DIOCESE OF SACRAMENTO

Transcripción

1 DIOCESE OF SACRAMENTO 2110 Broadway $ Sacramento, California $ 916/ $ Fax 916/ SOCIAL SERVICE MINISTRY To: Pastors, Administrators, and Parish Stewards From: Beth White, Associate Director Re: USCCB Fortnight for Freedom Date: June 11, 2012 Enclosed are resources on the issue of Religious Freedom for parishes and parishioners to use for prayer, reflection and action during the period designated by the USCCB as the Fortnight for Freedom, June 21 - July 4. Thank you.

2 In solidarity with the U.S. Catholic Bishops, let us together, as the Diocese of Sacramento, PRAY, FAST, EDUCATE OURSELVES and ACT in support of religious freedom. June 21 June 22 June 23 READ Our First Most Cherished Liberty Click Fortnight4Freedom BE INSPIRED by St. Thomas More & St. John Fisher (Fact Sheet Enclosed) REFLECT on Bishop Soto s Religious Freedom Message (Enclosed) June 24 June 25 June 26 June 27 June 28 June 29 June 30 BE COMMITTED to the Mission of Jesus. St. John the Baptist, pray for us. July 1 PRAY the National Prayer for Religious Liberty (Enclosed) FAST in solidarity with those served by Catholic Charities July 2 VISIT the local office of your legislator ( How-to enclosed) STUDY the 1 st Amendment (Fact Sheet enclosed) July 3 FAST in solidarity with those cared for in Catholic Hospitals WRITE to your Congressional Representative ( Tips enclosed) July 4 BE PROUD of the Catholic contribution to American society FAST in solidarity with those educated in Catholic Schools BE ON FIRE with passionate faith. St. Peter & St. Paul, pray for us. Lord, give me patience in suffering and grace in everything, to make my will conform to thine, so that I may truly say, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. - St. Thomas More - BE ENCOURAGED by our ancestors faithful example. First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church, pray for us.

3 En solidaridad con los Obispos de los Estados Unidos, juntos, como la Diócesis de Sacramento, OREMOS, AYUNEMOS, NOS EDUCAMOS Y ACTUEMOS en apoyo de la libertad religiosa. 21 de junio 22 de junio 23 de junio 24 de junio 25 de junio 26 de junio 27 de junio LEAN La Primera y Más Preciada De Nuestras Libertades Clic- Fortnight4Freedom 28 de junio INSPIRENSE en Santo Tomás More y San Juan Fisher (Fact Sheet incluido) 29 de junio REFLEXIONEN sobre el mensaje de Monseñor Jaime Soto (Incluido) 30 de junio COMPROMETANSE de nuevo a la misión de Jesucristo. San Juan Bautista, ruega por nosotros. 1 de julio HAGAN la Oración Nacional por la Libertad Religiosa (incluido) AYUNEN en solidaridad con los que son servidos en las Caridades Católicas. 2 de julio VISITEN la oficina local de su legislador. ( How-to incluido) ESTUDIEN la Primera Enmienda a la Constitución de los E.U. (Fact Sheet incluido) 3 de julio AYUNEN en solidaridad con los que son atendidos en los Hospitales Católicos. ESCRIBAN una carta a su Representante del Congreso. ( Tips incluido) 4 de julio ESTEN ORGULLOSOS de la contribución católica a la sociedad americana. AYUNEN en solidaridad con los que son educados en las Escuelas Católicas. LLENENSE DE ARDOR de una fe apasionada. Santos Pedro y Pablo, rueguen por nosotros. Lord, give me patience in suffering and grace in everything, to make my will conform to thine, so that I may truly say, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. - St. Thomas More - ANIMENSE con el ejemplo fiel de nuestros antepasados. Primeros Mártires de la Santa Iglesia Romana, rueguen por nosotros.

