A Slippery Slope

Every Wednesday, Fr. Gordon MacRae posts on his blog, These Stone Walls. I have written of Father and his case several times here on this blog so most of you know of him and his case.
My usual way of sharing Father's posts each week is to put it over in the Highlights From Other Bloggers box on the left side bar. While I have done that today, I feel that Fr. MacRae's post this week deserves some special attention.
A Treacherous Descent: Religious Freedom Put to the Test is one of Father's most enlightening posts (at least in this little Catholic blogger's opinion). In it he speaks of certain acts put into effect by our government can have far reaching repercussions and lasting effects, not good ones, for Catholics in this country.
This post also speaks to something I have been saying here off and on for some time: we as Catholics need to be awake and aware of what is going on around us. Prayer for our country is needed more now than ever.
The case cited in Fr. MacRae's post looks innocent and well~meaning enough on the surface, but as he unfolds its implications for us, it becomes quite clear what is at stake~our religious freedom.
It is easy to think that the days of religious persecution of Catholics as well as others is behind us. That is a naive thought. It continues in subtle ways in this country and goes on every day in more severe ways in others. Yes, right now we can pray publicly and attend Mass without being arrested. If we continue to ignore the writing on the wall, that may not always be the case. We need to pray not only for things to change, but also for the grace and courage to stand up for our faith if they do not. We are on a slippery slope.
Please don't miss Fr. MacRae's post today; it will remove more of the blinders we sometimes put on ourselves.
If you have never visited These stone Walls before, do take some time to read about Father's case and why he is serving a 67 year prison sentence for crimes he did not commit.