What happens when efforts to honor fallen soldiers create religious freedom conflicts? – By Kelsey Dallas (Deseret News) / May 18, 2024
The Knights of Columbus council in Petersburg, Virginia, hopes to once again hold its Memorial Day service in Poplar Grove National Cemetery this year
Before they fire up the grill or jump in the pool at Memorial Day parties, many members of Knights of Columbus councils across the country take part in a more solemn event.
The Knights’ Memorial Day worship services honor fallen soldiers with prayer and reflection, commemorating sacrifices made during battles long past.
But this year, one such Memorial Day gathering is at the center of a growing legal battle, which pits the Knights of Columbus council in Petersburg, Virginia, against the National Park Service.
For the past two years, the park service has barred the Knights from holding a Memorial Day Mass in Poplar Grove National Cemetery, saying the religious service must instead take place in a nearby “free speech zone.”
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