MCFARLAND — Christ the King (CTK) Parish in McFarland invites everyone to participate in its 11th annual Rosary Rallies for Religious Freedom.
The rallies will be held at its outdoor Marian Garden, on Wednesdays through Oct. 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The first rally of the year was held on June 22 in coordination with the Religious Freedom Week sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has identified the theme for 2022 as “Life and Dignity for All”.
Human life is sacred
Human life is sacred and the dignity of every person is the foundation of a moral vision for society (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2258, 2270).
This dignity of a person does not come from the work they do, but from the persons they are (St. John Paul II, Centensimus annus, no. 11).
It is manifested by our faith in the redemptive Incarnation of the Son of God.
But increasingly society is directly threatening life through abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, targeting civilians in war, and terrorist attacks.
Indirectly, the life and dignity of people are being undermined by overarching laws of competition and the survival of the fittest, which have resulted in exploitation, oppression, and an increasing disparity between the wealthy and the impoverished.
We have also created a “throw-away” culture that considers workers as commodities to be used and discarded.
In addition, Pope Francis has identified another phenomenon: “Exclusion”, by which many people are not even considered society’s marginalized, but are excluded from being a part of society at all (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 153).
Religious freedom authorizes us to fulfill our mission to proclaim the Gospel of Life in the entire world and to every creature.
It allows us to be Christ to one another by bearing our neighbor’s burdens as Christ bears ours, and to live in the Spirit by loving and serving others.
It permits us to work for the dignity of all persons, based on the principle that each individual person is the foundation, the cause, and the end of every social institution (St. John XXIII, Mater et Magistra, no. 219).
However, political and societal efforts are being made to eliminate our religious freedoms.
Opportunity for prayer
The Rosary is one of the most effective weapons we have to counter these efforts.
The Rosary Rallies provide an opportunity to pray with other prayer warriors, to ensure that we are free to practice our religion without censorship.
A new feature of this year’s Rosary Rallies: A guest speaker will give a short presentation prior to praying the Holy Rosary.
The June 22 kick-off rally featured Mike Friedel, senior vice president of sales for Amtelco in McFarland and an active member of CTK Parish.
Fr. Steve Brunner, pastor of CTK Parish, will speak on “The Controversies Surrounding Religious Freedom” on June 29.
Fr. Randy Budnar, pastor of St. Ann Parish, Stoughton, will address “The Importance of Religious Freedom for Catholic Schools” on July 6.
Kathleen Blair, member of CTK Parish, whose presentation is entitled “Pray, Hope and Surrender” will speak on July 13.
For a complete list of guest speakers, go to the Christ the King Parish website at myparish.com
All are welcome and encouraged to attend as many rallies as your schedule and circumstances permit.
If possible, bring a chair. Dress appropriately for the weather.
During inclement weather conditions, the Rosary will be prayed in the Christ the King Chapel.
For questions or more information, contact Julie Allington at 715-862-2523 or julieallington@gmail.com
Julie Allington is a parishioner of Christ the King Parish in McFarland.