4 Take action now: The USCCB website ( provides a link that allows people to contact Congress directly. In addition, it recommends concerned citizens to: Write Congress urging support for the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179). Get informed by reading the USCCB FAQs regarding the HHS mandate and the select news releases the site provides, and by watching Cardinal Timothy Dolan s video. Share the information on the website with others so they can get informed and take action. Get the free mobile app at In California: Join the California Catholic Conference s Catholic Legislative Network and urge your representatives to cosponsor and support this measure. To sign up for the network, visit A message from Bishop Jaime Soto on religious freedom I n the Letter of St. James, we can read these often quoted words: I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. (Js. 2.18) James argued that a faith without works is dead. He was elaborating a fundamental Catholic belief that we share in the mystery of the Incarnation.Through our faith in the Lord Jesus, the Word becomes flesh in the works inspired by his Spirit. The works that give flesh to this faith are imbued with a sacramental character. This is why the Catholic Church has traditionally been active in fostering schools, hospitals and social services. This is why the American Catholic Church has the largest private school system, the largest private hospital, and the largest private social service system in the nation. The work of these institutions demonstrates the robust faith of the Catholic community and the untiring charity of Christ. Through these efforts the church is a sacrament in the world serving both the greater society as well as fellow Catholics. They communicate not only good health care, quality education and effective social services for those who are poor. Catholic institutions communicate the glory and grace of the Lord Jesus. The author of the Letter of James felt compelled to argue for the importance of good works as the necessary outcome of a living faith. We, who live out the bold spirit of that ancient scriptural text, are challenged today to make the opposite argument: the faith is a necessary part of the work. The administration of President Obama has published a mandate which separates the faith of the church from her works. The contrived definition of a religious employer published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of the current administration intrudes on the ability of the Catholic community to express the faith through demonstrable works. The notion that our faith can no longer define our works is a threat to the grace we bring in the name of Christ. It will inhibit our ability to be doers of the Word. (Js. 1.22) For this reason, please join the Catholic Legislative Network (information is found on these pages). Communicate with the White House and your congressional representatives to urge a clear definition a religious employer that respects the religious freedom of our institutions so that we can continue to express our faith through our works, bringing to the world the vibrant hope of the Gospel. In this effort, let us also recommit ourselves to express our freedom through generous lives of charity. May we remember to also pray. Pray in the words of our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, asking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the conclusion of his beautiful encyclical on the charitable works of the church, Deus Caritas Est. Show us Jesus, the Holy Father prayed. Holy Mary, Mother of God, you have given the world its true light, Jesus, your Son the Son of God. You abandoned yourself completely to God s call and thus became a wellspring of the goodness which flows forth from him. Show us Jesus. Lead us to him. Teach us to know and love him, so that we too can become capable of true love and be fountains of living water in the midst of a thirsting world. (DCE, 42) Reprinted from the Catholic Herald Magazine, April

5 Fact Sheet What is meant by religious liberty? Religious liberty is the first liberty granted to us by God and protected in the First Amendment to our Constitution. It includes more than our ability to go to Mass on Sunday or pray the Rosary at home. It also encompasses our ability to contribute freely to the common good of all Americans. What does the First Amendment say? The First Amendment of the U.S. Bill of Rights states the following: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. What does the phrase shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion mean? This phrase, known as the Establishment Clause, started out as a prohibition on Congress either establishing a national religion or interfering with the established religions of the states. It has since been interpreted to forbid state establishments of religion, to forbid governmental preference (at any level) of one religion over another, and to forbid direct government funding of religion. What does the phrase prohibiting the free exercise thereof mean? This phrase, known as the Free Exercise Clause, generally protects citizens and institutions from government interference with the exercise of their religious beliefs. It sometimes mandates the accommodation of religious practices when such practices conflict with federal, state, or local laws. Who have been heroes of religious liberty in the church? Saint Thomas More was an English Catholic lawyer who served as Lord Chancellor and advisor to King Henry VIII. He was imprisoned for his refusal to take the oath required by a law that disparaged papal power and required acknowledging the children of Henry and Anne Boleyn (the king s second wife after his divorce from Catherine of Aragon) as legitimate heirs to the throne. In 1535, More was tried for treason, convicted on perjured testimony, and beheaded. He is the patron saint of religious freedom. Saint John Fisher was an English Catholic cardinal, academic, and martyr. Fisher was executed by order of King Henry VIII during the English Reformation for refusing to accept the king as Supreme Head of the Church of England and for upholding the Catholic Church s doctrine of papal primacy. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Catholic Church. In 1809, Seton founded the first American congregation of Religious Sisters, the Sisters of Charity. She also established the first parochial school for girls in the U.S.in She opened the first free Catholic schools for the poor. Saint Katharine Drexel was a religious sister, heiress, philanthropist, and educator. She was a vocal advocate of racial tolerance and established the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, whose mission was to teach African-Americans and later American Indians. She financed more than sixty missions and schools around the United States, in addition to founding Xavier University of Louisiana the only historically African-American Catholic university in the United States to date. Adapted from USCCB Fact Sheet. Read the full text at

