The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
called upon Americans to reflect upon the importance of religious
freedom in the wake of “reports that some may have sought to interfere
in the internal life of the Church for short-term political gain.”
“We … expect public officials to respect the rights of people to live
their faith without interference from the state,” said Archbishop
Joseph Kurtz of Louisville. “When faith communities lose this right, the
very idea of what it means to be an American is lost.”
Stating that “as Catholics, we hold onto our beliefs because they
come to us from Jesus, not a consensus forged by contemporary norms,” he
added, “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.”