Catholic and Enjoying It!
The USCCB writes:
Dear Friend of Religious Liberty:
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.
Now is the time to act! 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.
Can you spare 5 minutes to contact your Members of Congress and ask them to support conscience protection for EVERYONE? Call using the “Take Action” link or click here to email your two Senators and Representative.
Please join with us in calling on Congress to protect the right of all people and groups to participate in life-affirming health care — without violating their consciences!
Not sure what to say? Here are some suggestions:
- The administration has issued a mandate requiring virtually all insurance plans to include sterilization and contraception, even including the morning-after and week-after pills. People who run secular charities, or religious or secular businesses, are being forced to buy insurance coverage for “services” to which they have a deeply held moral or religious objection — with no exceptions. I oppose forcing people to participate in, fund, or provide things they believe are wrong or immoral.
- Though churches themselves are exempted from the mandate, religious ministries of service — such as charities, schools, and hospitals — are given second-class status under the law, in the form of a still-murky “accommodation.” But these ministries are integral to our religious community and deserve the same exemption as our houses of worship. I oppose government action that defines our religious community narrowly and inaccurately, reducing freedom of religion to freedom of worship only.
- Freedom of religion is a bedrock principle on which our nation was founded. It is referred to as our “First Freedom” — first on the list in the Bill of Rights, and first in priority among human freedoms. I support religious freedom as a fundamental human right of every person.
- A distinct blessing of being an American is that we are free to choose our faith, and live by the dictates of that faith throughout our lives — at home, at church, and in the public square. Other countries may force faith underground, but in America we can follow our conscience while also participating fully in society. I support policies that allow Americans to live their faith in their jobs and in their everyday life.
- In the words of Cardinal Dolan, “In obedience to our Judeo-Christian heritage, we have consistently taught our people to live their lives during the week to reflect the same beliefs that they proclaim on the Sabbath. We cannot now abandon them to be forced to violate their morally well-informed consciences.” I support the right of all men and women who work in health care — whether providing services or providing insurance — to live and work in harmony with their faith and convictions.
Please contact your Congressional representatives today and urge them to take whatever action is necessary to protect religious freedom and the moral convictions of all!
For more information or to join the postcard campaign, go to NCHLA’s action alert.
Thank you for all that you do in support of life and liberty!
-Your Religious Freedom and Conscience Protection Team
P.S. Please forward this to friends and family who share your concern to protect the rights of all to participate in health care! They can click here to sign up for our email list or text the word FREEDOM to 377377 for updates.
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