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WASHINGTON (CNS) -- "Witnesses to Freedom" is the theme of the U.S. bishops' fifth annual Fortnight for Freedom, which opens June 21, the vigil of the feast of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, and closes on Independence Day, July 4.

The opening Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. (EDT) in Baltimore at the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori as the principal celebrant and the homilist. Archbishop Lori is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

The closing Mass will be celebrated at noon (EDT) the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl of Washington will be the principal celebrant, and Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik will be the homilist.

"Zubik" is the name given to the court case brought by many Catholic and other religious entities, including the Pittsburgh Diocese, to challenge the federal requirement that all employers, including most religious employers, provide employee health coverage of contraceptives and abortifacients even if they are morally opposed to such coverage.

The legal challenge, which the U.S. Supreme Court sent back to the lower courts May 16, has been a flashpoint in the U.S. church's fight on religious liberty issues.

The Fortnight for Freedom is "based on love of country and of liberty," according to the USCCB. The aim is to "encourage Catholics, other Christians and all people of goodwill to set aside two weeks to reflect on religious freedom," it said.

The annual observance also gets to the heart of what Pope Francis said during his visit last September to the United States, the USCCB said, noting the pope "encouraged us to nurture, promote and defend the precious gift of religious freedom."

This year the USCCB -- along with Jesuit-run Stonyhurst College in the Diocese of Lancashire, England -- is coordinating a U.S. tour of relics of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher to promote respect for religious liberty. Both were executed by King Henry VIII for their Catholic beliefs.

The relics will go to Miami, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Washington.

In addition, the USCCB is highlighting the Christian witness of 14 women and men -- one each day of the fortnight observance, including:

-- Blessed Oscar Romero, the slain archbishop of San Salvador.

-- The Little Sisters of the Poor, the order at the forefront of the court fight against the contraceptive mandate.

-- The Martyrs of Compiegne, France. The 16 Carmelites were guillotined during the French Revolution for defying the government's suppression of their monastery.

-- The Coptic Christians who were killed by Islamic State militants last year.

"Reflecting on the lives of these great men and women can show us how we might serve as witnesses to freedom today," said the USCCB statement on the 2016 Fortnight for Freedom.

"It is remarkable to see the witness of so many martyrs throughout the history of the church who love the land and people of their birth, even as they are being persecuted," it said. "We can emulate this in our work today to promote religious freedom in the U.S., as it is of a piece with our efforts to contribute to the good of all Americans."

Information about the fortnight and various resources to help plan local observances are available online at www.Fortnight4Freedom.com.

The USCCB suggests several ways parishes can celebrate the fortnight, including by holding a prayer vigil for religious freedom, organizing a study group on religious freedom issues and hosting a parish picnic to celebrate religious freedom.

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 The Catholic Bishops' Conferences of the United States and the European Union adopted a common position on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) prior to the 14th round of negotiations in July 2016.

For the first time in their histories, the United States' Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) issued a common position on a social concern of importance to citizens on both sides of the Atlantic. The proposed "Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership" will have a direct impact on the lives of almost a billion people, not to mention the expected consequences of the new standards deriving from that agreement for third countries.

Following joint discussions in the summer of 2014 and a review by the USCCB committees on International Justice and Peace, and Domestic Justice and Human Development, the USCCB and COMECE collaborated in the development of a common statement on the free trade agreement that is under negotiation.

Given the highly polarized debate on the TTIP, the bishops offer a moral "toolbox" for evaluation of the agreement. They state their firm conviction that free trade can be truly beneficial and potentially contribute to a better future for all, provided that it promotes equitable access for all persons to the goods of this world and that it is structured in a way that helps to reduce inequality or injustice. As Pope Francis wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Cameron in the context of a G7 meeting: "The goal of economics and politics is to serve humanity, beginning with the poorest and most vulnerable"(June 17, 2013).

To evaluate this agreement – with a thorough social and environmental analysis – the bishops offer nine ethical principles based on the Catholic Social Teaching. These principles include:

?   sustainability and precaution that imply that priority must be given to the prevention of harm to present or future generations rather than to the pursuit of profits.

?   the protection of workers and their families and the preservation of their just rights in compliance with internationally-agreed labor standards.

?   Sustainable Development, including assistance to poor countries, and Care for Creation that are not mutually exclusive but complementary. Trade agreements must give " priority attention to protecting the environment and health of communities".

?   Many people are concerned or feel excluded from the current negotiation process. Therefore, the bishops underline the principle of participation of citizens in decisions that impact their lives. They propose the creation of appropriate fora and mechanisms.

The joint declaration was signed by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, USCCB President, and Reinhard Cardinal Marx, COMECE President.

The full text of the joint statement can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/global-issues/trade/comece-usccb-recommendations-on-ttip-negotiations-2016-06-14.cfm.

Keywords :, USCCB, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, Trade, , Policy, Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community, COMECE, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), TTIP
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