The First Freedom.
The First Freedom In 1634 when the Ark and the Dove arrived, carrying English settlers to what is now Saint Mary's County, those brave women and men established the first settlement to offer and guarantee religious liberty to all of the inhabitants. In effect, they constructed what would become known as the birthplace of religious freedom in America. History teaches us that the right to religious liberty is fragile and must be vigilantly guarded if it is not to be lost. The Catholic bishops of Maryland -- Washington Archbishop Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Baltimore Apostolic Administrator Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, and Wilmington Bishop W. Francis Malooly -- have released a statement outlining increasing threats to this cherished right and highlighting the urgent need for all people to take steps to defend religious liberty. For more information, visit the Maryland Catholic Conference: www.mdcathcon.org/religiousfreedom Please visit us at www.adw.org