GENEVA—Bishop David Malloy celebrated Mass with religious freedom in mind on July 4 at St. Peter Church here.
He welcomed a crowd, many of whom dressed in combinations of red, white and blue.
The bishop briefly compared America’s quest for freedom, which acknowledged God, with the French Revolution that tried to eliminate God from society.
The French war “brought about a reign of terror and a flow of blood,” he said.
“Our founding fathers were very different … the Declaration of Independence is sort of the conscience of our country,” he said.
He gave examples from the U.S. declaration to illustrate that “it did not presume to tell individuals” how to search for God, yet it refers to God throughout.
The signers of the declaration expressed a “constant conviction about God’s role” and took a great risk, making “a total sacrifice” in signing the declaration.
He noted also that many, if not most, of those who were coming to America “did so in no small part” for religious freedom.
With modern examples of the U.S. government’s attempts to restrict such freedom, Bishop Malloy emphasized an ongoing need for prayer as called for by the Fortnight for Freedom and the need to stand up for freedom on behalf of our faith at home, at work and in communications with politicians.
“Everyone needs to be grateful for, and needs also to live” that religious freedom, he said.
At the end of the Mass, Bishop Malloy invited all who had served in the military to stand for a round of applause. He then led all in prayer for those in active service.