6 PROTECTING CONSCIENCES USCCB Nationwide Bulletin Insert June 2012 WHY CONSCIENCE IS IMPORTANT During the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Americans shone the light of the Gospel on a dark history of slavery, segregation, and racial bigotry. The civil rights movement was an essentially religious movement, a call to awaken consciences. In his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail in 1963, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. boldly said, The goal of America is freedom. As a Christian pastor, he argued that to call America to the full measure of that freedom was the specific contribution Christians are obliged to make. He rooted his legal and constitutional arguments about justice in the long Christian tradition: I would agree with Saint Augustine that An unjust law is no law at all. A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. Some unjust laws impose such injustices on individuals and organizations that disobeying the laws may be justified. Every effort must be made to repeal them. When fundamental human goods, such as the right of conscience, are at stake, we may need to witness to the truth by resisting the law and incurring its penalties. The church does not ask for special treatment, simply the rights of religious freedom for all citizens. Rev. King also explained that the church is neither the master nor the servant of the state, but its conscience, guide, and critic. Catholics and many other Americans have strongly criticized the recent Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate requiring almost all private health plans to cover contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs. For the first time in our history, the federal government will force religious institutions to fund and facilitate coverage of a drug or procedure contrary to their moral teaching, and purport to define which religious institutions are religious enough to merit an exemption. This is a matter of whether religious people and institutions may be forced by the government to provide such coverage even when it violates our consciences. What we ask is nothing more than the right to follow our consciences as we live out our teaching. This right is not only about our ability to go to Mass on Sunday or pray the Rosary at home. It is about whether we can make our contribution to the common good of all Americans. Can we do the good works our faith calls us to do, without having to compromise that very same faith? Without religious liberty properly understood, all Americans suffer, deprived of the essential contribution in education, health care, feeding the hungry, civil rights, and social services that religious Americans make every day. What is at stake is whether America will continue to have a free, creative, and robust civil society or whether the state alone will determine who gets to contribute to the common good, and how they get to do it. What can you do to ensure the protection of conscience rights? The U.S. Bishops have called us to get informed, pray and advocate. To send your message to HHS and Congress telling them to uphold religious liberty and conscience rights, go to today! Thank you for joining the effort to end this unprecedented government coercion. The Bishops have called for a Fortnight for Freedom - June 21-July 4. Please go to for more information on this important time of prayer and action! h d h

