A Fortnight for What?

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has created “The Fortnight for Freedom.” This year the subtitle is “Freedom to Bear Witness.” It began on June 21 and will conclude on July 4.

According to the USCCB website, the emphasis of these two weeks (a fortnight) is to “call upon Catholics to participate in a pledge to religious liberty and an appeal for the inclusion of a ‘conscience clause’ for religious institutions and religious faithful to practice according to the moral tenets of one's religious faith.”

Many are concerned that campaigns like this are loosely veiled attempts at sanctioned bigotry. As if using the term ‘religious liberty’ makes it alright to deny rights to another person.Previously I worked at a convent for a progressive religious community. I was shocked to learn that the employee health insurance did not cover birth control. Perhaps naïve, I was stunned that even non-Catholic employees were denied access to common and reliable reproductive healthcare. I knew the congregation wasn’t behind this decision but a group of celibate men. Now, whose freedom was being violated?

As a Catholic I am offended by the choice to center this fortnight when “our liturgical calendar celebrates a series of great martyrs who remained faithful in the face of persecution by political power.” I do not see how the suffering and death of martyrs compares to the political issues for the Catholic Church in the United States. Not long ago men were lined up and beheaded on the Mediterranean shore because they were Christians. That is persecution. Having to provide reproductive health care to female employees of Catholic institutions is not. A fortnight for freedom? I am all for it as long as my liberties do not enslave another.