Attorney General William Barr said declining religious values and the loss of the “traditional moral order” is causing many of society’s ills.

Speaking at the University of Notre Dame Law School Friday, Barr said that because of a “moral upheaval” there has been an increase in drug use, children born out of wedlock, and people being alienated.

“The campaign to destroy the traditional moral order has coincided and I believe has brought with it immense suffering and misery. And yet the forces of secularism, ignoring these tragic results, press on with even greater militancy,” the attorney general said.

Barr, 69, is a devout Catholic. During the speech, he touched on efforts by the Justice Department to assist faith-based organizations that fight for religious liberty. He also warned about the “progressive” movement in U.S. politics.

“Among the militant secularists are many so-called progressives. But where is the progress?” Barr wondered. “Those who defy the creed risk a figurative burning at the stake: social, educational, and professional ostracism and exclusion waged through lawsuits and savage social media campaigns.”

