Where are the priorities?

The prayer petitions at our Mass are always . . . interesting. Today, they were for fairness in the workplace, a worthy thing to pray about. In honor of St. John the Baptist's feast day, they made mention of the safety of the unborn - something that is seldom included in the prayer petitions from the altar. I waded through the diocesan-prescribed petitions and . . . no mention of the obama mandate regarding our potential loss of religious freedoms and no mention of the Fortnight for Freedom and recitation of the special prayer that is making the rounds of everywhere except, seemingly, from our pulpit. I find that very sad. We are a one, Catholic, universal Church so why aren't all Catholics and clergy strongly and loudly behind this push to fight the loss of our religious freedoms?

There are bishops in the United States that have been very vocal about the injustice of obama's mandate against Catholics and Christians. It is pretty quiet here in California. I may be wrong but I haven't seen/heard any of our clergy crossing the line and appearing on any media reports. Yes, I'm sure they are worried about it in their own way but, like the proverbial flock of sheep, we need our shepherds to bring this matter forcefully to the forefront of our attention and prayers. I have had friends who tried to talk to fellow Catholics and run into a mental brick wall because so many don't understand the impact this mandate will have on religion.

A friend told me, years ago, that soon it will be the people in the pew who have to set the world straight about what is right and wrong. I guess all that believe in the Constitution and how it is supposed to protect our right to Faith will have to do their best to spread the world from their corners of the country.

Still, it would be nice to have heard it from the altar today. And, if I were in charge (scary thought!), I sure would have ongoing prayer petitions for the protection of the unborn and an end to artificial methods of birth control every day a Mass was celebrated. It wouldn't hurt to include petitions for a return to modesty, purity, and spiritual awareness for the world especially our teens.