{"id":295,"date":"2012-06-13T22:16:00","date_gmt":"2012-06-13T22:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/nuncio-applauds-bishops-unified-efforts-to-defend-religious-freedom\/"},"modified":"2012-06-13T22:16:00","modified_gmt":"2012-06-13T22:16:00","slug":"nuncio-applauds-bishops-unified-efforts-to-defend-religious-freedom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/06\/nuncio-applauds-bishops-unified-efforts-to-defend-religious-freedom\/","title":{"rendered":"Nuncio applauds bishops’ unified efforts to defend religious freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Atlanta, Ga., Jun 13, 2012 \/ 04:16 pm (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigan\u00f2, the Pope\u2019s representative to the United States, urged the American bishops to view the difficulties facing the Church as an opportunity to unite in defense of the faith.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\tCurrent challenges to the faithful can be seen \u201cprovidentially, as an invitation to the entire Church in the United States\u201d to adopt \u201can attitude of deep communion with the local bishop, in filial obedience to the Successor of Peter,\u201d the archbishop said at a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.<\/p>\n

\tThis is particularly true for the Church\u2019s \u201cconsecrated religious\u201d and \u201ceducational institutions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\tThe papal diplomat, who is officially known as the apostolic nuncio, addressed the conference on June 13, the first day of the bishops\u2019 three-day spring general assembly in Atlanta, Ga.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cIt goes without saying that the Catholic Church in the United States is living in a particularly challenging period of its history,\u201d Archbishop Vigan\u00f2 observed, specifically pointing to religious freedom and conscience rights issues.<\/p>\n

\tThese areas are \u201cclose to the heart of the American people,\u201d and involve \u201cthe indispensable role of the Bishop as Chief Shepherd in his diocese,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\tAll of this is taking place \u201cin the context of an election year,\u201d which requires \u201ceven more delicate\u201d interventions, he added.<\/p>\n

\tReligious freedom matters have become a key concern for the Catholic community in recent months. Chief among the threats to the Church is an insurance mandate issued by the Obama administration that will require employers to offer health insurance plans that cover contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences.<\/p>\n

\tArchbishop Vigan\u00f2 thanked all the bishops for their unified work to stand up for religious freedom, emphasizing that \u201cthe Church must speak with one voice\u201d in addressing modern challenges.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cWe all know that the fundamental tactic of the enemy is to show a Church divided,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\tBishops from every diocese in the country have spoken out against the contraception mandate, and several dioceses have filed lawsuits against it.<\/p>\n

\tIn addition, the bishops have called for a \u201cFortnight for Freedom\u201d to be held during the two weeks leading up to Independence Day. Events will be held at both a national and diocesan level, and Catholics are encouraged to engage in activities aimed at prayer, education and advocacy of public officials.<\/p>\n

\tArchbishop Vigan\u00f2 called the Fortnight for Freedom a \u201cpraiseworthy initiative\u201d that has his \u201cfull support\u201d and assured his fellow bishops that he would \u201cbe participating in it locally in the Archdiocese of Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tLooking at the practical challenges facing the American Church today, the archbishop pointed to Pope Benedict XVI\u2019s recent ad limina addresses to various groups of bishops from the U.S. In it, the Pope reflected on the problems of growing secularism, religious freedom, a pastoral response to immigration, cultural misunderstandings of marriage and sexuality, unity and faith formation.<\/p>\n

\tHe recalled the words of the Holy Father in one of these ad limina addresses, which described the present moment as \u201ca summons\u201d for the bishops \u201cto exercise the prophetic dimension\u201d of their episcopal ministry by speaking out in defense of truth and offering words of hope.<\/p>\n

\tThe Pope\u2019s words offer \u201cclarity and wisdom\u201d for the future, said Archbishop Vigan\u00f2, and the bishops should look to them as \u201ca road map\u201d for promoting \u201cthe truth of the Gospel and the New Evangelization.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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