7 PROTEGER LA CONCIENCIA Volante de USCCB para boletines en toda la nación Junio de 2012 POR QUÉ LA CONCIENCIA ES IMPORTANTE Durante el movimiento de derechos civiles de las décadas de 1950 y 1960, los estadounidenses hicieron que brillara la luz del Evangelio sobre la oscura historia de la esclavitud, la segregación y la intolerancia racial. El movimiento de derechos civiles fue esencialmente un movimiento religioso, una llamada a despertar las conciencias. En 1963, en su famosa Carta desde la cárcel de Birmingham, el Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., expresó de forma audaz: El objetivo de Estados Unidos es la libertad. Como pastor cristiano, argumentó que para lograr que EE. UU gozara al máximo de esa libertad, se necesitaba la contribución específica que los cristianos estaban obligados a hacer. Sus argumentos legales y constitucionales sobre la justicia los enraizó en la antigua tradición cristiana: Estoy de acuerdo con San Agustín cuando dijo: Una ley injusta no es una ley.[ ] Una ley justa es un código hecho por el hombre que encuadra con la ley moral o la ley de Dios. Una ley injusta es un código que no está en armonía con la ley moral. Algunas leyes injustas imponen tales injusticias en individuos y organizaciones que desobedecer esas leyes puede justificarse. Hay que hacer todo lo posible para que sean anuladas. Cuando bienes humanos fundamentales, como el derecho de conciencia, están en juego, es posible que sea necesario dar testimonio de la verdad resistiendo la ley e incurriendo en sus sanciones. La Iglesia cristiana no pide que se le trate de forma especial, simplemente pide los derechos de libertad religiosa para todos los ciudadanos. El Reverendo King también explicó que la Iglesia no es ni el amo ni el esclavo del Estado, sino que es su conciencia, su guía y su crítico. Los católicos y muchos otros grupos estadounidenses han criticado fuertemente el reciente mandato del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (HHS, sigla en inglés) que requiere que casi todos los planes privados de seguros médicos cubran los anticonceptivos, la esterilización y las drogas abortivas. Por primera vez en nuestra historia, el gobierno federal obligará a las instituciones religiosas a facilitar y pagar por algo que es contrario a sus enseñanzas morales, pretendiendo definir cuáles instituciones religiosas son suficientemente religiosas como para ameritar una exención. La cuestión es que si las personas e instituciones religiosas deben ser forzadas por el gobierno a proveer tal cobertura aun cuando estas prácticas violen su conciencia. Lo que pedimos es solo nuestro derecho a seguir nuestra conciencia en cómo vivir nuestra fe. Este derecho no consiste solo en asistir a misa los domingos o rezar el rosario en el hogar. Se trata de poder contribuir al bien común de todos los estadounidenses. Podemos hacer el bien que nuestra fe nos pide sin transigir en los principios que sostienen esa fe? Sin una comprensión correcta de lo que es la libertad religiosa, todos los estadounidenses se verán afectados al faltarles aportes esenciales como educación, servicios de salud, asistencia a los que sufren hambre, derechos civiles y servicios sociales, contribuciones que los ciudadanos creyentes realizan cada día. Lo que está en juego es si Estados Unidos continuará teniendo una sociedad civil libre, creativa y fuerte, o si será únicamente el Estado el que determine quién puede contribuir al bien común, y cómo lo podrá hacer. Qué puede hacer para asegurar la protección de la libertad religiosa? Los obispos de EE. UU. nos han pedido que nos mantengamos informados, que recemos y aboguemos por la libertada religiosa. Para enviar una mensaje a HHS y al Congreso pidiéndoles que defiendan la libertad religiosa y los derechos de conciencia, visite hoy mismo Gracias por unirse a los esfuerzos para ponerle fin a esta coerción sin precedentes de la conciencia por parte del gobierno. Los obispos han pedido una Quincena por la Libertad del 21 de junio al 4 de julio. Visite para más información sobre este importante tiempo de oración y acción!

8 TIPS FOR WRITING EFFECTIVE LETTERS Begin Correctly. Use the proper address and salutation to begin your letter. Find contact info for your legislator by zip code at The Honorable [Full Name of Representative] United States House of Representatives Washington, DC Dear Representative [Last Name]: Be Succinct. Make your points clearly and concisely. Stick to one page and one specific issue, communicating just the key facts. Be Courteous. No matter how passionate you are about your issue, remember to be polite. You want to build a relationship and become a trusted future resource. Identify Yourself. State your reason for writing in your first sentence. Identify the Problem. Give details about your issue, providing facts and experiences from your local perspective whenever possible. Identify the Bill. If you are writing about a particular bill, identify it by name and/or number. Propose a Solution. Explain your views in support or opposition of a proposal, and what impact it would have on the community you serve. Make your Ask. Ask your legislator to take a specific action. Request a Response. Request a specific response, and follow up. Say Thank You. Everyone likes to know that they make a difference. Thank your legislator for past action, and for their attention to your issue. Include Contact Info. Be sure to give your full name, phone number and address in case the legislator or members of staff have questions. Also, envelopes may be detached, so include your return address on your letter. TIPS FOR WRITING EFFECTIVE S Nail the Subject Line. In the chance that your is not opened, creating a clear subject line can still make an impact. Include your action request, for example: Vote NO on H.R. # Keep it Brief. is meant to be a brief, quick form of communication. Limit your correspondence to a few paragraphs, and use bullets or numbers where you can. Include Your Address. Be sure to include your postal mailing address to confirm that you are a constituent. Follow Up! Your legislator will very likely respond to your correspondence. If he or she did what you asked, respond immediately to say thank you for his or her support. If the response is vague or does not directly say what the legislator has done about the issue, write again and ask for clarification. Your persistence will show that you feel seriously about the issue, and expect your elected representatives to take it seriously also. You will also develop a relationship and credibility as a trusted source of information on the issue.

