It is the first line of the First Amendment to the Constitution. It's usually not the first item discussed amongst the others, but it means a whole lot to me and is, by far, the most important. The following is what was ratified back in December of 1791:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; after this first provision to the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment continues, speaking of the freedom of speech, the press, the right to peaceably assemble, etc.

In our history, sadly, even throughout our world today, Christians are by far the most persecuted globally, with thousands being murdered every year. Very sad and telling, it seems our media is mostly silent about these global persecutions. I would encourage you to do a little research. Ask your AI or wherever you go for an inquiry. Pray for them, find out how you can help them. One such organization is Aid to the church in Need. You could read the book from which the following quote is from.

In the third Chapter of his book “What do their Deaths demand?” “So what should we do?” Bishop Robert Barron gives this poignant suggestion, along with five others. He states, “I would direct, especially to my fellow Christians in the West: Actively resist the 'soft’ persecution that takes place in the context of the woke culture. In an increasingly aggressive secularist society, Christians often face mockery, discrimination in hiring, harassment in the economic sphere, and the insinuation that we represent an ideology that is hostile to marginalized people. Within the confines of this short book, I cannot mount a detailed defense against this last charge (I have done so elsewhere), but I would cut to the chase and simply encourage Christians to live their faith boldly, unapologetically, even with a bit of a swagger. Don't be intimidated into silence or into privatizing your faith.

 Wear a sign of your Christianity on your person. Put a cross up in your place of work. Let the name of Jesus come readily to your lips, even when you are speaking to non-Christians. Pray in public places; say grace at restaurants. Bring explicitly biblical language to your political debates and conversations.”

Bishop Barron continues, “For my fellow American Christians, remember that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which does indeed preclude the possibility of any officially state-sponsored religion, is balanced by the second clause of that amendment, which guarantees the right of the"free exercise" of religion. This goes

beyond the mere right to worship as one chooses or to whisper one's religious convictions in private; it

entails the prerogative to practice one's faith publicly, provided that such practice does not interfere with the freedom of another.

So don't be cowed by the woke etiquette that demands the privatization of the faith. Persecution in all forms-hard or soft, direct or indirect, effected by a snarling soldier or a smiling interlocutor at a cocktail party-should be resisted.”

 There are ways to help, so many of our fellow Catholics being persecuted, one excellent resource is, Aid to the Church in Need, Aid to the Church in Need is a Catholic charity under the guidance of the Holy Father. Since 1947, thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have served the spiritual and humanitarian needs of our suffering and persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

Peace, Father Maassen

www.churchinneed.org 

Barron, Robert. What Do Their Deaths Demand? Christian Persecution Today. Park Ridge, IL: Word on Fire Publishing, 2026.