Dear Brothers and Sisters, This week we celebrate Independence Day. Very often we in the western world take our freedoms for granted. In fact we can be quite complacent about them. We have the right to vote but we do not exercise it and then complain. We take it for granted. We have religious freedom and again we can be complacent. All rights can be taken away or lapse if we are not vigilant. As we celebrate our independence let us give thanks for the founding fathers who had the wisdom to and vision to realize that there were freedoms that needed to be universal. Let us celebrate and enjoy the day but let us always be vigilant so that we do not lose our freedom. May God continue to bless and protect us. Fr Karl