Stand Up for Religious Freedom in Va. Beach: Thousands Gather Across U.S.A.

6/11/2012

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priests like Fr John Abe; the pastor of St Matthews Parish in Virginia Beach. He eloquently represented portions of the Letter entitled "Our First, Most Cherished Liberty" issued by the United States Catholic Bishops - and added his own of explanation and affirmation at the end.

I stood with Fr. Dan Beeman; the Pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Norfolk, Virginia, who is an advisor to Catholic Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo. Fr Beeman gave one of the most inspiring summaries of the Catholic experience in America and told the cheering crowd that we will not back down and we will not comply with this unjust mandate. That crowd included Catholic priests, deacons and lay men and women, as well as many others, who responded enthusiastically to this good priest.

I stood with evangelical protestant Christians who also eloquently stood in defense of the First Freedom. Leaders such as Bishop Earl W Jackson, a candidate for the United States Senate in Virginia, who is both a Harvard Law and Harvard Divinity graduate. "E.W." Jackson is one of the most inspiring speakers I have ever heard. The response of the crowd confirmed I was not alone in my assessment of this gifted man.

I stood with Ryan Bomberger, the co-founder and chief creative officer of Radiance Foundation.Ryan is one of the most creative and courageous younger voices defending the dignity of every human person, including our first neighbors in the womb. His own extraordinary story underscores his heroic and uncompromising defense of every human life.

There were several more wonderful speakers but I will only mention two in this article. Perhaps I can return to the others in future writing. I must mention Rachel Francis, a rising sophomore at Benedictine College in Kansas, one of a growing number of new and renewed dynamically Catholic Colleges and Universities preparing our future leaders for the Church and the world into which she is sent. Rachel was extraordinary and gave me immense hope for our future.

Finally, I must mention Georgie Marquez. Her stories of members from her own family who experienced the Christero wars in Mexico, fought over religious freedom and featured in the extraordinary film, For Greater Glory, moved the entire crowd to shout "Viva Cristo Rey" and reflect upon the importance of our efforts.

There is a silver lining in the dark cloud threatening the First Freedom in the United States. This HHS Edict has given rise to a religious freedom movement which holds great promise for the future of our Nation and the free world. It has prompted a new and promising alliance. We have found one another and we are standing together in solidarity and citizen action.

We are exercising our other fundamental other constitutional rights such as the Rights to Free Speech, Free Association and Free Assembly - and the Right to Petition our Government for a Redress of grievances. We are serving notice on this Administration that the fundamental human right to the first freedom, Religious Freedom, cannot and will not be taken away. We will prevail because our cause is just and serves the true common good.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Religious freedom, religious Liberty, Stand Up for Religious Freedom, Fr Dan Beeman, Fr John Abe, Ryan Bromberg, Benedictine College, For Greater Glory, Deacon Keith Fournier

