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Statements on Religious Liberty20112012 |
Religious Liberty
2011
Right to conscience protection must be enacted into law, says bishop |
Read 6th Sunday B Ordinary Time by Bishop Lori |
Read a compelling interview with Bishop Lori, "Bishop Lori: Religious Liberty: 'The Pre-Eminent Social Justice Issue' of Our Time" |
Read Bishop Lori's speech on Religious Liberty at the Midyear Meeting Knights of Columbus in Nashville, Tennessee. |
Read Bishop Lori’s Homily delivered at Votive Mass of Our Lady of Guadalupe Mid-Year Meeting Knights of Columbus State Deputies Nashville, Tennessee |
 | STATEMENT OF BISHOP LORI ON A RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISIONThe Supreme Court decision marks a victory for religious liberty and the U.S. Constitution. Freedom of Religion is America’s First Freedom and the Court has spoken unanimously in favor of it. The Founding Fathers would be proud. Respect for the long-standing “ministerial exception,” which is grounded in the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment, prevents the government from interfering in the employment relationship between a Church and its ministers. This decision makes resoundingly clear the historical and constitutional importance of keeping internal church affairs off limits to the government—because whoever chooses the minister chooses the message. It is a great day for the First Amendment. Bishop William E. Lori Chairman U.S. Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty |
Read statement of Bishop William E. Lori,
Ad Hoc Chair, USCCB Committee on Religious Liberty
Read Bishop Lori’s Homily at the Mass for Life,
2012 Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life Georgetown University
January 21, 2012
Read the National Catholic Register story, HHS Secretary Sebelius: Church Groups Must Provide Contraception
Watch Bishop Lori's Address to the USCCB General Assembly on November 14thRead Bishop Lori’s Address to the U.S. Bishops Conference (USCCB) on Religious Liberty |
 | Statement of Bishop William E. Lori, Chair of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty“As a local bishop and as chair of the Ad Hoc Committee, I am deeply gratified by the Holy Father’s support for the efforts of U.S. bishops to defend religious liberty in the face of growing threats. The Holy Father’s words calls us all both to fidelity to the Gospel and to be true to the founding vision ofcountry, according to which religious freedom is the first of the freedoms and the source of all others. We welcome the Holy Father’s defense of the right of the Church to fulfill its mission according to its own teaching , while also safeguarding the rights of conscientious Catholics to raise their voices in the public square. In his Ad Limina Address, he shows us ‘the road less taken’ to achieving the common good of society.” Read The Holy Father’s Ad Limina Address to Region IV Read The USCCB story U.S. Bishops Welcome Pope’s Reaffirmation of Religious Liberty During Ad Limina Visit |
 | Bishop Lori outlines religious liberty issues at fall general assemblyBALTIMORE (CNS) -- After a lengthy report from the chairman of a new Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said he came away from a recent meeting with President Barack Obama encouraged about some aspects of religious rights concerns. Read More » |
Watch the USCCB morning Press Conference |
 | Bishops’ Religious Liberty Chair Urges Congress to Defend Religious Liberty at House Judiciary Committee HearingWASHINGTON—The head of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) called on Congress to defend the American legacy of religious liberty on October 26, during a hearing before the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Read More » Click to Read Bishop Lori's full address |
 | Bishop Lori named to national post in defense of Religious LibertyHHS contraceptive mandate tops list of recent assaults on religious freedomWASHINGTON— New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan has named Bishop William E. Lori, to chair a new Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty to address growing concerns over the erosion of freedom of religion in America. Click to Read a message from N.Y. Archbishop Timothy Dolan Click to read a National Catholic Register article on the new Ad Hoc Committee> Read More » |
Connecticut Bishop hails John Paul II as Champion of Religious FreedomWashington D.C., Apr 27, 2011 / 06:15 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- At a time when Christians face heightened persecution particularly in the Middle East, Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Connecticut pointed to John Paul II as a heroic example in the fight to protect religious freedom. Read More » Click to Read Bishop Lori's full Homily, Blessed John Paul II: Champion of Religious Freedom |
| On September 30, Bishop Lori delivered the Homily at the Red Mass celebrated at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in the Diocese of Newark, New Jersey. Bishop Lori urged all lawyers, judges and members of the legal profession in attendance to witness their faith in professional life and to stand up for “a civilization of truth and love.” Click to read the entire homily. |
Statements from Bishop William E. Lori, S.T.D.
| STATEMENT OF ARCHBISHOP DOLAN & BISHOP LORI September, 22 2011 As Pastors, we have received thoughtful expressions of concern from many of the faithful regarding a series of four conferences on aspects of the Church's teaching on human sexuality entitled, "More than a Monologue." Two of these will take place at Catholic universities in our own dioceses, Fordham University and Fairfield University. We shared those concerns and our own with the Presidents of Fordham and Fairfield Universities. Advertisements and commentary in advance of these conferences seemed to imply that they might encourage dissent from the Church's teaching and from her teaching authority while advocating for erroneous opinions about sexuality dominant in our culture. The Presidents of both universities listened to our concerns and brought them to the attention of the organizers of these conferences in their respective universities. Subsequently both Presidents helpfully assured us that these conferences, while sensitive to the experience of the participants, will not be a vehicle for dissent. One of them wrote: "I am confident that the Church's teachings will be clearly stated and articulately defended, and in a spirit of dialogue that is proper to an academic setting, the strength of these teachings will be quite convincing, based as they are on revealed truth." With the assurances we have received, we now must trust that the conferences will turn out as intended: not as a criticism or questioning of the faith and morals of the Church, but as a sincere attempt to listen to those who are trying their best to believe and live it, and who have some positive ideas about pastoral strategy to present it even better. |