A statement from Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of
Louisville, Kentucky

President of the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops

WASHINGTON—At this important time in our nation’s history, I
encourage all of us to take a moment to reflect on one of
the founding principles of our republic – the freedom of religion. It ensures the
right of faith communities to preserve the integrity of their beliefs and
proper self-governance. There have been recent reports that some may
have sought to interfere in the internal life of the Church for short-term political
gain. If true, this is troubling both
for the well-being of faith communities and the good of our country.

In our faith and our Church, Christ has given us a precious
gift. As Catholics, we hold onto our
beliefs because they come to us from Jesus, not a consensus forged by
contemporary norms. The Gospel is
offered for all people for all times. It
invites us to love our neighbor and live in peace with one another. For this reason, the truth of Christ is never
outdated or inaccessible. The Gospel serves the common good, not political
agendas.

I
encourage my fellow Catholic brothers and sisters, and all people of good will,
to be good stewards of the precious rights we have inherited as citizens of this
country. We also expect public officials to respect the rights of people to
live their faith without interference from the state. When faith communities
lose this right, the very idea of what it means to be an American is lost.

Politicians,
their staffs and volunteers should reflect our best aspirations as citizens. Too much of our current political discourse
has demeaned women and marginalized people of faith. This must change. True to the best hopes of our founding
fathers, we are confident that we can and will do better as a nation.

—

Keywords:
USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, religious
freedom, public square, political discourse, public officials, faith
communities, Gospel

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Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops