We’ve heard it for months from our bishops: now is the time to stand tall as Catholics, boldly profess our faith and stand up for religious liberty. The only problem is, they have yet to tell us how. At least we have some kind of timeline. This summer during the last two weeks of June and the first week of July, Catholics are asked to publicly witness to our faith. So how should we do this? Surely the bishops will have some ideas soon, but in the meantime, consider the following.
 

The Catholic writer and apologist, Patrick Madrid, came across an anonymous faith statement which he adapted for his own. It has a great title. It is called “The Fellowship of the Unashamed.” Under that marvelous banner, I thought of some concrete things we could start doing now to stand up for our rights as Catholics.
 

First, we need to understand the issues and know our faith. The hoopla over the HHS mandate for Obamacare that insists Catholics (and other faith traditions) give up their religious beliefs in the health care field strikes to the heart of our Christian faith. Religious liberty is not only enshrined in the Constitution, it is central to Catholicism as well. Vatican II spoke clearly on this. Knowing the basics of our Catholic faith not only makes us intelligent in conversation, but it gives us a foundation stronger than just emotions or feelings upon which to discuss what we believe.
 

Second, we need to proclaim our Catholicism in the public sphere. Catholics, as a rule, are very reticent to speak about our faith publicly. We don’t like to intrude on what others believe, and we don’t like to cause conflict. But what do we do in our every day world when the government and many secular institutions attack who we are and what we believe? Remember confirmation when we received the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit? That sacrament was to make us ready to be public Christians in the world. Time to put a couple of those gifts like courage — fortitude — and counsel — right judgement — to work.
 

Third, we need to be willing to suffer. Christ made it clear. We must be willing to pick up our cross each day and follow in his footsteps. We’ve had it easy as Catholics in this country. We are the largest faith and there used to be safety in numbers. But no more. We are facing the same kinds of attacks that Catholics are experiencing elsewhere. We have yet to give our lives like Catholics in Nigeria, China, and in some Muslim lands, but we are beginning to feel the pain of ridicule, the taking away of our rights to publicly express our faith, and the imposition of a government’s belief that it can dictate what we are to believe. Are we going to be passive under this persecution, or are we going to be willing to be martyrs like the early Christians were prepared to be?
 

Lastly, we need to be a lot holier. What does that mean? It means we have to go to Mass, receive the sacraments, pray every day, and get in spiritual shape. Then when the bishops suggest a plan of action, we will be ready, we will be prepared.
 

We each have to be willing to proclaim as Mr. Madrid summed up in his faith statement: I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.