June 28, 2016: Del Rio News-Herald * OPINION * Letter to the Editor * 'Witnesses to Freedom' celebration
Letter to the Editor,
“Witnesses to Freedom” celebration
This year the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops (USCCB) has called all the faithful to celebrate the fifth annual
Fortnight for Freedom, from June 21 to July 4 with this year’s theme:
“Witnesses to Freedom”.
The Fortnight for Freedom is a call to action,
education and prayer for religious liberty, and conscience protection rights,
of all citizens in the United States of America.
In keeping with this directive issued by the Catholic
bishops, the Legion of Mary of the Del Rio Catholic Community with active and
auxiliary members from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Sacred Heart Church and
St. Joseph Church, under the spiritual direction of Father Antonio O. Moreno, is
sponsoring the Fourth of July Celebration of Faith and Freedom at St. Joseph
Catholic Church.
The Bilingual Patriotic Rosary will be recited at 5:30
p.m.
Patriotic songs will be interspersed throughout the
Faith and Freedom celebration; before praying the Rosary “America” will be sung
and after the Rosary “America the Beautiful” will be sung.
Alternating English and Spanish decades of the Rosary
will be prayed and each Hail Mary will be offered for the special intention of each
of the 50 states of the United States of America.
After each decade of the Rosary, a verse and refrain
of “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory – Battle Hymn of the Republic” will be
sung.
After the Rosary the “Litany for Liberty” and “Prayers
for the Protection of Religious Liberty” will be prayed.
Independence Day Mass will follow at 6:30 p.m.
Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend to be a
“witness to freedom” by prayerfully joining the Legion of Mary in meditating on
what God is calling each one of us to do, to preserve and protect our faith and
our freedom.
Patriotic Rosaries consist of red, white and blue
colored beads.
According to custom and tradition, the colors red, white and
blue have signified the following: white is for purity and innocence, red is
for hardiness and valor, blue is for vigilance, perseverance and justice.
Everyone is invited to pray for these virtues to be
what our country and all its citizens stand for and represent.
God bless America!
Marian Casillas, Ed.D.