9 FACE TO FACE: HOW TO VISIT YOUR LEGISLATOR Schedule a visit in the legislator s district office. Contact information for the district office can be found at Contact the scheduler; communicate who you are, how much time you would like, the names of others who will join you, and the issue you wish to discuss. Don t worry if the appointment is not with your legislator. Members of staff are the experts on their issues, inform the legislator, and often actually write legislation. Before the Visit: Do Your Homework. Learn about your legislator before your visit. Understand his or her priority issues, so you can draw connections between your issue and those priorities, and know how he or she has supported your position in the past or addressed your issue in the home district. Create a Fact Sheet. Create a succinct, one-page description of your issue. Use bullet points, facts about the impact of a program on constituents, and personal stories. Practice. Practice delivering your message. If more than one person is going, involve everyone, but clearly define a leader and who will say what. Think of counterarguments to your position, and how you will respond to them. Call to Confirm. Call the office the day before your visit to confirm. If on the day of the visit you are running late, call ahead to warn the office. The busy staff will appreciate the notice. During the Visit: Arrive Early. Legislators are busy and sometimes fall behind schedule. Be flexible. Be Courteous. Be polite, but direct when you interact with your legislator or staff. Introduce Yourself and Your Issue. State the purpose of your visit - why you are there and what you want to talk about. Make Connections. Connect your issue to your legislator s priorities and the best interests of constituents and the legislator s community. Answer Questions. Be prepared to answer questions. If you do not know an answer, be honest and promise to get back to the legislator and staff (and do!) Make Your Ask. Ask what position your legislator takes on the issue, even if you think you already know. Hearing how your legislator communicates his or her point of view will help you to better craft your message in the future. Then, make a specific request for an action that you would like your legislator to take. Establish Next Steps. Will you send more information? Will a member of staff call you after speaking with the legislator? Be sure to leave your full contact information. After the Visit: Thank Your Legislator. Send a thank you note soon after your visit. Thank members of the legislator s staff as they often go un-thanked. Keep Your Promises. If you promised to find answers to questions or send more information, do it! Establish yourself as a valuable resource. Periodic follow up to check on legislation will also keep attention on your issue. Make Notes. Make notes of what happened during your visit; use them the next time you prepare for a visit to the same office. Be Patient. It can take numerous repeated visits to an office before you can get an agreement to act from your legislator. Be patient, but persistent!

10 National Prayer for Religious Liberty Oración por la libertad religiosa 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. O SEÑOR, CREADOR NUESTRO, De tu mano bondadosa hemos recibido el derecho a la vida, a la libertad y a la búsqueda de la felicidad. Tú nos has hecho tu pueblo y nos has dado el derecho y el deber de venerarte a ti, único Dios verdadero, y a tu Hijo, Jesucristo. Por el poder y la obra del Espíritu Santo, nos llamas a vivir nuestra fe en el mundo llevando la luz y la palabra salvadora del Evangelio a todos los confines de la sociedad. Te pedimos nos bendigas mientras cuidamos del don de la libertad religiosa. Danos fortaleza de mente y corazón para estar siempre dispuestos a defender nuestras libertades cuando son amenazadas. Danos valentía para que se escuchen nuestras voces en defensa de los derechos de tu Iglesia, y de la libertad de conciencia de todas las personas de fe. Te pedimos, Oh Padre celestial, que en esta hora decisiva de la historia de nuestra nación, y reunidos en tu Iglesia, des a todos tus hijos e hijas una voz clara y unida para que con cada prueba que encaremos, y cada peligro que superemos, por el bien de nuestros hijos, de nuestros nietos, y de todos los que vengan después de nosotros este gran país sea siempre una nación, bajo Dios, indivisible, con libertad y justicia para todos. Te lo pedimos por Jesucristo, Nuestro Señor. Copyright 2012, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Amén.

