Calls to full dignity: Catholic Church in the US prepares for Religious Freedom Week

Catholics in the United States are preparing to celebrate Religious Freedom Week, which will take place from June 22 to 29 with the theme “Called to Full Dignity.”

The week falls between the festivities of Saint Thomas More and Saint John Fisher, on June 22; and the feast of Saints Peter and Saint Paul, on June 29.

In a statement released this June 7, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) indicated that in its special website for Religious Freedom Week offers the faithful “daily themes that address different aspects of religious freedom for prayer, reflection and action.”

“Building on this year’s Annual Report, Religious Freedom Week highlights concerns about attacks on places of worship. As the Committee on Religious Freedom stated in its report: ‘There is no greater threat to religious freedom than for a person’s place of worship to become a place of danger, and the country unfortunately finds itself in a place where that danger is real,’” the USCCB added.

Religious Freedom Week and attention to migrants

In addition, he highlighted, this week places special emphasis on “threats to Catholic ministries that serve migrants,” and recalled that in recent years these services “have faced aggressive accusations from both media personalities and political leaders seeking promote a certain narrative about current immigration trends.”

“The attacks on both sacred spaces and immigrant ministries reflect the political and cultural polarization that has come to characterize much of American life,” the USCCB statement continues.

“Religious Freedom Week encourages Catholics to do their part to promote civility by recognizing the dignity of all people and inviting others to do the same,” he says.