During this Fortnight for Freedom, we are called as Catholics to live our faith within our society, especially here in the United States. There is no separation of our beliefs or convictions when we live as Catholic and citizens of this great country. We are not to live apart, but as Pope Francis tells us, to “go out into the streets”. In fact, the Pledge of Allegiance is a perfect example of this fact. It is not just some cobbled together set of words that children are forced to recite every day at school. Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 4 of the US Flag Code states:
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”, should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces not in uniform and veterans may render the military salute in the manner provided for persons in uniform.
Each and every word has been chosen carefully to craft a simple and direct pledge. Did you know that the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Fraternal Organization (and one of the most active groups here at Saint John) were the first group to add “under God” to the Pledge in 1951, after hearing it at a Sons of the American Revolution meeting? The KoC lobbied to have the words added nationally, and along with several other individuals and groups, successfully amended the Pledge in 1954. “Under God” is a crucial component of the Pledge, especially for us Catholics, who believe that we can work for “liberty and justice for all” as part of our mission.
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops have stated that “we are called to follow Christ as missionary disciples by seeking the truth, serving others, and living our faith in all that we do”. They ask that we take some time during the Fortnight for Freedom to reflect, pray, and take action to defend our freedoms:
- To serve migrants and refugees
- To care for the sick
- To bear witness to Truth
- To serve God with our whole lives
- To seek the Truth
- For Christians in the Middle East
- To serve our communities through education
- To serve families seeing and children awaiting adoption
- To serve the vulnerable
- To build stronger communities
- For our brothers and sisters in Mexico
- To promote a culture of freedom for all
So, on this July 4th holiday, I hope you all get a chance to thank God for our freedoms as Americans, and commit yourself to taking the mercy and love of our faith to those who need it most, no matter if they are around the world, around your block, or around your home.