by Stuart Hamilton
As Religious Freedom Week (June 22-29th) draws to a close, we are offered an opportunity to reflect on the great gift of religious freedom enjoyed here in the United States. It also reminds us, we must be vigilant, especially during these increasingly complicated times, to the constant threats against that gift. Recently I listened to an episode of the First Freedom Podcast in which Dan Balserak, Director of Religious Liberty at the USCCB, discussed the USCCB’s first Annual Report on Religious Liberty in the United States. He summarized the report by positing the top 5 threats to religious liberty in 2024, which I believe stand at the cross roads of public policy and our prolife values.
#5: The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Initially, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) was meant to secure rights for women who were pregnant, however, when the federal Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) published regulations for how the law would be implemented, it essentially stating that employees must provide paid leave for women who seek abortion, along with paid medical leave to any abortion related complications. Recently, the USCCB filed a joint lawsuit against the federal administration along with several other catholic institutions, stating the law to be a clear violation of religious freedom. Last week the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana granted a temporary injunction to the plaintiffs against enforcement of the law while the case works its way through the courts.
#4: Suppression of Speech Regarding Christian Marriage & Sexual Difference
All of us have felt the social pressure to remain silent on the Church’s teaching regarding marriage and sexual difference, especially in corporate environments where such conversations have become increasingly taboo. However, last year the federal EEOC applied official pressure by proposing a guidance to employers which stated sex-based harassment could include “harassment based on a woman’s reproductive decisions, such as decisions about contraception or abortion” as well as “harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, including how that identity is expressed.”
Under this guidance, publicly expressing opinions on sexual difference and human sexuality could legally be considered harassment and, therefore, grounds for dismissal. The ultimate goal of this sort of policy change is to legally empower sexual revolutionaries, and relegate religious beliefs to the privacy of our homes, limiting its impact on public discourse or policy. The U.S. bishops’ Office of the General Counsel was quick to respond with a letter to the EEOC stating the many ways in which the guidance “…likely runs afoul of constitutional rights of speech, expressive association, and religious exercise.”
#3: Restriction of Religious Worker Visas & Charities Aiding Migrants
Immigration reform has been a hot button topic in the last few years and the bishops have been at the forefront of the discussion. On the one hand, in the midst of the current immigration crisis on the southern border, changes to work visa laws have made it increasingly difficult for foreign born religious workers to continue ministry in the U.S.. Long waits for religious worker visas have particularly impacted the priesthood.
Also, recent legal developments have threatened the Church’s ability to provide charity to asylum seekers crossing the border. The Texas Attorney General has taken measures to crack down on charity workers, while federal congress is moving forward with legislation that could withhold federal funding from any organization which may be deemed as “encouraging” illegal immigration. Although many Catholics are divided on how to address the migration crisis, under Catholic social teaching it is Christian duty to offer basic humanitarian aid such as food, water, clothing, and shelter to the foreigner in our midst, particularly those that have been victimized in the course of seeking asylum.
Any attempt by governmental force to limit the practice of our faith in this regard, should be viewed as a legitimate threat against religious liberty. As Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the USCCB, recently stated to the press during the spring plenary session of US bishops in Louisville, “We obviously want to respect the law, but if that liberty is restricted, then yes, our religious liberty is being restricted because we can’t put into practice the precepts of the Gospel.”
#2 Legal Mandates to Perform Gender Transition Surgeries
The US Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) recently made changes to section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, amending the non-discrimination clause to include “discrimination on the basis of sex characteristics, including intersex traits; pregnancy or related conditions; sexual orientation; gender identity; and sex stereotypes” Any insurer or physician who receives federal funding who refuses to cover or perform gender transition surgeries could potentially be charged with discrimination based on sex. Meanwhile, many in the Christian healthcare industry argue the vague wording of the regulation endangers conscience protections.
The US bishops were quick to respond. In an April statement Bishop Kevin Rhoades, head of the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty, wrote, “Health care that truly heals must be grounded in truth…These regulations, however, advance an ideological view of sex that, as the Holy See has noted, denies the most beautiful and most powerful difference that exists between living beings: sexual difference.”
#1 Attacks on Houses of Religious Worship
According to the Committee for Religious Liberty, since 2020 there have been over 300 attacks upon houses of religious worship as well as religiously affiliated organizations. These attacks have escalated in frequency and intensity since the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, and (in the case of synagogues) since the Gaza-Israeli war began on Oct 7th of last year. Even more recently, the Church’s insistence upon care for immigrants has also fueled criticism from the conservative side of the political spectrum.
The Church’s mandate to live out gospel values often defy easy political categorization. Christ’s teachings can rarely be forced into a binary option. This puts Christ’s bride at odds with the policies of the current broader culture. In an election year in which abortion, humanitarian aid in foreign conflicts, and immigration are all hotly debated issues, it is expected this tension will increase. Regardless, it is worthwhile to remember that Christ is king, and we are his Bride the Church. I leave you with this piece of divine wisdom:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7
Archdiocese Of Louisville Family Ministries 