Freedom

I am not Catholic, but this touched me on more than one level.

From Benedict XVI's address at the White House yesterday:

Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility.
Americans know this from experience – almost every town in this country has its
monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both
at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of
virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of
responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage
in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public
debate. In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each
generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good .