LONDONDERRY — As another election approaches, Christian voters sometimes struggle with difficult questions, particularly when it comes to finding an acceptable balance between church and state.

Hoping to offer help with those questions, staff at St. Jude's Parish and members of the Rockingham County Deanery will host a series of public workshops aimed at answering their questions on religious freedom.

“As a parish, it's our responsibility to inform people just what religious freedom entails,” church pastor Robert Couto said. “It's something the church has always stood for and we want people to feel open and comfortable discussing their concerns with this issue.”

Attorney Robert E. Dunn, Jr., who serves as a lobbyist for the Catholic Diocese of Manchester as well as the liturgical director at the Londonderry church, will be a featured speaker at the two Monday evening sessions taking place at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.

Over the course of the two free workshops, Dunn will address such topics as why the Catholic Church believes Catholics have a responsibility to actively participate in the public realm, defining the right relationship between the worlds of church and state, and what the U.S. Constitution says about religious liberty.

Dunn said a primary focus will be looking at 21st century Catholic citizenship through the lens of the first-generation of Christians dealing with such issues.

“There are so many parallels between the first century and today,” Dunn said. “A French philosopher once said that the mode of democracy is love. And as Catholics, I believe we have a moral duty to advance the common good.”

Dunn — an adjunct professor at UNH School of Law and director of legislative and governmental affairs for local law firm Devine, Millimet and Branch — said President Barrack Obama's recent Health and Human Services Mandate provokes more issues.

The mandate, which became effective Aug. 1, requires employers to offer health plans covering contraceptives, among other things.

For some Catholics, this presents a moral challenge, and Dunn said that one troubling aspect of the mandate is the fact that “it seeks to define religious organization in a very narrow way.”

“From a Catholic perspective, a Catholic entity wouldn't be considered a religious employer, since they serve and employ non-Catholics,” said Dunn. “So in essence, this mandate has the effect of trying to push them in a corner. From a Constitutional perspective, it becomes a First Amendment issue.”

According to Dunn, early historical accounts indicate that early Roman authorities objected not to Christ himself, but more “to the fact that these citizens weren't bowing to Caesar.” As a sign of protest, those early Christians brought their faith straight into the public square.

“From the Church's side, both the Church and state truly have one common mission: to advance the common good and well being of all people,” Dunn added.

For more information, call St. Jude's Parish at 432-3333. The workshops are free and open to the public.

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