"One of the highlights of my visit is to stand here, before
Independence Mall, the birthplace of the United States of America. It
was here that the freedoms which define this country were first
proclaimed. The Declaration of Independence stated that all men and
women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights, and that governments exist to protect and
defend those rights. Those ringing words continue to inspire us today,
even as they have inspired peoples throughout the world to fight for the
freedom to live in accordance with their dignity.
"But history also shows that these or any truths must constantly
be reaffirmed, re-appropriated and defended. The history of this nation
is also the tale of a constant effort, lasting to our own day, to embody
those lofty principles in social and political life. We remember the
great struggles which led to the abolition of slavery, the extension of
voting rights, the growth of the labor movement, and the gradual effort
to eliminate every kind of racism and prejudice directed at successive
waves of new Americans. This shows that, when a country is determined to
remain true to its founding principles, based on respect for human
dignity, it is strengthened and renewed....
"Religious freedom certainly means the right to worship God,
individually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But religious
liberty, by its nature, transcends places of worship and the private
sphere of individuals and families.
"Our various religious traditions serve society primarily by the
message they proclaim....We need but look
at history, especially the history of the last century, to see the
atrocities perpetrated by systems which claimed to build one or another
'earthly paradise' by dominating peoples, subjecting them to apparently
indisputable principles and denying them any kind of rights.
"Our rich religious traditions seek to offer meaning and
direction....At the heart of their spiritual mission is
the proclamation of the truth and dignity of the human person and human
rights.
"Our religious traditions remind us that, as human beings, we are
called to acknowledge an Other, who reveals our relational identity in
the face of every effort to impose 'a uniformity to which the egotism of
the powerful, the conformism of the weak, or the ideology of the
utopian would seek to impose on us' (M. de Certeau).
"In a world where various forms of modern tyranny seek to
suppress religious freedom, or try to reduce it to a subculture without
right to a voice in the public square, or to use religion as a pretext
for hatred and brutality, it is imperative that the followers of the
various religions join their voices in calling for peace, tolerance and
respect for the dignity and rights of others.
"We live in a world subject to the 'globalization of the
technocratic paradigm' (Laudato Si’, 106), which consciously aims at a
one-dimensional uniformity and seeks to eliminate all differences and
traditions in a superficial quest for unity. The religions thus have the
right and the duty to make clear that it is possible to build a society
where 'a healthy pluralism which respects differences and values them
as such' (Evangelii Gaudium, 255) is a 'precious ally in the commitment
to defending human dignity… and a path to peace in our troubled world'
(ibid., 257)....
"fraternal concern for the dignity of all, especially the weak
and the vulnerable, became an essential part of the American spirit.
During his visit to the United States in 1987, Saint John Paul II paid
moving homage to this, reminding all Americans that: 'The ultimate test
of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially
the weakest and most defenseless ones' (Farewell Address, 19 September
1987, 3).
"I take this opportunity to thank all those, of whatever
religion, who have sought to serve the God of peace by building cities
of brotherly love, by caring for our neighbors in need, by defending the
dignity of God’s gift of life in all its stages, by defending the cause
of the poor and the immigrant. All too often, those most in need of our
help are unable to be heard. You are their voice, and many of you have
faithfully made their cry heard. In this witness, which frequently
encounters powerful resistance, you remind American democracy of the
ideals for which it was founded, and that society is weakened whenever
and wherever injustice prevails.
"Among us today are members of America’s large Hispanic
population, as well as representatives of recent immigrants to the
United States. I greet all of you with particular affection! Many of you
have emigrated to this country at great personal cost, but in the hope
of building a new life. Do not be discouraged by whatever challenges and
hardships you face. I ask you not to forget that, like those who came
here before you, you bring many gifts to your new nation. You should
never be ashamed of your traditions. Do not forget the lessons you
learned from your elders, which are something you can bring to enrich
the life of this American land. I repeat, do not be ashamed of what is
part of you, your life blood. You are also called to be responsible
citizens, and to contribute fruitfully to the life of the communities in
which you live. I think in particular of the vibrant faith which so
many of you possess, the deep sense of family life and all those other
values which you have inherited. By contributing your gifts, you will
not only find your place here, you will help to renew society from
within.
"Dear friends, I thank you for your warm welcome and for joining
me here today. May this country and each of you be renewed in gratitude
for the many blessings and freedoms that you enjoy. And may you defend
these rights, especially your religious freedom, for it has been given
to you by God himself. May he bless you all. I ask you, please, not to
forget to pray for me" (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-independence-mall_5606eef6e4b0768126fdc7ad).
Saturday, September 26, 2015
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Links Promoting the Sanctity of Human Life & Marriage/ Family/ Human Sexuality
- Abortifacients & Catholic Hospitals....Under no circumstances should Catholic hospitals jeopardize the Catholic witness by providing abortifacients or contraceptives.
- Ads in parish bulletins....this is an appeal for parishes to forego ads for providers of abortifacients and contraceptives.
- AFA (Tell "AMA: Taxpayers should [NOT] subsidize trans reproductive surgeries")
- C-Fam
- Catholic Vote.org
- Children of God for Life
- Family Policy Alliance
- Mass Resistance (The [misleadingly named] Equality Act is back before Congress & must be stopped)
- NJ Family Policy Center (Petition to Attorney General Matt Platkin)
- NJ Right to LIfe
- PA Family
- Pa Pro Life (Oppose Pa HB 1888)
- Pa Pro-Life Federation
- President Joe Biden Has Turned a Blind Eye to the Killing of Christians in Nigeria. Sign the Petition Now.
- Tell your bishop to prohibit the “blessing” of sinful unions in your diocese
- USCCB (re: Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act)
- USCCB (re: Equality Act)
- USCCB (re: Letters to Pharmaceutical Companies ["to protest the use of abortion-derived cell lines and advocate for the development of vaccines with no connection to abortion."])
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