On April 12, 2012, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement on religious liberty entitled Our First, Most Cherished Liberty. Despite the fact that the media, for the most part, has remained silent about the document, it is worth reading.

[The following article is the sequel to the article “Freedom in America: the Question” published in the Beacon] In 1992, the Supreme Court was confronted with the growing restrictions that States were placing upon access to abortion.

Since the introduction of the new liturgical texts for Mass this past Advent, we have become accustomed to new words and new expressions in our common prayer. Some of the changes in the Mass are obvious and readily noticed. But not all.