On Tuesday we will celebrate the great birthday of our country. For some it may be a “four-day” weekend filled with

fireworks, parties, and summer fun. Even in our troubled and uncertain times, we have much to be thankful for as

Americans. We still live in the greatest nation on earth. Yes, we can complain about high taxes, governmental waste,

and all the goofy politics. We can complain about the cost of gasoline, utilities, and rising food costs. While we have the

freedom to complain, we must count our blessings, and remember that in so many other nations, as we have seen in

Eastern Europe, one man can destroy those freedoms.

Since I have traveled to so many “unique” places of the world–places not usually on the tourist map–I have experienced

the lack of the freedoms that we in the United States take for granted. Even China, with all of its growth and moving

toward capitalism, Catholic Christians are not free to worship openly outside the government-sponsored churches. I was

told not to wear clerical shirts, because I might be arrested.

Regardless of how bad we believe our problems to be, look around and you can always find those whose problems are

greater. During World War II, between the Nazis and the Communist government, Christianity was to be destroyed in

much of Eastern Europe. From Poland to the Baltic nations, priests, bishops, brothers, and nuns were put in camps from

which most never returned. Only through the power of God did the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches survive.

Slowly those churches are rebuilding their congregations, their schools and their hospitals. Two of the greatest

evangelization tools the Catholic Church has are our schools and hospitals. These institutions are open to anyone of any

faith. Back then, these places were the first that were attacked and closed when the Nazis and Communists took control

of Eastern Europe. Today the Russians have destroyed over 2,000 Ukrainian schools and 10 major hospitals. When the

Nazis took control of Poland they closed schools and imprisoned or killed teachers and professors. The Ukrainian

language, history and culture is under attack as was Poland 85 years ago.

So, as we have fun this weekend, thank God for all the freedoms we enjoy. Thank God that we live in a land that can

feed itself and provide jobs for our people. The food may not always be what we like, but it’s better than what two

thirds of the people of the world could even dream about. There are jobs here, even if they aren’t what we would like to

do, or for the salary we want. On average, we spend more money on entertainment (movies, vacations, cable, internet,

and sports) during the year than the great majority of people in the world even make. So if we complain about the cost

of gasoline, remember the majority of the world population is walking or riding public transportation this weekend. Give

thanks to God and ask Him for His guidance, for His protection, for His very love. May we all have a fun-filled and safe

4th of July as we celebrate our freedoms.