don’t follow the teachings of the Church, nor know what this attack by Obama and Hitler’s “planned parenthood” against all God-fearing people is all about; when you do find out, it just might be too late. +JMJ+
Would you walk out when we pray for the unborn? We are asked to stand up for what we as catholics believe in. This is not a Republican thing, it is a constutional right. The right of our church (that’s us, the church-militant) to operate without government interference. Separation of church and state goes both ways, doesn’t it?
@Richard Carroll
Why would you walk out?
Given your obvious disagreement with the Bishops on this matter Richard, it is difficult to believe that you would attend Mass at all. This must be then, a purely hypothetical situation. It begs the question, hypothetically of course, that as an act of defiance, you refused to pray at all and did indeed walk out, to whom would you go?
What ever happened to life, liberty, and property in the Bishop’s prayer?lines1`9 They perhaps still do not realinze that elections have consequences. You get what you vote for.
The latest Pew Research Center poll finds that 60% of American Catholics believe that the Church should stay out of politics. Coercing Catholics to recite this Prayer for Religious Liberty is hardly staying out of politics. It is a direct attack on the Administration’s attempt to provide all women with access to reproductive health care.
Polls are usually only for those who create them. They spin the questions and the results. To say that the Church should stay out of politics is an apathitic head in the sand way of saying don’t bother me with the tough decisions about my faith. If I speak up in the public square someone may not approve and I want to be liked by everyone even those who hate me and my faith based teachings and beliefs. The Church is fighting for it’s very survival here and now. If they can mute the Catholic Church, what chance do we have as they pick us off one at a time. A country without a conscience is a country without a soul. A dead country. A country in which Satan wins and rules. IT’S TIME FOR SOME SERIOUS, Fervent, Humble Sack cloth, ashes and PRAYER. Peace, Bob Fallon
I think the following prayer is much more effective than the luke warm fuzzy one that they came up with: If you agree that prayer is America’s only hope, it’s last and best hope, please pray this prayer and SHARE it as far and wide as you can! THIS EFFECTIVE PRAYER SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS ABORTION!
This type of prayer moved the Merciful God to save a sinful race from utter ruin
On three outstanding occasions: Prayers of Daniel, Mordecai and Judith
MERCIFUL GOD, PLEASE SPARE AMERICA
O, MERCIFUL GOD, we cry to Thee for pardon and for mercy
We are an unbelieving and perverse generation.
We are disobedient, disloyal and ungrateful to Thee.
We have excluded Thee from our homes, our schools, our business places.
We are no longer worthy to be called Thy children.
But Merciful God, Spare America!
We now render to Caesar the things that are Yours
Especially Thy right to create life.
We now commit millions of abortion murders each year, which
Our highest Court, as it attempts to play God
Has “legalized” as the law of our land.
Forgive us! Save us from the scourge we justly deserve.
Teach us Thy Law, and move our wills to serve Thee henceforth.
There are many in this vast land who still acknowledge Thee to be our God.
We believe, hope and trust in Thee;
We worship, honor, adore, glorify, praise and love Thee.
Above all, we need Thee as none has needed Thee before.
For the sake of all these little souls, who truly love and need Thee;
For the sake of Thy Most Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Who shed His
Precious Blood to redeem us;
For the sake of Thy Great Mercy, which is above all Thy works,
And which endures forever,
O, Merciful God, please Spare America!
REsponding to Richard Carroll. I really don’t make my spiritual decisions according to what the Pew Research Center poll says and in regard to their poll, WE ARE THE CHURCH. So, looks like we had better take responsibility for the civic world that surrounds us and may swallow up the tenets of our faith if we aren’t responsive. It’s like WE THE PEOPLE. Hope this is helpful.
This is our 1776. Get informed, get involved. Never in my lifetime have I seen a total disregard for our Constitution. The changes have been subtle over the course of decades and now we are at a crossroads . Now is the time for us to take the right path, stand up and say ENOUGH. We have been silent for too long and look where it’s brought us.
I would like to request Richard Caroll to study in detail the stand taken by the Church authorities. Do you mean to say that the politicians and the Govt can dictate the Church founded by Jesus ? When Obama says that gay marriage is legal, should the Church keep mum ? We catholics have to see that there is freedom for all to follow their conscience without detriment to others. The Catholic Church not only speaks for catholics but for the entire humans. But we do not hate those who hate our teachings, let us have freedom to follow our teachings
I agree, why would you walk out? The Church is going to become smaller but HOLIER!
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