USCCB renews call for conscience-protection legislation
March 01, 2013
Urging Catholics to contact members of Congress, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has renewed its call for conscience-protection legislation in the wake of the HHS mandate.
“As you know, there are major threats looming against people and groups that are opposed in conscience to providing insurance coverage for sterilizations, contraception, or abortifacient drugs, or to participating in or facilitating an abortion,” the USCCB stated in a February 28 “action alert.”
“Now is the time to act!” the alert continued. “Congress will soon be considering a ‘must-pass’ bill that will fund the federal government. Congress can include conscience protection as part of that bill and solve this problem now.”
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Further information:
- Ask Congress to Protect Religious Freedom! (USCCB)
- Protect Rights of Conscience and Religious Liberty! (NCHLA)
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Posted by: unum -
Mar. 03, 2013 7:26 AM ET USA
WOW! Now the Catholic bishops are not only telling the Congress what to vote on but what bill to amend when they vote on it. That sure sounds like "political activity" to me! I'll bet the Obama administration is taking a close look at the bishops' 501c(3) status. Now, if the bishops just trusted the laity and explained the issue and Church teaching to them, I'll bet the combination of phone calls to Congress and community prayer would make something happen (wihout risking a tax exemption).
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Posted by: frjpharrington3912 -
Mar. 01, 2013 11:39 PM ET USA
The belief that man and woman's dignity as a free and rational being is rooted in God the creator and that religious freedom is an inalienable right and a duty to practice one's faith by giving honor and glory to God which demands that they live by the moral natural law in accord with the dictates of their conscience is a universal principle of human nature which transcends religious denomination. Hence the Bishops are exhorting all men and women of faith to stand up for this basic truth.
