Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As many of you are probably aware 2026 is a rather significant year in terms of the history of the United States. And while there has been plenty of news stories throughout, I’m referring more specifically to the fact that it’s the 250 th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As someone who was not around for the Bicentennial of 1976 and likely won’t be around for the Tricentennial of 2076, this is likely the biggest celebration of our country that I’ll get to be a part of.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; these are the unalienable rights enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. They are also very closely aligned with what our faith affords us as Christian disciples. And although there might be some distinctions to be made in the area of liberty, overall the ethos of America and the ideals of Christianity are largely similar. We as Catholics believe that every person has a right to life, from conception until natural death and are passionate in defending the dignity of every human life, despite the culture around us not always seeing the value of such. We believe in a positive kind of freedom to be found in a relationship with God, one that allows us to be our truest selves, without conditions or restrictions as we follow God’s path for us in life. We believe that true happiness occurs when we embrace true holiness. In much the same way that we are free in God, so too are we able to discover a deeper happiness from God than anything else the world has to offer. We are all both American AND Catholic; and in these two realities we are blessed.
The USCCB, the conference of bishops for the US, has decided to consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart. There was already a celebration for it back on June 11 th . Due to our particular parish circumstances with the Carnival that week and it being scheduled for a Thursday, we did not join in at that time. However, during the weekend Masses of July 4th and 5th , I would like to recite the prayer to the Sacred Heart that has been provided by the USCCB. I’d also invite you to bring any statues and images of the Sacred Heart that you might have to Mass and we will bless them as well as part of the celebration that weekend. I believe that it will be a good opportunity to recognize once again, the importance of our tangible faith while we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of our nation.
At the end of the day, I hope that everyone has a pleasant and safe celebration of Independence Day this year. May we all have the chance to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness both in the here and now and in years to come!
Peace and Goodness,
Fr. Dan
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