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1 - 8 of 8 Comments

Judy Claar
11 months ago
Jo Ann: Good Advice! Good to hear you again! Pray all is well w/you and yours. Blessings...
JoAnn
11 months ago
To the rest of my friends on this board: I see a lot of you complaining about not hearing sermons on abortion, homosexuality, etc. I say the same thing to you as I said to Robert. If you are not hearing what you think you should be hearing from the pulpit, it is time you speak up and ask your pastors why. You are speaking up on this board, maybe you should take it a step further and confront your pastors. If that doesn't get results, talk to your Diocese. Unfortunately, we have a lot of "rogues" who are in the positions of teaching the flock and mislead quite a few Catholics. Speak up and call them out on it. Don't be silent. "Not to speak, is to speak, not to stand, is to stand." God bless.
JoAnn
11 months ago
Robert: I hear it all the time in my parish. If you don't, maybe you should ask your pastor. If he is a left wing liberal, that could be the reason. God bless.
JoAnn G. Coules
11 months ago
Fatima.Today
We are all called by our baptism to go out & tell everyone about the Good News! Now! The word, communicated by mouth about something good > has always been known to be the most powerful way of getting things right! Now that you know all of what God wills for us! To Vote into office Ron Paul! Go OUT And Tell Everyone about it! DON'T HOLD BACK ANY LONGER! BECAUSE ALL Of OUR FREEDOMS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE AT STAKE HERE! THE TRUTH IS THE MOST POWERFUL THING TO HAVE AT TIMES LIKE NOW! USE IT FOR OUR ADVANTAGE AGAINST ALL EVIL GOING ON HERE IN THIS COUNTRY OF OURS! STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT! BEFORE GOD ALMIGHTY & DEMAND TO BE HEARD! UNITE FOR GOOD! GO OUT AND BE GOD'S CRUSADERS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL PEOPLE HERE ON EARTH ( LET'S START IN THIS COUNTRY! )! BE READY TO GO TO WAR AGAINST ALL THE LIES OF EVIL ABOUT ABORTION & FORCING US ALL TO USE CONTRACEPTION METHODS! EXPOSE ALL THE EVIL THAT COMES WITH THESE CHOICES! UNITE ALL OF YOUR SELVES > ALL WITH GOD'S REVEALED TRUTHS FROM HIS MOST HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH! TELL EVERYONE ABOUT HOW IF WE VOTE INTO OFFICE MITT ROMNEY WE WILL STILL LOOSE ALL OUR FREEDOMS & BECOME A SOCIALIST COUNTRY VERY SOON! THEN THERE WILL BE NO MORE VOTING INTO OFFICE! OUR ONLY OPTION WILL BE A DICTATOR & GOVERNMENT WILL CONTROL US ALL! STOP THIS EVIL & MADNESS BEFORE IT IS TO LATE! VOTE INTO OFFICE RON PAUL! TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS! AND EVERYONE YOU MEET ABOUT THIS! DO NOT HOLD BACK ALL THE TRUTH! PUT ON YOUR ARMOR OF GOD EVERYDAY & SAY PROTECTION PRAYERS FOR ALL OF US IN THIS GREAT SPIRITUAL WARFARE WE ARE ALL ENGAGED IN THIS DAY OF AGE, IN HISTORY THIS TIME OF MANKIND TODAY! TELL EVERYONE THE TRUTH REVEALED TO US THROUGH GOD'S HOLY CHURCH! GOD ONLY WANTS WHAT IS GOOD FOR US ALL! HE ALWAYS HAS & ALWAYS WILL! TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT! TURN BACK TO GOD > THROUGH MARY! SHE IS THE EASIEST , SUREST, & FASTEST WAY TO GOD'S HEART! PRAY TO HER TO INTERCEDE FOR US ALL AT THIS TIME OF OUR CRISIS IN AMERICA! SAY THE ROSARY EVERYDAY! PADRA PIO SAID THAT THE ROSARY IS.. THE "WEAPON AGAINST EVIL! " HE BORE THE WOUND'S OF CHRIST FOR 50 YEARS! THEY CALLED HIM A LIVING CRUCIFIX! HE WAS A VICTIM SOUL! CHOSEN BY GOD TO HELP US ALL IN THIS BATTLE WE ARE ENGAGED IN BETWEEN GOOD & EVIL! ASK GOD > YOUR SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR AT YOUR CATHOLIC CHURCH > GOD'S REPRESENTATIVE PRIEST! WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP BRING GOD'S KINGDOM HERE ON EARTH? POPE BENEDICT XVI SAID " WE ALL SHOULD LEARN. LIVE & SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF FATIMA! GET THE BOOK " FATIMA FOR TODAY "! BY FR. ANDREW APOSTOLI! " TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT! & HELP CONVERT SINNERS IN THIS WORLD BACK TO CHRIST! FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CONTACT ME AT my E-- MAIL AT > fatima.today@yahoo.com.
jpj
11 months ago
Robert, Diane, you are right-on. Our priests, bisphops must start speaking out.
We pray for the unborn but not many actually speak for them. All those issues are important, the media can not be trusted to speak the truth. Lets prayer all chruchs will find the courage to speak the truth.
Diane
11 months ago
Good article. I support this stand. I have to say though, until the Bishops excommunicate the public rebels in the Church, primarily Biden and Pelosi, they will still be sending a mixed message to many Catholics, especially young Catholics. The message is: these false Catholic politicians are part of creatng laws which take away our religious freedom, but that's ok, Jesus still wants them to recieve His Body and Blood in communion with those they persecute. Christ did not treat Judas that way. After Judas publicly betrayed Christ and refused to repent, Christ let him go. He let Him fall. Well, Bishops, take note.
Robert
11 months ago
Thank you for a great article. I have a question when was the last time your parish priest spoke about any of the following topics from the pulpit at your parish?

In no order:

Gay marriage
Abortion
Adoption
In vitro fertilization
Religious freedom
Contraception
Immigration
Illegal Immigration
Homosexuality
Pornography
Chastity
the meaning of tolerance
Martyrdom today
Persecution of Catholics in other parts of the world

How many sermons on "social justice"???

Pray for our priest that they may find courage.
Joe
11 months ago
Wonderful write-up. Thank you...

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