11 Panalangin para sa Malayang Pananampalataya Aming Diyos na Manlilikha, mula sa iyong mapagpalang kamay natamo namin ang karapatan ng buhay, kalayaan, at ang paghangad ng kaligayahan. Tinawag mo kami bilang iyong sambayanan at binigyan ng karapatan at tungkulin para ikaw ay sambahin bilang isang tunay na Diyos, at ang iyong anak, na si Jesucristo. Sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan at paggalaw ng Banal na Espirito, tinawag mo ang iyong sambayan upang isabuhay ang aming pananampalataya sa mundong aming ginagalawan, bilang tagapagdala ng liwanag at katotohanan na nagliligtas dulot ng Mabuting Balita, sa bawat sulok ng lipunan. Hinihiling namin sa iyo, na basbasan mo ang aming pagmamatyag sa iyong handog na malayang pananampalataya. Bigyan mo po kami ng kalakasan ng isipan at damdamin upang itanggol namin ang aming kalayaan sa tuwing ito ay hinahamon; pagkalooban mo kami ng tapang upang iparinig ang aming boses sa ngalan ng karapatan ng iyong Simbahan at ng kalayaan ng konsyensya ng lahat ng taong may pananampalataya. Dinadalangin namin Ama sa kalangitan, na ipagkaloob mo ang malinaw at nagkakaisang tinig ng iyong mga anak na pinagbuklod mo sa pamamagitan ng iyong Simbahan, nitong oras namapasisiyahan sa kasalukuyang mapaghamong panahon ng aming bansa, upang sa bawat pagsubok at panganib ay mapagtagumpayan namin - alang alang sa aming mga anak, mga apo, at sa lahat na salinlahi itong dakilang lupain ay mananatiling isang bayan ng Dios, di mahahati, may kalayaan at katarungan para sa lahat. Hinihiling naming ito sa pamamagitan ni Cristo, aming Panginoon. Amen. Prayer for Religious Liberty Vietnamese translation by Deacon Nhat Tran KINH CẦU CHO TỰ DO TÔN GIÁO Lạy Thiên Chúa là Đấng Tạo Hoá, từ bàn tay quan phòng của Chúa, chúng con nhận được quyền sống, quyền tự do, và quyền theo đuổi hạnh phúc. Chúa đã quy tụ chúng con thành dân riêng của Chúa và ban cho chúng con quyền lợi và bổn phận để thờ phượng Chúa, là Thiên Chúa đích thật, và Con Chúa, là Đức Giêsu Kitô. Qua quyền năng và hoạt động của Chúa Thánh Thần, Chúa mời gọi chúng con hãy sống đức tin giữa lòng thế giới, hãy đem ánh sáng và chân lý cứu độ Phúc Âm đến mọi ngõ ngách của xã hội. Xin Chúa chúc lành cho chúng con trong cuộc chiến bảo vệ tự do tôn giáo. Xin ban cho chúng con sức mạnh trí tuệ và tâm hồn để sẵn sàng bảo vệ tự do khi nó bị đe dọa; Xin ban cho chúng con ơn can đảm dám lên tiếng nhân danh các quyền của Hội Thánh và tự do lương tâm của mọi người có đức tin. Ôi lạy Cha trên trời, xin ban cho tất cả con cái Cha đang quy tụ trong Hội Thánh có tiếng nói rõ ràng và hợp nhất trong giờ phút quyết định của lịch sử đất nước chúng con, có như thế, với mọi thử thách được vượt qua và mọi nguy hiểm được lướt thắng - vì con cháu chúng con và vì mọi người đến sau chúng con - mảnh đất vĩ đại này sẽ luôn luôn là "một Quốc gia, không phân chia, dưới ơn che chở của Thiên Chúa, với tự do và công bằng cho mọi người." Chúng con cầu xin nhờ Đức Kitô, Chúa chúng con. Amen. (Pt Giuse Trần Văn Nhật lược dịch)