Bishops speak out against HHS mandate
January 30, 2012
Requesting prayer and action from the lay faithful, bishops nationwide continued to speak out against the Obama administration’s mandate that requires religious agencies to offer contraceptive and sterilization coverage to their employees.
“This decision is outrageous,” said Bishops Kevin Vann of Fort Worth and Kevin Farrell of Dallas. “It is an unprecedented and untenable abrogation of religious freedom in the United States.”
“This is part of a pattern in the United States that has degenerated from the recognition of religion as good and salutary to our society to religion being subjected to punitive discrimination.”
“We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law,” several bishops said in separate letters with nearly identical language.
“Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God given rights. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties. I hope and trust she can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same.”
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Further information:
- Archbishop Gomez: A Time for Catholic Action and Catholic Voices (On the Square)
- Bishop Olmsted's Letter to Catholics: Coercive HHS Ruling Mandates Sterilization, Abortion-Inducing Drugs and Contraception (Diocese of Phoenix)
- Bishop Blair: Letter (Diocese of Toledo)
- Obama Tramples on Religious Freedom; Bishop Malone Calls for Protest (Diocese of Portland)
- Archbishop Wenski: Letter (Archdiocese of Miami)
- Archbishop Schnurr: Letter (Archdiocese of Cincinnati)
- Vann and Farrell: Obama administration attacks Catholic religious conscience (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
- Bishops of North Carolina: Letter (Diocese of Charlotte)
- Bishops rip HHS mandate; Bishop Zubik: ‘to hell with you’ (CWN, 1/27)
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Posted by: impossible -
Feb. 05, 2012 2:31 PM ET USA
When will these bishops finally denounce the misleading Faithful Citizenship and Introductory Note which perpetuate the illusion that one can vote for the most pro-abortion candidate provided he/she is "better in their view" on non-intrinsic issues open to prudential judgment????? When will they properly explain to their flocks the principle of "proportionate reasons" and its proper application for moral Catholic voting???
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Posted by: Justin8110 -
Jan. 30, 2012 9:36 PM ET USA
I was surprised with such a strong response from the bishops. May the good Lord give them the grace to stand firm even when things get really heated and they may have to lose their lives for the Faith. Maybe these bishops are waking up and realizing that secular humanism and the "world" are the enemies of Christ and the Church and the last few decades of appeasement and dialogue have done nothing good for the Church.
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Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Jan. 30, 2012 12:20 PM ET USA
Sent to White House 24 Jan 2009: I am concerned that your presidency will usher in the greatest official persecution of Catholics this country has ever seen. Your recent executive actions lend credence to the apprehension that began in my mind in 2004. I write to inform you that I will stand firm in my faith and will suffer whatever consequences this may entail. When I entered the Marine Corps in 1972 I swore to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. This will I continue to do no matter what
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Posted by: -
Jan. 30, 2012 8:01 AM ET USA
I've written my Congressman, both State Senators, Pres Obama and VP Biden. What else can I do here?
