Our First, Most Cherished Liberty

This is the title of the USCCB's statement of this past week on the matter of threats to religious liberty in the United States.   One highlight from the statement is this:  It is a sobering thing to contemplate our government enacting an unjust law. An unjust law cannot be obeyed. In the face of an unjust law, an accommodation is not to be sought, especially by resorting to equivocal words and deceptive practices. If we face today the prospect of unjust laws, then Catholics in America, in solidarity with our fellow citizens, must have the courage not to obey them. No American desires this. No Catholic welcomes it. But if it should fall upon us, we must discharge it as a duty of citizenship and an obligation of faith.

Just this past week someone asked me to specify exactly how the Catholic Church is being targeted in ways that threaten the free exercise of faith.  While I knew a few of the particular cases to look up, the bishops'  statement helpfully lists and explains seven specific incidents which constitute a threat to religious liberty. 

For a summary of the statement see Catholic News Agency's article.